^15:1At the end of every seven years you must declare a cancellation¹ of debts. ^15:2This is the nature of the cancellation: Every creditor must remit what he has loaned to another person;² he must not force payment from his fellow Israelite,³ for it is to be recognized as “the Lord’s cancellation of debts.” ^15:3You may exact payment from a foreigner, but whatever your fellow Israelite⁴ owes you, you must remit.

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Footnotes

1 The Hebrew term שְׁמִטָּת (shémittat), a derivative of the verb שָׁמַט (shamat, “to release; to relinquish”), refers to the cancellation of the debt and even pledges for the debt of a borrower by his creditor. This could be a full and final remission or, more likely, one for the seventh year only. See R. Wakely, 4:. Here the words “of debts” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied. Cf. “a relaxation of debts”; , “a remission of debts.”
2 Heb “his neighbor,” used idiomatically to refer to another person.
3 Heb “his neighbor and his brother.” The words “his brother” may be a scribal gloss identifying “his neighbor” (on this idiom, see the preceding note) as a fellow Israelite (cf. v. 3). In this case the conjunction before “his brother” does not introduce a second category, but rather has the force of “that is.”
4 Heb “your brother.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release. And this is the manner of the release: every creditor shall release what he has lent to his neighbor. He shall not exact it of his neighbor, his brother, because the Lord’s release has been proclaimed. Of a foreigner you may exact it, but whatever of yours is with your brother your hand shall release.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel any loan they have made to a fellow Israelite. They shall not require payment from anyone among their own people, because the Lord’s time for canceling debts has been proclaimed. You may require payment from a foreigner, but you must cancel any debt your fellow Israelite owes you.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

“At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. This is how to cancel debt: Every creditor is to cancel what he has lent his neighbor. He is not to collect anything from his neighbor or brother, because the Lord’s release of debts has been proclaimed. You may collect something from a foreigner, but you must forgive whatever your brother owes you.

NLTNew Living Translation

“At the end of every seventh year you must cancel the debts of everyone who owes you money. This is how it must be done. Everyone must cancel the loans they have made to their fellow Israelites. They must not demand payment from their neighbors or relatives, for the Lord’s time of release has arrived. This release from debt, however, applies only to your fellow Israelites—not to the foreigners living among you.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

“At the end of seven years you shall grant a remission of debt. And this is the manner of the remission of debt: every creditor shall remit his claim that he holds against his neighbor, and he shall not exact payment from his brother because there a remission of debt has been proclaimed unto Yahweh. With respect to the foreigner you may exact payment, but you must remit what shall be owed to you with respect to your brother.

KJV 1900King James Version

At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release. 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. Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release;

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