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In this chapter Moses gives orders, I. Concerning the release of debts, every seventh year (De 15:1-6), with a caution that this should be no hindrance to charitable lending, De 15:7-11. II. Concerning the release of servants after seven years' service, De 15:12-18. III. Concerning the sanctification of the firstlings of cattle to God, De 15:19-23, etc.
1-23
The Year of Release (1451 BC)
繁體中文
豁免之年（主前1451年）
¹ 每逢七年終，你要豁免。 ² 豁免的辦法乃是這樣：凡債主要把所借給鄰舍的豁免了；不可向鄰舍或弟兄追討，因為耶和華的豁免已經宣告了。 ³ 若借給外邦人，你可以向他追討；但你借給弟兄的，無論是甚麼，你的手總要鬆開豁免。 ⁴ 你若留意聽從耶和華─你神的話，謹守遵行我今日所吩咐你的一切誡命，那麼在你中間就必沒有窮人了（耶和華必在你所得為業的地上大大賜福與你）。 ⁵ （只要你留意聽從耶和華─你神的話，謹守遵行我今日所吩咐你的一切誡命。） ⁶ 因為耶和華─你的神必照著他所應許你的賜福與你：你必借給許多國民，卻不至向他們借貸；你必管轄許多國民，他們卻不能管轄你。 ⁷ 在耶和華─你神所賜你的地上、無論哪一座城裏，你弟兄中若有一個窮人，你不可硬著心、也不可攥著手不向你窮乏的弟兄鬆開； ⁸ 總要向他鬆開手，照他所缺乏的借給他，補他的不足。 ⁹ 你要謹慎，不可心裏起惡念說：第七年豁免之年快到了；你便惡眼看你窮乏的弟兄，甚麼都不給他；他若呼求耶和華反對你，你就有了罪。 ¹⁰ 你總要給他，給他的時候心裏不可愁煩；因為耶和華─你的神必因這事、在你一切所辦的事上、並你手所辦的一切事上賜福與你。 ¹¹ 原來那地上的窮人永不斷絕；所以我吩咐你說：總要向你地上困苦窮乏的弟兄鬆開手。
此處記的是：一、為救濟貧窮負債者而設的律法——我們可假定是指無力償還的人。每七年是豁免之年，那年地土得享安息不再耕種，僕人得著釋放免了服役；在眾多恩典之舉中，這也是其中一項：凡借了錢、且在此之前無力償還的，今年便當得豁免；他們日後若力量恢復，在良心上仍有責任償還，但債主自此便永不能循法律途徑追討。許多優良的註釋家認為這條律法不過禁止在豁免之年當年追討，因為那一年沒有收割，不能指望人們在那時還債，但事後仍可起訴追討；這樣，豁免並未取消債務，只是暫停追討的程序。但另有人認為這乃是永遠豁免債務，這看來更為可能，但附有某些明說或暗示的條件限制。此處假定（申 15:3）債戶是以色列人（外邦人不能享有這條律法的利益），且他是窮人（申 15:4）；他借貸不是為貿易或購置，而是為養家；如今他若償還，便會使自己陷入貧困，不得不在別國尋求救濟，這可能引誘他背棄神。這條律法不是說債主不可接受債戶或其友人代他償還的錢，而是他不可循法律程序追討。這條律法的理由是：1. 為使安息年得著尊榮：因為耶和華的豁免已宣告了（申 15:2）。那是神為他們的地所定的年，正如每週的安息日是神為他們自己、僕人和牲畜所定的日；他們既藉地的安息、又藉債務的豁免，學習倚靠神的護理。這豁免之年預表了福音的恩典——在其中宣告了神悅納的禧年，我們藉此得著債務的豁免，就是罪的赦免；又被教導當饒恕別人的虧負，正如我們已經並盼望將來蒙神饒恕。2. 