Deuteronomy 15 11

Deuteronomy 15:11 kjv

For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

Deuteronomy 15:11 nkjv

For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, 'You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.'

Deuteronomy 15:11 niv

There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.

Deuteronomy 15:11 esv

For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, 'You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.'

Deuteronomy 15:11 nlt

There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need.

Deuteronomy 15 verses

Deuteronomy 15 11 Meaning

Deuteronomy 15:11 is a profound statement acknowledging the enduring reality of poverty in the world, even within God's covenant community. Far from being a justification for inaction, it serves as the divine impetus for an emphatic command: the people of God are continually obligated to practice open-handed and generous giving to those who are poor and needy among them. It underscores that while God's ideal for His people is a society without destitution, the reality of a fallen world means such a condition will persist, thus necessitating perpetual compassion and practical assistance.

Deuteronomy 15 11 Context

Deuteronomy 15 stands within Moses' second discourse to Israel as they stand poised to enter the Promised Land. The chapter primarily outlines laws concerning debt remission (the sabbatical year, shemitah) and the release of Hebrew servants. The preceding verses (Deut 15:1-10) detail the command for the cancelling of debts every seven years and urge radical generosity, even to the point of lending to the poor just before the remission year. Verse 11 directly follows the command for open-handedness (Deut 15:7-8) and explains the foundational reason why such consistent generosity is necessary: despite God's covenant ideal of a society free from chronic poverty (Deut 15:4), the reality of a fallen world means the poor will always be present, necessitating an ongoing commitment to assist them. It emphasizes the social and economic justice central to the Mosaic covenant.

Deuteronomy 15 11 Word analysis

• For (כִּי, ki): This conjunction acts as a causal connector, explaining why the preceding command to give freely to the poor is given and essential. It ties the ongoing nature of poverty directly to the command for perpetual generosity.
• the poor (הָאֶבְיֹון, hāʾeḇyōn): This singular collective noun refers to those who are utterly destitute, utterly without resources, the genuinely needy and often helpless. It denotes a person in a state of economic dependence who is often forced to rely on the kindness of others. It specifically emphasizes vulnerability.
• will never cease (לֹא יֶחְדַּל, loʾ yeḥdal): A strong negative expression ("not will cease"), implying a continuous and unbroken state. This phrase expresses a realistic observation that poverty will remain an enduring part of human existence in a fallen world, not an excuse to neglect, but a reason to engage continually.
• from the land (מִקֶּרֶב הָאָרֶץ, miqereb hāʾāreṣ): Literally "from the midst of the land." This specifies that even within the divinely blessed Promised Land, among God's covenanted people where economic systems (like shemitah) were designed to prevent chronic poverty, it would nonetheless persist.
• therefore (עַל־כֵּן, ʿal-ken): This inferential phrase logically connects the statement about the perpetuity of the poor to the subsequent divine command. It shows the inescapable link between the reality of human need and God’s clear expectation.
• I command you, saying (אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ לֵאמֹר, ʾānōḵî məṣawwəkā lēʾmōr): This is a direct, emphatic divine instruction. It highlights God’s authority and personal involvement in this mandate. The imperative emphasizes the binding nature of this expectation.
• You shall open your hand wide (פָּתֹחַ תִּפְתַּח אֶת־יָדְךָ, pātōaḥ tiftaḥ ʾeṯ-yādeḵā): This phrase uses an infinitive absolute before the finite verb, a Hebrew grammatical construction indicating intense emphasis and certainty. It signifies total and unrestricted generosity—not merely offering minimal assistance, but truly extending oneself, implying a willingness to share abundantly and without reservation.
• to your brother (לְאָחִיךָ, ləʾāḥîḵā): Refers specifically to fellow Israelites, emphasizing the responsibility and familial bond within the covenant community. This highlights an internal, communal obligation, fostering unity and mutual care.
• to your needy (לַעֲנִיֶּךָ, laʿaniyyeḵā): Refers to the oppressed, the afflicted, those experiencing distress, often including but not limited to the economically poor. This broadens the scope of responsibility beyond just material destitution to encompass wider forms of suffering.
• and your poor (וּלְאֶבְיֹנֶךָ, ūləʾeḇyōneḵā): This repetition of ʾeḇyōn reinforces the specific focus on those experiencing the severest form of poverty. The pairing with "needy" and "brother" ensures that generosity extends to various forms of vulnerability.
• in your land (בְּאַרְצֶךָ, bəʾarṣeḵā): While the principle is universal, this specifies the immediate context of the command, applying it primarily within the borders and covenant relationship of Israel in the Promised Land.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "For the poor will never cease from the land;": This clause is a profound and sobering statement of reality. It sets the stage by recognizing that while ideal laws were in place to alleviate poverty, the fallen human condition and world order mean it will be a constant presence. This is not a decree for poverty to exist, but a pragmatic acknowledgement that despite the best divine systems, human society will always grapple with need. It dismantles any illusion that Israel's obedience would completely eradicate need, ensuring that compassion remains a permanent duty.
• "therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your needy and your poor, in your land.’": This constitutes the divine imperative, directly stemming from the preceding observation. The command for open-handedness is intensely emphatic, leaving no room for grudging or half-hearted giving. The multi-layered reference to "your brother, to your needy and your poor" stresses that this responsibility extends to all within their community who are in any form of distress, from kin to those merely afflicted or completely destitute. It positions radical generosity not as an optional act of charity, but as a non-negotiable cornerstone of their covenant life, commanded directly by God.

