Deuteronomy 15:14 kjv
Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him.
Deuteronomy 15:14 nkjv
you shall supply him liberally from your flock, from your threshing floor, and from your winepress. From what the LORD your God has blessed you with, you shall give to him.
Deuteronomy 15:14 niv
Supply them liberally from your flock, your threshing floor and your winepress. Give to them as the LORD your God has blessed you.
Deuteronomy 15:14 esv
You shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, out of your threshing floor, and out of your winepress. As the LORD your God has blessed you, you shall give to him.
Deuteronomy 15:14 nlt
Give him a generous farewell gift from your flock, your threshing floor, and your winepress. Share with him some of the bounty with which the LORD your God has blessed you.
Deuteronomy 15 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 21:2 | If you buy a Hebrew servant... he shall go out free in the seventh year. | Laws for Hebrew servants, six years service |
| Lev 25:39-43 | ...not rule over him ruthlessly, but shall fear your God. | Compassion for Israelite bondservants |
| Deut 15:7-8 | ...you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand... but shall open it. | Open-handed generosity to needy |
| Deut 15:10 | You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grieved. | Principle of cheerful and ungrudging giving |
| Deut 15:15 | You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt. | Reason for compassion: shared past |
| Deut 15:18 | ...because he has served you for six years... worth double a hired worker. | Value of servant's labor and justification |
| Prov 3:9-10 | Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce. | Giving from abundance to God |
| Prov 11:24-25 | One gives freely, yet grows richer; another withholds... is poor... | Principle of generosity and increase |
| Prov 19:17 | Whoever lends to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him. | Giving to needy seen as lending to God |
| Isa 58:6-7 | ...to loose the bonds of wickedness... to share your bread with the hungry. | True worship includes social justice |
| Mal 3:10 | Bring the full tithe into the storehouse... to test me in this... open the windows. | God's blessing follows obedience in giving |
| Matt 10:8 | Freely you received, freely give. | Freely received, freely give principle |
| Luke 6:38 | Give, and it will be given to you... good measure, pressed down... | Generosity leads to abundant returns |
| Acts 20:35 | It is more blessed to give than to receive. | Value of giving taught by Christ |
| 2 Cor 9:6 | Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly... generously will also reap generously. | Sowing and reaping in giving |
| 2 Cor 9:7-8 | God loves a cheerful giver... God is able to make all grace abound to you. | God empowers giving and blesses the cheerful giver |
| Gal 6:7-10 | Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. | Universal principle of sowing and reaping |
| Eph 6:9 | Masters, do the same to them... knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven. | Fair treatment of servants/employees |
| Col 3:22-25 | Servants, obey... Masters, grant to your bondservants justice and fairness. | Justice and fairness in all relationships |
| Jas 2:15-16 | If a brother... is naked and lacking daily food... "Go in peace, be warmed," without providing. | Faith without deeds is dead |
| Heb 13:16 | Do not neglect to do good and to share, for by such sacrifices God is pleased. | Good deeds and sharing as acceptable sacrifice |
Deuteronomy 15 verses
Deuteronomy 15 14 Meaning
Deuteronomy 15:14 commands the Israelite master to generously equip a released Hebrew servant with provisions from their abundance, specifically from livestock, grain, and wine, as a direct reflection of how the Lord their God has blessed the master. This was not a mere token gift but a substantial provision intended to empower the former servant for a new start in freedom.
Deuteronomy 15 14 Context
Deuteronomy 15 is Moses' exposition of the Law to the Israelites gathered on the plains of Moab before entering the Promised Land. The chapter addresses several socio-economic laws designed to prevent poverty and maintain justice within the community. It opens with the law of the Sabbatical Year (Shemitah), which mandates debt release and cessation of agricultural work every seven years (Deut 15:1-11). Following this, verses 12-18 focus specifically on the treatment of Hebrew servants. According to the law, a Hebrew male or female servant was to be set free after six years of service. Verse 14 is a direct command within this release process, stipulating not merely their freedom but also a significant provision for their future livelihood, ensuring they do not leave empty-handed or fall back into poverty. This law highlights God's compassion and commitment to justice, particularly for the vulnerable, and stands in stark contrast to the harsher practices of other ancient Near Eastern societies regarding debt slavery.