是為防止以色列人陷入極度的貧困：所以旁註如此讀（申 15:4），為要使你中間沒有窮人——沒有悲慘而可恥的窮人，以致他們國家和信仰的名聲受辱，而這名聲是他們理當維護的。3. 此處以一項屬天的應許作為神的保證：他們因窮乏債戶所受的損失，神必在他們一切所有的和所行的事上賜福歸還（申 15:4–6）。他們只要謹守本分，神就必以極大的增長賜福與他們，使他們若慷慨豁免壞帳，年終之時也不至在產業中有所失。不但耶和華必賜福與你（申 15:4），更說他已經賜福與你（申 15:6）。我們若因神賜我們豐富——不但足夠且有餘——卻對窮乏弟兄苛刻嚴厲，便完全沒有可推諉的；因為我們的豐足當補滿他們的缺乏，至少使兩極之間不致有如此不均（林後 8:14）。他們又當記念他們的地是神的禮物，他們一切的出產都是神賜福的果子，所以他們在責任上當照神的安排和指示來使用並處置他們的產業。末了，他們若肯豁免所借給窮乏弟兄的小數，便應許他們能借給富足鄰舍大數——甚至許多國民（申 15:6），且因這些借貸而致富。這樣，列國便要服於他們、倚靠他們——正如借貸的是貸放者的僕人（箴 22:7）。能借給人而不需要向人借貸，我們當視為極大的恩惠，也是我們當用所有的行善的充分理由——免得我們惹神發怒，使秤轉向另一端。
二、此處有為窮乏借貸人而設的律法，使他們不因前一條律法受損。人容易這樣推論：若債戶的情形如此——債務若不在豁免年之前清還，就要喪失——那麼不如不借。「不，」這條例的這一分枝說，「你不可存這樣的念頭。」1. 此處假定他們中間必有窮人，會需要借貸（申 15:7），並且這類施捨的對象永不斷絕（申 15:11）：那地上的窮人永不斷絕——雖不至於落到極度貧困，卻總有落在後頭、需要借貸的人；此處所論的就是這樣的窮人，這樣的人我們常與我們同在，所以慈惠的心意很快便可以找到施捨的機會。2. 在這種情形下，此處命令我們照著自己的能力和對方需要的迫切，借給或賜給：你不可硬著心、也不可攥著手（申 15:7）。手若攥著，便是心硬了的記號；因為雲若滿了雨，必傾倒在地上（傳 11:3）。慈悲的心腸必產生慷慨的施捨（雅 2:15–16）。你不可僅僅伸手遞給他甚麼，卻要向他大大鬆開手，照他所缺乏的借給他（申 15:8）。有時審慎的借貸與施捨同樣是慈惠，因為這促使借貸者勤勉誠實，又可能使他走上自助之路。有時施捨的對象出現，我們會受試探以為可以選擇給或不給、給多或給少；但此處是明文的誡命（申 15:11）：我吩咐你——不但要給，更當大大鬆開手，慷慨地給。3. 此處有一個警告，針對一個可能從前一條豁免債務律法而來的、反對慈惠借貸的異議（申 15:9）：你要謹慎，不可起惡念——一個貪婪無情的惡念——在你的彼列之心裏說：「豁免之年近了」，所以我不借，免得那時一定要喪失；免得你所拒絕借貸的窮弟兄向神呼求，這便成了你的罪——大罪。注意：（1）律法是屬靈的，約束人心的思念。我們若以為思想不在神的鑒察和責備之下，便是錯了。（2）從神善良的律法中發出惡念的心，實在是邪惡的心——正如他們的，因為神既責成他們行饒恕之慈惠，他們竟拒絕行施捨之慈惠。（3）我們當謹慎防備一切暗中使我們偏離本分、或在本分上灰心的提議。凡要不犯罪之行的，必須先把犯罪的念頭從心中趕出。（4）當我們有慈惠借貸的機會之時，若不能信靠借貸者，就當信靠神，仍要借出去，不指望在今世得還，卻盼望在義人復活之時得著報答（路 6:35，14:14）。（5）窮人向著我們的呼求乃是可怕的事，因為神側耳聽這呼求，又因憐恤他們，必向那苛刻待他們的人算帳。（6）我們所以為的明智，常成為我們的罪；那因豁免之年近了而拒絕借貸的人，自以為行得智慧，人以為他為自己行事亨通；但此處告訴他，他行得邪惡，神要定他虐待弟兄的罪；我們確知神的審判是按著真理的，他所說是我們的罪的，若不悔改，必成為我們的滅亡。