Deuteronomy 15 11 Bonus section

• Tension with Deut 15:4: The juxtaposition of "There will be no poor among you" (Deut 15:4) and "For the poor will never cease from the land" (Deut 15:11) is significant. Many scholars interpret Deut 15:4 as a conditional ideal, a promise of eradication of poverty if Israel fully obeys all of God's laws (a perfect society). However, Deut 15:11 serves as a realistic anticipation that due to human sinfulness and the complexities of life in a fallen world, perfect obedience is elusive, and therefore poverty will persist, necessitating a continuous posture of generosity. Thus, verse 11 is not a contradiction of verse 4, but a pragmatic acknowledgement of fallen humanity's reality, reinforcing the urgency of ongoing care for the poor.
• Jesus' Quote: When Jesus quotes this verse in the Gospels (Mt 26:11, Mk 14:7, Jn 12:8) in response to criticism of Mary's anointing him with costly perfume, He is not dismissing concern for the poor. Rather, He is using this prophetic and realistic statement from Moses to emphasize a unique, non-repeatable kairos (time) of His impending death and burial. He underlines the principle that service to Him (in His unique circumstances) has a distinct, prioritized claim in that specific moment, while reaffirming the continuing responsibility to care for the poor after His burial and ascension. The ongoing nature of poverty mandates a constant and regular Christian ministry to the poor, a truth Jesus Himself upheld throughout His ministry.

Deuteronomy 15 11 Commentary

Deuteronomy 15:11 provides a crucial biblical framework for understanding enduring human poverty and God's call for response. It is a theological realism that confronts human failure while sustaining divine expectation. The verse counters the misinterpretation that God wills perpetual poverty. Instead, it asserts that because poverty will be an ongoing reality in a fallen world, God's people must, by His explicit command, be continuously and extraordinarily generous. This isn't merely philanthropy, but an integral part of covenant living, expressing a deep concern for social justice and compassion that mirrors God’s own heart for the vulnerable. It forms the ethical foundation for the rich against the needy, underscoring that their prosperity is given for sharing, fostering a society marked by empathy and active support rather than neglect. This verse therefore is a perennial mandate for the people of God to embody His righteousness and love through practical, sacrificial giving, demonstrating that true faith has tangible social implications.