Deuteronomy 15:7 kjv
If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:
Deuteronomy 15:7 nkjv
"If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother,
Deuteronomy 15:7 niv
If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them.
Deuteronomy 15:7 esv
"If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother,
Deuteronomy 15:7 nlt
"But if there are any poor Israelites in your towns when you arrive in the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tightfisted toward them.
Deuteronomy 15 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 19:9-10 | When you reap the harvest... you shall not reap to the very edges of your field... you shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner... | Provision for poor through gleaning |
| Exod 22:25 | If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him. | Prohibits exploiting the poor |
| Deut 24:19-22 | When you reap your harvest... you shall not go over it again... for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. | Ethical obligation to vulnerable |
| Prov 14:31 | Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is gracious to the needy honors him. | God identifies with the poor |
| Prov 28:27 | Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse. | Blessing from generosity to poor |
| Isa 58:7-10 | Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house... then your light shall break forth like the dawn... | True fasting involves caring for the poor |
| Zech 7:9-10 | Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor... | Justice and mercy are divine requirements |
| Ps 41:1 | Blessed is the one who considers the poor; in the day of trouble the LORD delivers him. | Blessings for caring for the poor |
| Matt 5:42 | Give to the one who asks you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. | Christian command for generous giving |
| Matt 19:21 | Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” | Sacrificial giving for eternal reward |
| Matt 25:34-40 | “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food... | Identification with Christ in caring for needy |
| Luke 3:10-11 | And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” | Practical sharing of resources |
| Luke 12:33-34 | Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail... | Earthly possessions for heavenly treasure |
| Acts 2:44-45 | And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. | Early church communal sharing |
| Acts 4:32 | Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. | Unity and shared resources in early church |
| 2 Cor 9:6-8 | The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully... for God loves a cheerful giver. | Principles of generous giving |
| Gal 2:10 | Only they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do. | Apostles' emphasis on remembering the poor |
| 1 John 3:17-18 | But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or talk but with deed and in truth. | Practical love is evidence of God's love |
| Jas 1:27 | Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. | True religion includes caring for vulnerable |
| Jas 2:14-17 | What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?... If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food... | Faith without works is dead |
| Heb 13:16 | Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. | Sharing is a pleasing sacrifice to God |
| 1 Tim 6:17-19 | As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches but on God... to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share... | Instructions for the wealthy to share |
Deuteronomy 15 verses
Deuteronomy 15 7 Meaning
Deuteronomy 15:7 presents a fundamental divine command to the people of Israel concerning the poor among them. It explicitly instructs against the inclination to harden one's heart or tightly close one's hand when encountering a needy "brother" within their communities. This verse is a direct injunction for generous and compassionate action, emphasizing an open heart (internal attitude) and an open hand (external action) as the required response to poverty within the covenant community. It underscores God's expectation for His people to mirror His character of mercy and provision, fostering a society marked by communal care and solidarity.
Deuteronomy 15 7 Context
Deuteronomy 15 is a crucial chapter in the renewal of God's covenant with Israel, particularly focusing on economic and social justice, culminating in the provisions for the Sabbatical Year (Shemitah) and the perpetual care for the poor. The preceding verses (Deut 15:1-6) establish the remission of debts every seven years, a radical measure designed to prevent the perpetual indebtedness and impoverishment of Israelite families, ensuring that the covenant community remains socially equitable. Verse 7 specifically addresses the attitude of individual Israelites towards poverty within this economic system, particularly as the seventh year approaches. The concern is that people might refuse to lend or give to the needy as the Sabbatical Year debt release nears, out of self-interest. This verse serves as a direct antidote to such selfishness, grounding Israel's economic practices in their spiritual identity and God's benevolent character. Historically and culturally, Israel was a covenant nation living under a divinely ordained legal and social structure that contrasted sharply with surrounding nations where poverty was often accepted as an inevitable and permanent state, with limited or no protections for the marginalized. Israel's Law, however, embedded a comprehensive system designed to mitigate extreme poverty and foster mutual support, demonstrating God's unique compassion for the vulnerable.
Deuteronomy 15 7 Word analysis
- If there is among you: This phrase ("כִּי־יִהְיֶה בְךָ") implies a real and expected possibility of poverty within the community, even with the protective measures of the Law. It doesn't deny the existence of poor people but acknowledges their presence and defines the required response.