三、此處命令凡在施捨上所獻的，都當甘心獻上：「你給的時候心裏不可愁煩」（申 15:10）。在如此美事上不可捨不得你的錢財，也不可看作損失；不可吝於向弟兄行善；又不可疑惑神的護理，好像你因施捨便自己缺少了；倒反要思想你在用財物尊榮神、行善、使弟兄安舒，又為自己積存美好的憑據留待將來，這要成為你的喜樂和心靈的滿足。你所作的，要甘心樂意去作，因為神喜愛樂意施捨的人（林後 9:7）。
四、此處有今世報答的應許：「因這事，耶和華─你的神必賜福與你。」吝嗇的人說「施捨使人敗落」；不，甘心樂意的施捨必使我們富足——它必使你的倉房充滿有餘（箴 3:10），又使你的心靈滿有真實的安慰（賽 58:10–11）。
¹² 你弟兄中若有一個希伯來男人、或希伯來女人賣給你，服事你六年；到了第七年就要任他自由出去。 ¹³ 你任他自由的時候，不可使他空手而去； ¹⁴ 要從你的羊群、禾場、酒醡之中，多多地供給他；耶和華─你的神怎樣賜福與你，你也要照樣給他。 ¹⁵ 你要記念你在埃及地作過奴僕，耶和華─你的神救贖了你；所以我今日吩咐你這事。 ¹⁶ 他若對你說：我不願離開你；因為他愛你和你的家，且因在你那裏很好； ¹⁷ 你就要拿錐子刺他的耳朵，刺在門上，他便永遠作你的僕人。你待婢女也要這樣。 ¹⁸ 你任他自由的時候，不可以為難；因他服事你六年，較比雇工的工價加倍，耶和華─你的神必在你一切所行的事上賜福與你。
此處記的是：一、重申從前所頒關於希伯來僕人的律法——他們或因賣身為僕，或因父母極度貧困被賣，或因犯了某罪被法庭判賣。律法是：1. 他們只當服役六年，第七年便可自由出去（申 15:12）。比較出 21:2。若禧年在他們服役期滿之前來到，那便是他們的釋放。神的以色列人乃是自由的百姓，不可受強迫作永遠的奴隸；照樣，神屬靈的以色列人也是蒙召得以自由。2. 若他們六年服役期滿，卻不願自由出去，寧願繼續服役——因為雖然比主人多受勞苦，卻少有掛慮——在這種情形下，他們必須藉著耳朵被錐子在門上刺透，自願承担永遠服役的義務，就是終身服役（申 15:16–17）。比較出 21:6。人若因此被某些人視為自貶，以為他卑鄙奴顏、沒有自由當有的尊嚴和樂趣之感，我們卻可推想在另一些人眼中他得了名聲，視他為安分知足、謙卑勤奮、有愛心，且不喜變遷的人。
二、此處加添一條要求：當僕人被釋放離開之時，要把些小本錢交在他們手中，使他們可以自立（申 15:13–14）。當假定他們自己一無所有，他們的親友也幾乎或完全無力資助，否則他們在被法律釋放之前早就被贖了；他們的服役沒有工價，他們勞力所得的全歸主人，所以他們的自由對他們用處不大，因為他們沒有甚麼可以作謀生的起頭；所以此處命令主人要慷慨地用穀物和牲畜供給他們。沒有規定確實的數量：那是留給主人慷慨之心的，他大概會顧到僕人的功勞和需要；但猶太作者說：「他不可少於三十舍客勒銀子的價值，但可以隨意多給。」婢女雖然不願留下時不必受刺耳之禮，但她們若自由出去，卻當得賞賜；因為你待婢女也要這樣這話（申 15:17）正是指此。這些要求的理由是出於感恩的原則。他們當如此行：1. 為向神感恩，因神不但領他們出埃及（申 15:15），更使他們帶著從埃及人所得的掠物大大豐富地出來。他們不可使僕人空手而去，因為他們自己當日從為奴之家出去時也不是空手的。神對我們的體貼和恩慈，使我們有義務對那倚靠我們的人也體貼並恩慈。這樣我們當照所得的益處回報。2. 為向僕人感恩（申 15:15:18）。「不要吝於從你的豐盛中分一點給他，因為他服事你六年，較比雇工加倍。雇工至多不過三年（賽 16:14），但他服事你六年，且不像雇工——全無工價。」主人和地主當想到自己何等需要僕人和佃戶，又因他們得了多少便利和益處，所以不但當公義，更當恩待他們。在這些理由之上又加上（如本章前面申 15:4、6、10 的）耶和華─你的神必賜福與你。我們對家人盡本分之時，方可期望家庭之福——家庭興旺的源頭。