Deuteronomy 15 14 Word analysis
- You shall furnish him liberally: The Hebrew verb is הַעֲנִיק (ha'aniq), a Hiphil imperative from the root ענק ('anaq). Literally meaning "to cause to go forth with a necklace/collar," it metaphorically signifies equipping generously or heavily. It implies a substantial provision that sets the servant up for a new life, not just a meager handout. This highlights the intention to empower the released servant for their independence and demonstrates a full, weighty giving.
- out of your flock: מִצֹּאנְךָ (miṣṣonəḵā). The Hebrew tso'n refers to sheep and goats. These animals represented significant wealth in ancient Israel, providing meat, milk, wool, and reproductive capital. Giving from the flock meant providing a starting asset for the former servant to build their own flock and livelihood.
- out of your threshing floor: וּמִגָּרְנְךָ (umiḡgorənəḵā). The goren (threshing floor) was the area where harvested grain was threshed to separate kernels from stalks. This symbolizes agricultural produce—grain—which was the staple food and a primary form of wealth, signifying the master's agricultural bounty.
- and out of your winepress: וּמִיִּקְבֶךָ (umiyyibqeḵā). The yeqev (winepress) was used to extract juice from grapes or olives. Wine and olive oil were crucial agricultural products, symbolizing prosperity, enjoyment, and trade goods. Giving from these indicates provision for both sustenance and comfort.
- As the Lord your God has blessed you: אֲשֶׁר בֵּרַכְךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ (ʾăšer bērākəḵā YHVH Eloheyḵā). This phrase is foundational. The measure and liberality of the master's giving are directly tied to, and are a grateful response to, the blessings the master has received from Yahweh. It teaches that one's own prosperity comes from God, and therefore, it should be shared with those in need, especially when fulfilling God's commands regarding justice and compassion. It turns giving into an act of worship and stewardship, mirroring God's own generosity.
- you shall give to him: The imperative reiterates the mandatory nature of this compassionate act.
Deuteronomy 15 14 Bonus section
The generous provision at release highlights the principle of proper compensation for work, emphasizing that one's labor, even as a servant, has significant value. It implicitly rejects a mindset where those in power exploit the vulnerable without investing in their long-term well-being. Furthermore, this act of generous furnishing helped prevent cycles of poverty and repeated servitude within the Israelite community, contributing to the overall stability and health of the covenant people. This command teaches that genuine freedom includes the means to sustain it, ensuring a viable path forward for the individual.
Deuteronomy 15 14 Commentary
Deuteronomy 15:14 embodies a profound principle of covenant ethics: treating the vulnerable not just with minimal provision but with generous empowerment. This command ensures that a Hebrew servant, after dedicating six years to their master, is not released into destitution but into an opportunity for true freedom and self-sufficiency. The specification of "flock," "threshing floor," and "winepress" covers the primary sources of livelihood in an agrarian society, ensuring a well-rounded and substantial foundation for the servant's new beginning.
The core theological underpinning, "As the Lord your God has blessed you," elevates this instruction beyond a simple social welfare policy. It transforms the act of giving into a direct response to divine generosity. Masters were commanded to extend the same kind of lavish blessing they themselves had received from God, thereby reflecting God's character of abundance and compassion within the community. This cultivates a cycle of grace, where receiving God's blessings prompts generosity towards others, perpetuating well-being and justice. The motivation for giving is therefore rooted in gratitude and stewardship, rather than mere obligation. This law not only addressed immediate economic needs but also fostered human dignity, contrasting sharply with the often exploitative labor practices of surrounding nations, making Israel's law distinctly compassionate and reflective of Yahweh's nature.