Deuteronomy 15:7–18

7 “If there is aa poor man with you, one of your brothers, in any of your 1towns in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, byou shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand from your poor brother;

8 but ayou shall freely open your hand to him, and shall generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks.

9 “Beware that there is no base 1thought in your heart, saying, ‘aThe seventh year, the year of remission, is near,’ and byour eye is hostile toward your poor brother, and you give him nothing; then he cmay cry to the Lord against you, and it will be a sin in you.

10 “You shall generously give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because afor this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all 1your undertakings.

11 “aFor the poor will never cease to be 1in the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land.’

12 “aIf your 1kinsman, a Hebrew man or woman, is sold to you, then he shall serve you six years, but in the seventh year you shall set him 2free.

13 “When you set him 1free, you shall not send him away empty-handed.

14 “You shall furnish him liberally from your flock and from your threshing floor and from your wine vat; you shall give to him as the Lord your God has blessed you.

15 “You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you 1this today.

16 “It shall come about aif he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he fares well with you;

17 then you shall take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Also you shall do likewise to your maidservant.

18 “It shall not seem hard to you when you set him 1free, for he has given you six years with 2double the service of a hired man; so the Lord your God will bless you in whatever you do.