¹⁹ 你牛群羊群中頭生的、凡是公的，都要分別為聖歸耶和華─你的神；牛群中頭生的，不可用牠耕地；羊群中頭生的，不可剪毛。 ²⁰ 你和你的家屬，年年要在耶和華所揀選的地方，在耶和華─你的神面前吃。 ²¹ 那頭生的若有殘疾——或是瘸腿、或是瞎眼、或有別的惡殘疾——就不可獻給耶和華─你的神。 ²² 你可以在城裏吃；潔淨的人和不潔淨的人，都可以吃，就如吃羚羊和鹿一般。 ²³ 只是不可吃牠的血；要倒在地上如同倒水一樣。
此處記的是：1. 重申關於牲畜頭生的律法——凡是公的，都要分別為聖歸耶和華（申 15:19），為記念並感恩當滅命天使擊殺埃及人頭生的——無論人或牲畜——之時，以色列人的頭生得以蒙保留（出 13:2、15）；在第八日當歸給神（出 22:30），並在祭司和祭壇之間平分（民 18:17–18）。2. 加添一條以進一步解明，指示他們當怎樣處置頭生的牲畜：（1）若是母的：「母的頭生的牛不可用牠耕地，母的頭生的羊也不可剪毛」（申 15:19）——畢卓克主教如此理解。雖然母的頭生不像公的那樣完全歸神為聖，也不像公的那樣早在第八日便歸神，卻不可被主人如別的牲畜一樣歸為己用，而必須在年末獻給神作平安祭，或用於宗教的宴席（申 15:20）。你要在耶和華─你的神面前吃——照申 12:18 的指示。（2）但有殘疾的當怎樣辦呢（申 15:21）？無論公母，都不可帶近聖所，也不可作祭物或用於聖潔的宴席，因為那既不適合用以尊榮神，也不能預表基督——他是無瑕疵無玷污的羔羊；卻也不可留養，當殺了在自己的家中當作常食吃（申 15:22），只是務要不可連血同吃（申 15:23）。這警戒屢次重複，表明百姓何等需要這警戒，神又何等看重這事。我們今日不在這軛之下，這是何等大的恩惠！我們的飲食不像他們那樣受限；我們不對頭生的牛或羊羔和後來的加以分別。所以我們當體會這條律法的福音意義，將自己並我們時間和力量的首份獻給神——作為他受造之物中初熟的果子——又將我們一切所有的舒適和享受都歸給他的讚美，並照他律法的指引來使用，因為這一切都是他的恩賜。
英文原文
The Year of Release (1451 BC)
¹ At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release.
² And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the LORD's release.
³ Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release;
⁴ Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the LORD shall greatly bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it:
⁵ Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day.
⁶ For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.
⁷ 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:
⁸ But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.
⁹ Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee.
¹⁰ Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.
¹¹ 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.
