The Meaning of Deuteronomy 15:13 Explained

Deuteronomy 15:13

KJV: And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty:

YLT: And when thou dost send him away free from thee, thou dost not send him away empty;

Darby: And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty;

ASV: And when thou lettest him go free from thee, thou shalt not let him go empty:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And when thou sendest  him out free  from thee, thou shalt not let him go away  empty: 

What does Deuteronomy 15:13 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 15

1  The seventh year a year of release for the poor
7  one must be generous in lending or giving
12  A Hebrew servant, except by choice, must be freed in the seventh year
19  All firstborn males of the cattle are to be sanctified unto the Lord

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 15:13 mean?

And when you send him away free from you not you shall let him go away empty-handed
וְכִֽי־ תְשַׁלְּחֶ֥נּוּ חָפְשִׁ֖י מֵֽעִמָּ֑ךְ לֹ֥א תְשַׁלְּחֶ֖נּוּ רֵיקָֽם

וְכִֽי־  And  when 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
תְשַׁלְּחֶ֥נּוּ  you  send  him  away 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, second person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
חָפְשִׁ֖י  free 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חָפְשִׁי  
Sense: free.
מֵֽעִמָּ֑ךְ  from  you 
Parse: Preposition-m, second person masculine singular
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
תְשַׁלְּחֶ֖נּוּ  you  shall  let  him  go  away 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, second person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
רֵיקָֽם  empty-handed 
Parse: Adverb
Root: רֵיקָם  
Sense: vainly, emptily.