Deuteronomy 15:12-18

Deuteronomy 15:12-18

[12] And if thy brother,  an Hebrew man,  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  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 aul,  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. 

What does Deuteronomy 15:12-18 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Moses turned now from the poor to slaves. These people also had rights in Israel. God did not condemn slavery as an institution. He permitted it in Israel. However slavery in Israel amounted to voluntary servitude. God strongly forbade the enslavement and oppression of individuals. Israelites could sell themselves as slaves as well as hired men and women ( Deuteronomy 15:18). [1] All slaves went free at the beginning of each sabbatical year. [2] Another view is that slaves went free at the end of seven years irrespective of the sabbatical year. [3]
"The humanitarian spirit of Mosaic legislation permeates these civic and religious aspects of the Israelite society. It stands in contrast to the lack of dignity accorded to the common man in contemporary cultures of the Mosaic age." [4]
For more detailed information concerning the year of release, see Exodus 23:10-11 and Leviticus 25:1-7. In Deuteronomy , Moses emphasized the importance of love for God and Prayer of Manasseh , principles more than procedures.
The year of release was a provision of the Mosaic Covenant that God has not carried over into the present dispensation. However as Christians we have revelation concerning how to deal with our debtors. We should settle our disputes with our brethren out of court privately or in the church if necessary ( 1 Corinthians 6:1-6). We may take unbelievers to court, but if we cannot resolve our conflicts with our brethren out of court we should take the loss ( 1 Corinthians 6:7) and forgive ( Matthew 6:12; Matthew 6:14-15). We should also be compassionate and share with others, believers and unbelievers, who may be in need ( Matthew 25:34-40; 2 Corinthians 8-9; Galatians 6:10; Hebrews 13:16).