Here is, I. A law for the relief of poor debtors, such (we may suppose) as were insolvent. Every seventh year was a year of release, in which the ground rested from being tilled and servants were discharged from their services; and, among other acts of grace, this was one, that those who had borrowed money, and had not been able to pay it before, should this year be released from it; and though, if they were able, they were afterwards bound in conscience to repay it, yet thenceforth the creditor should never recover it by law. Many good expositors think it only forbids the exacting of the debt in the year of release, because, no harvest being gathered in that year, it could not be expected that men should pay their debts then, but that afterwards it might be sued for and recovered: so that the release did not extinguish the debt, but only stayed the process for a time. But others think it was a release of the debt for ever, and this seems more probable, yet under certain limitations expressed or implied. It is supposed (De 15:3) that the debtor was an Israelite (an alien could not take the benefit of this law) and that he was poor (De 15:4), that he did not borrow for trade or purchase, but for the subsistence of his family, and that now he could not pay it without reducing himself to poverty and coming under a necessity of seeking relief in other countries, which might be his temptation to revolt from God. The law is not that the creditor shall not receive the debt if the debtor, or his friends for him, can pay it; but he shall not exact it by a legal process. The reasons of this law are, 1. To put an honour upon the sabbatical year: Because it is called the Lord's release, De 15:2. That was God's year for their land, as the weekly sabbath was God's day for themselves, their servants, and cattle; and, as by the resting of their ground, so by the release of their debts, God would teach them to depend upon his providence. This year of release typified the grace of the gospel, in which is proclaimed the acceptable year of the Lord, and by which we obtain the release of our debts, that is, the pardon of our sins, and we are taught to forgive injuries, as we are and hope to be forgiven of God. 2. It was to prevent the falling of any Israelite into extreme poverty: so the margin reads (De 15:4), To the end there shall be no poor among you, none miserably and scandalously poor, to the reproach of their nation and religion, the reputation of which they ought to preserve. 3. God's security is here given by a divine promise that, whatever they lost by their poor debtors, it should be made up to them in the blessing of God upon all they had and did, De 15:4-6. Let them take care to do their duty, and then God would bless them with such great increase that what they might lose by bad debts, if they generously remitted them, should not be missed out of their stock at the year's end. Not only, the Lord shall bless thee (De 15:4), but he doth bless thee, De 15:6. It is altogether inexcusable if, though God had given us abundance, so that we have not only enough but to spare, yet we are rigorous and server in our demands from our poor brethren; for our abundance should be the supply of their wants, that at least there may not be such an inequality as is between two extremes, 2Co 8:14. They must also consider that their land was God's gift to them, that all their increase was the fruit of God's blessing upon them, and therefore they were bound in duty to him to use and dispose of their estates as he should order and direct them. And, lastly, If they would remit what little sums they had lent to their poor brethren, it is promised that they should be able to lend great sums to their rich neighbours, even to many nations (De 15:6), and should be enriched by those loans. Thus the nations should become subject to them, and dependent on them, as the borrower is servant to the lender, Pr 22:7. To be able to lend, and not to have need to borrow, we must look upon as a great mercy, and a good reason why we should do good with what we have, lest we provoke God to turn the scales.
II. Here is a law in favour of poor borrowers, that they might not suffer damage by the former law. Men would be apt to argue, If the case of a man be so with his debtor that if the debt be not paid before the year of release it shall be lost, it were better not to lend. "No," says this branch of the statute, "thou shalt not think such a thought." 1. It is taken for granted that there would be poor among them, who would have occasion to borrow (De 15:7), and that there would never cease to be some such objects of charity (De 15:7), and that there would never cease to be some such objects of charity (De 15:11): The poor shall never cease out of thy land, though not such as were reduced to extreme poverty, yet such as would be behind-hand, and would have occasion to borrow; of such poor he here speaks, and such we have always with us, so that a charitable disposition may soon find a charitable occasion. 