- a poor man (’evyon, אֶבְיוֹן): This Hebrew term specifically denotes someone who is not just economically disadvantaged but also destitute, in genuine need, often afflicted, and dependent on others for survival. It emphasizes their vulnerability rather than merely their lack of wealth.
- one of your brothers: This is significant. It immediately elevates the relationship from a mere stranger to a member of the covenant family. This kinship term (’ach, אָח) signifies shared heritage, identity, and the binding obligations of mutual love and responsibility within Israel, a people called by God.
- in any of your towns: The command is not for specific remote cases but applies broadly throughout all settlements, reinforcing the widespread expectation of communal care.
- within your land that the LORD your God is giving you: This phrase connects the land, a gift from God, to the ethical responsibilities tied to possessing it. The land and its resources are a blessing meant to be stewarded according to God's heart, not exploited purely for individual gain at the expense of others within the divinely appointed territory.
- you shall not harden your heart (t'ammets et-levav'cha, לֹא־תְאַמֵּץ אֶת־לְבָבְךָ): "Harden" (ʾamets) here implies to strengthen or be firm against, to make resistant. "Heart" (levav) in biblical thought encompasses intellect, will, emotions, and moral character. Thus, this command is against becoming rigid, unfeeling, or willfully uncompassionate internally, refusing to acknowledge or be moved by a brother’s plight. It addresses the internal attitude of empathy and concern.
- or shut your hand (lo tikpots et-yad'cha, לֹא־תִקְפֹּץ אֶת־יָדְךָ): "Shut" (qapats) means to close tightly, to contract. "Hand" (yad) symbolizes action, work, and especially the act of giving. This is a prohibition against withholding material aid or assistance, an outward manifestation of an inward hardened heart. It demands active and generous benevolence, not passive indifference or active refusal to help.
- against your poor brother: Reiteration of the relationship, cementing the target of the compassion and emphasizing the moral imperative arising from their shared identity as God’s chosen people.
- Group of words: "you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand": This parallel negative command uses both internal (heart) and external (hand) actions to describe the prohibited behavior. It comprehensively covers both the disposition and the physical act, highlighting that genuine care for the poor must originate from an inward state of compassion that then manifests in outward generosity. One without the other is insufficient in God's eyes.
Deuteronomy 15 7 Bonus section
The concept of "poor" (’evyon) in this context goes beyond simply lacking material wealth; it signifies a state of vulnerability and dependency, highlighting that those who are most susceptible to falling into cycles of hardship deserve particular attention and support within the covenant community. This focus on "your brother" distinguishes the Israelite law from other ancient Near Eastern codes which sometimes offered protections to the poor, but not typically with such an intense relational and theological grounding. The theological basis for this command is found throughout Deuteronomy, where Israel is constantly reminded of its own past as oppressed slaves in Egypt, whom God graciously redeemed (Deut 15:15 explicitly connects the kindness owed to the poor to Israel's own liberation from slavery). This personal experience of God's grace and liberation was to transform their internal disposition and external practices towards others, especially the vulnerable. The verse thus sets a paradigm for holistic compassion that should define the people of God in all ages.
Deuteronomy 15 7 Commentary
Deuteronomy 15:7 is a powerful injunction for practical, heartfelt compassion within the covenant community. It reveals God’s deep concern for the poor and His expectation that His people reflect His benevolent character. The verse transcends mere philanthropy, demanding a specific disposition and action: neither a cold heart that ignores need, nor a closed hand that withholds help. This dual emphasis on inner attitude and outer action indicates that God desires not merely grudging charity but eager generosity born out of a compassionate spirit. The identity of the needy as "your brother" intensifies the obligation, rooting it in the bonds of shared faith and community. This command serves as a critical moral anchor for Israel's economic and social structures, ensuring that divine provisions for debt release (verses 1-6) and perpetual need do not become an excuse for selfishness. For believers, this verse underscores the timeless truth that genuine faith is expressed through practical love and care for others, especially the vulnerable, a principle echoed throughout the New Testament.
- Examples: Open heart means listening to a friend struggling with financial insecurity. Shutting a hand would be ignoring pleas for help or intentionally avoiding opportunities to assist. An open hand involves sharing resources, time, or expertise when genuinely able, demonstrating kindness, and alleviating suffering, rather than dismissing or resenting the poor.