1 The yere of releaſing of debts. 5 God bleſſeth them that kepe his commandements. 7 To helpe the poore. 12 The fredome of ſeruants 19 The firſt borne of the cattel muſt be offred to the Lord.

1.AT the terme of ſeuen yeres thou ſhalt make a fredome.

2.And this is the maner of yͤ fredome: euerie ^acreditour ſhal quite the lone of his hãd wͤ he hathe lent to his neighbour: he ſhal not aſke it againe of his neighbour, nor of his brother: for the yere of yͤ Lords fredome is proclamed.

3.Of a ſtranger thou maiſt require it: but yͤ which thou haſt with thy brother, thine hand ſhal remit:

4.^bSaue when there ſhalbe no poore with thee: for the Lord ſhal bleſſe thee in the lād, which the Lord thy God giueth thee, for an inheritance to poſſeſſe it:

5.So that thou hearken vnto the voyce of yͤ Lord thy God to obſerue & do all theſe commandements, which I commãde thee this day.

6.For yͤ Lord thy God hathe bleſſed thee, as he hathe promiſed thee: & ^*thou ſhalt lend vnto manie naciõs, but thou thy ſelfe ſhalt not borowe, & thou ſhalt reigne ouer manie nacions, and they ſhal not reigne ouer thee.

7.¶ If one of thy brethrẽ with thee be poore ^cwithin anie of thy gates in thy land, wͤ the Lord thy God giueth thee, thou ſhalt not harden thine heart, nor ſhut thine hād from thy poore brother:

8.^*But thou ſhalt open thine hãd vnto him, and ſhalt lend him ſufficient for his nede which he hathe.

9.Beware yͤ there be not a wicked thoght in thine heart, to ſay, The ſeuenth yere, yͤ yere of fredome is at hand: therefore ^*grieueth thee to loke on thy poore brother, and thou giueſt him noght, & he crie vnto the Lord againſt thee, ſo that ſinne be in thee:

10.Thou ſhalt giue him, & let it not grieue thine heart to giue vnto him: for becauſe of this yͤ Lord thy God ſhal bleſſe thee in all thy workes, & in all that thou putteſt thine hand to.

11.Becauſe there ſhalbe euer ^cſome poore in the land, therefore I commande thee, ſaying, Thou ſhalt ^dopen thine hand vnto thy brother, to thy nedie, and to thy poore in thy land.

12.¶ ^*If thy brother an Ebrewe ſel him ſelfe to thee, or an Ebreweſſe, and ſerue thee ſix yere, euẽ in the ſeuenth yere thou ſhalt let him go fre from thee.

13.And when thou ſendeſt him out fre frõ thee, yͤ ſhalt not let him go away emptie,

14.But ſhalt ^egiue him a liberal rewarde of thy ſhepe, & of thy corne, & of thy wine: thou ſhalt giue him of that wherewith the Lord thy God hathe bleſſed thee.

15.And remember that thou waſt a ſeruant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God deliuered thee: therefore I commade thee this thing to day.

16.And if he ſay vnto thee, I wil not go away from thee, becauſe he loueth thee & thine houſe, & becauſe he is wel with thee,

17.^*Then ſhalt thou take a naule, and perce his eare through againſt the dore, and he ſhal be thy ſeruãt ^ffor euer: and vnto thy mayd ſeruant thou ſhalt do likewiſe.

18.Let it not grieue thee, when thou letteſt him go out fre frõ thee: for he hathe ſerued thee ſix yeres, which is the double worthe of a ^gan hired ſeruant: & the Lord thy God ſhal bleſſe thee in all yͤ thou doeſt.

19.¶ ^*All the firſt borne males that come of thy cattel, & of thy ſhepe, thou ſhalt ſanctifie vnto the Lord thy God. ^hThou ſhalt do no worke with thy firſt borne bullocke, nor ſheare thy firſt borne ſhepe.

20.Thou ſhalt eat it before the Lord thy God yere by yere, in the place which the Lord ſhal choſe, bothe yͤ, & thine houſhold.

21.^*But if there be anie blemiſh therein, as if it be lame, or blinde, or haue anie euil faut, yͤ ſhalt not offer it vnto yͤ Lord thy God,

22.But ſhalt eat it within thy gates: the vncleane, and the cleane ſhal eat it alike, ⁱas the roe bucke, and as the heart.

23.Onely thou ſhalt not eat the blood thereof, but powre it vpon yͤ groũde as water.

Deuteronomy 15

Notes