2. In such a case we are here commanded to lend or give, according to our ability and the necessity of the case: Thou shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut thy hand, De 15:7. If the hand be shut, it is a sign the heart is hardened; for, if the clouds were full of rain, they would empty themselves, Ec 11:3. Bowels of compassion would produce liberal distributions, Jam 2:15,16. Thou shalt not only stretch out thy hand to him to reach him something, but thou shalt open thy hand wide unto him, to lend him sufficient, De 15:8. Sometimes there is as much charity in prudent lending as in giving, as it obliges the borrower to industry and honesty and may put him into a way of helping himself. We are sometimes tempted to think, when an object of charity presents itself, we may choose whether we will give any thing or nothing, little or much; whereas it is here an express precept (De 15:11), I command thee, not only to give, but to open thy hand wide, to give liberally. 3. Here is a caveat against that objection which might arise against charitable lending from the foregoing law for the release of debts (De 15:9): Beware that there be not a thought, a covetous ill-natured thought, in thy Belial heart, "The year of release is at hand, and therefore I will not lend what I must then be sure to lose;" lest thy poor brother, whom thou refusest to lend to, complain to God, and it will be a sin, a great sin, to thee. Note, (1.) The law is spiritual and lays a restraint upon the thoughts of the heart. We mistake if we think thoughts are free from the divine cognizance and check. (2.) That is a wicked heart indeed that raises evil thoughts from the good law of God, as theirs did who, because God had obliged them to the charity of forgiving, denied the charity of giving. (3.) We must carefully watch against all those secret suggestions which would divert us from our duty or discourage us in it. Those that would keep from the act of sin must keep out of their minds the very thought of sin. (4.) When we have an occasion of charitable lending, if we cannot trust the borrower, we must trust God, and lend, hoping for nothing again in this world, but expecting it will be recompensed in the resurrection of the just, Lu 6:35,14:14. (5.) It is a dreadful thing to have the cry of the poor against us, for God has his ear open to that cry, and, in compassion to them, will be sue to reckon with those that deal hardly with them. (6.) That which we think is our prudence often proves sin to us; he that refused to lend because the year of release was at hand thought he did wisely, and that men would praise him as doing well for himself, Ps 49:18. But he is here told that he did wickedly, and that God would condemn him as doing ill to his brother; and we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth, and that what he says is sin to us will certainly be ruin to us if it be not repented of.
III. Here is a command to give cheerfully whatever we give in charity: "Thy heart shall not be grieved when thou givest, De 15:10. Be not loth to part with thy money on so good an account, nor think it lost; grudge not a kindness to they brother; and distrust not the providence of God, as if thou shouldest want that thyself which thou givest in charity; but, on the contrary, let it be a pleasure and a satisfaction of soul to thee to think that thou art honouring God with thy substance, doing good, making thy brother easy, and laying up for thyself a good security for the time to come. What thou doest do freely, for God loves a cheerful giver," 2Co 9:7.
IV. Here is a promise of a recompence in this life: "For this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee." Covetous people say "Giving undoes us;" no, giving cheerfully in charity will enrich us, it will fill the barns with plenty (Pr 3:10) and the soul with true comfort, Isa 58:10,11.
¹² And if thy brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee.
¹³ And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty:
¹⁴ 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.
¹⁵ And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day.
¹⁶ And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee; because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with thee;
¹⁷ Then thou shalt take an awl, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise.
¹⁸ It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee, in serving thee six years: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest.
Here is, I. A repetition of the law that had been given concerning Hebrew servants who had sold themselves for servants, or were sold by their parents through extreme poverty, or were sold by the court of judgment for some crime committed. The law was, 1. That they should serve but six years, and in the seventh should go out free, De 15:12. Compare Ex 21:2. And, if the year of jubilee happened before they served out their time, that would be their discharge. God's Israel were a free people, and must not be compelled to perpetual slavery; thus are God's spiritual Israel called unto liberty. 2. That if, when their six years' service had expired, they had no mind to go out free, but would rather continue in service, as having less care, though taking more pains, than their masters, in this case they must lay themselves under an obligation to serve for ever, that is, for life, by having their ears bored to the door-posts, De 15:16,17. Compare Ex 21:6. If hereby a man disgraced himself with some, as of a mean and servile spirit, that had not a due sense of the honour and pleasure of liberty, yet, we may suppose, with others he got reputation, as of a quiet contented spirit, humble, and diligent, and loving, and not given to change.
II. Here is an addition to this law, requiring them to put some small stock into their servants' hands to set up with for themselves, when they sent them out of their service, De 15:13,14. It was to be supposed that they had nothing of their own, and that their friends had little or nothing for them, else they else they would have been redeemed before they were discharged by law; they had no wages for their service, and all they got by their labour was their masters', so that their liberty would do them little good, having nothing to begin the world with; therefore their masters are here commanded to furnish them liberally with corn and cattle. No certain measure is prescribed: that is left to the generosity of the master, who probably would have respect to the servant's merit and necessity; but the Jewish writers say, "He could not give less than the value of thirty shekels of silver, but as much more as he pleased" The maid-servants, though they were not to have their ears bored if they were disposed to stay, yet, if they went out free, they were to have a gratuity given them; for to this those words refer, Unto thy maid-servant thou shalt do likewise, De 15:17. The reasons for this are taken from the law of gratitude. They must do it, 1. In gratitude to God, who had not only brought them out of Egypt (De 15:15), but brought them out greatly enriched with the spoils of the Egyptians. Let them not send their servants out empty, for they were not sent empty out of the house of bondage. God's tender care of us and kindness to us oblige us to be careful of, and kind to, those that have a dependence upon us. Thus we must render according to the benefit done unto us. 2. In gratitude to their servants, De 15:18. "Grudge not to give him a little out of thy abundance, for he has been worth a double hired servant unto thee. The days of the hireling at most were but three years (Isa 16:14), but he has served thee six years, and, unlike the hired servant, without any wages." Masters and landlords ought to consider what need they have of, and what ease and advantage they have by, their servants and tenants, and should not only be just but kind to them. To these reasons it is added, as before in this chapter (De 15:4,6,10), The Lord thy God shall bless thee. Then we may expect family blessings, the springs of family-prosperity, when we make conscience of our duty to our family-relations.
¹⁹ All the firstling males that come of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bullock, nor shear the firstling of thy sheep.
²⁰ Thou shalt eat it before the LORD thy God year by year in the place which the LORD shall choose, thou and thy household.
²¹ And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the LORD thy God.
²² Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean person shall eat it alike, as the roebuck, and as the hart.
²³ Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof; thou shalt pour it upon the ground as water.
Here is, 1. A repetition of the law concerning the firstlings of their cattle, that, if they were males, they were to be sanctified to the Lord (De 15:19), in remembrance of, and in thankfulness for, the sparing of the first-born of Israel, when the first-born of the Egyptians, both of man and beast, were slain by the destroying angel (Ex 13:2,15); on the eighth day it was to be given to God (Ex 22:30), and to be divided between the priest and the altar, Nu 18:17,18. 2. An addition to that law, for the further explication of it, directing them what to do with the firstlings, (1.) That were females: "Thou shalt do no work with the female firstlings of the cow, nor shear those of the sheep" (De 15:19); of them the learned bishop Patrick understands it. Though the female firstlings were not so entirely sanctified to God as the males, nor so early as at eight days old, yet they were not to be converted by the owners to their own use as the other cattle, but must be offered to God as peace-offerings, or used in a religious feast, at the year's end, De 15:20. Thou shalt eat it before the Lord thy God, as directed De 12:18. (2.) But what must they do with that which was blemished, ill-blemished? De 15:21. Were it male or female, it must not be brought near the sanctuary, nor used either for sacrifice or for holy feasting, for it would not be fit to honour God with, nor to typify Christ, who is a Lamb without blemish; yet it must not be reared, but killed and eaten at their own houses as common food (De 15:22), only they must be sure not to eat it with the blood, De 15:23. The frequent repetition of this caution intimates what need the people had of it, and what stress God laid upon it. What a mercy it is that we are not under this yoke! We are not dieted as they were; we make no difference between a first calf, or lamb, and the rest that follow. Let us therefore realize the gospel meaning of this law, devoting ourselves and the first of our time and strength to God, as a kind of first-fruits of his creatures, and using all our comforts and enjoyments to his praise and under the direction of his law, as we have them all by his gift.
摩西在本章所吩咐的內容如下：一、關於每逢第七年豁免債務（申十五1–6），並警告這不應成為慷慨借貸的攔阻（申十五7–11）。二、關於僕人服事七年之後當得釋放（申十五12–18）。三、關於將頭生的牲畜分別為聖歸給神（申十五19–23等）。