Introduction
The Sabbatical year of release, [Deu 15:1]. The manner in which this release shall take place, [Deu 15:2-5]. Of lending to the poor, and the disposition in which it should be done, [Deu 15:6-11]. Of the Hebrew servant who has served six years, and who shall be dismissed well furnished, [Deu 15:12-15]. The ceremony of boring the ear, when the servant wishes to continue with his master, [Deu 15:16-18]. Of the firstlings of the flock and herd, [Deu 15:19], [Deu 15:20]. Nothing shall be offered that has any blemish, [Deu 15:21]. The sacrifice to be eaten both by the clean and unclean, except the blood, which is never to be eaten, but poured out upon the ground, [Deu 15:22], [Deu 15:23].
Verse 1
At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release - For an explanation of many things in this chapter, see the notes on Exodus 21 (note), Exodus 23 (note), and Leviticus 25 (note).
Verse 4
There shall be no poor - That is, comparatively; see [Deu 15:11].
Verse 8
Thou shalt open thine hand wide - Thy benevolence shall be in proportion to his distress and poverty, and thy ability. Thou shalt have no other rule to regulate thy charity by.
Verse 9
Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart - לבבך בליעל lebabecha beliyaal, thy belial heart, that is, thy good-for-nothing or unprofitable heart; See on [Deu 13:13] (note).
And thine eye be evil - An evil eye signifies a covetous disposition. See the same form of expression used by our Lord in the same sense, [Mat 6:23]. If thine eye be evil - If thou be a covetous person. Evil eye is by our Lord opposed to single eye, i. e., a person of a liberal, benevolent mind. Covetousness darkens the soul; liberality and benevolence enlighten it.
And he cry unto the Lord against thee - What a consolation to the poor and the oppressed, that they have a sure friend in God, who will hear their cry and redress their grievances!
Verse 11
For the poor shall never cease out of the land - To this passage our Lord appears to allude [Mar 14:7] : For ye have the poor with you always. God leaves these in mercy among men to exercise the feelings of compassion, tenderness, mercy, etc. And without occasions afforded to exercise these, man would soon become a Stoic or a brute.
Verse 13
Thou shalt not let him go away empty - Because during the time he served thee, he made no property for himself, having been always honest towards thee; and now when he leaves thee, he has nothing to begin the world with.
Verse 14
Thou shalt furnish him - out of thy flock - Thou shalt give him some cattle to breed with; out of thy floor - some corn for seed and for bread; and out of thy wine press - an adequate provision of wine for present necessity.
Verse 17
Thou shalt take an awl - See the note on [Exo 21:6].
Verse 20
Thou shalt eat it - in the place which the Lord shall choose - Thus God in his mercy made their duty and interest go hand in hand. And in every case God acts thus with his creatures; well, therefore, might Satan ask, Doth Job serve God for naught? No! nor does God design that any man should.
Verse 21
If there be any blemish - See the notes on [Lev 22:20]. God will have both a perfect priest and a perfect offering.
Introduction
The month of Abib to be observed, [Deu 16:1]. The feast of the passover and of unleavened bread, [Deu 16:2-8]. The feast of weeks, [Deu 16:9-12]. The feast of tabernacles, [Deu 16:13-15]. All the males to appear before the Lord thrice in the year, none to come empty, each to give according to his ability, [Deu 16:16], [Deu 16:17]. Judges and officers to be made in all their cities, [Deu 16:18]. Strict justice shall be executed, [Deu 16:19], [Deu 16:20]. No grove to be planted near the altar of God, nor any image to be set up, [Deu 16:21], [Deu 16:22].
Verse 1
Keep the passover - A feast so called because the angel that destroyed the firstborn of the Egyptians, seeing the blood of the appointed sacrifice sprinkled on the lintels and door-posts of the Israelites' houses, passed over Them, and did not destroy any of their firstborn. See the notes on [Exo 12:2], and [Exo 12:3] (note), etc.
Verse 3
Bread of affliction - Because, being baked without leaven, it was unsavoury, and put them in mind of their afflictive bondage in Egypt.
Verse 11
Thou shalt rejoice - The offerings of the Israelites were to be eaten with festivity, communicated to their friends with liberality, and bestowed on the poor with great generosity, that they might partake with them in these repasts with joy before the Lord. To answer these views it was necessary to eat the flesh while it was fresh, as in that climate putrefaction soon took place; therefore they were commanded to let nothing remain until the morning, [Deu 16:4]. This consideration is sufficient to account for the command here, without having recourse to those moral and evangelical reasons that are assigned by the learned and devout Mr.
Ainsworth for the command. How beneficent and cheerful is the design of this institution! - Harmer, vol. i., p. 396.
Verse 16
Three times in a year - See [Exo 23:14] (note), where all the Jewish feasts are explained. See also [Lev 23:34] (note).
Verse 18
Judges and officers shalt thou make - Judges, שפטים shophetim, among the Hebrews, were probably the same as our magistrates or justices of the peace. Officers, שטרים shoterim, seem to have been the same as our inquest sergeants, beadles, etc., whose office it was to go into the houses, shops, etc., and examine weights, measures, and the civil conduct of the people. When they found any thing amiss, they brought the person offending before the magistrate, and he was punished by the officer on the spot. They seem also to have acted as heralds in the army, [Deu 20:5]. See also Rab. Maimon in Sanhedrin. In China, for all minor offenses, the person when found guilty is punished on the spot, in the presence of the magistrate or mandarin of justice.
Verse 21
Thou shalt not plant thee a grove, etc. - We have already seen that groves were planted about idol temples for the purpose of the obscene worship performed in them. (See on [Deu 12:3] (note)). On this account God would have no groves or thickets about his altar, that there might be no room for suspicion that any thing contrary to the strictest purity was transacted there. Every part of the Divine worship was publicly performed, for the purpose of general edification.
Introduction
All sacrifices to be without blemish, [Deu 17:1]. Of persons consisted of idolatry and their punishment, [Deu 17:2-7]. Difficult matters in judgment to be laid before the priests and judges, and to be determined by them; and all to submit to their decision, [Deu 17:8-13]. The king that may be chosen to be one of their brethren; no stranger to be appointed to that office, [Deu 17:14], [Deu 17:15]. He shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return unto Egypt, [Deu 17:16]. Nor multiply wives, money, etc., [Deu 17:17]. He shall write a copy of the law for his own use, and read and study it all his days, that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, [Deu 17:18-20].
Verse 1
Wherein is blemish - God must not have that offered to him which thou wouldst not use thyself. This not only refers to the perfect sacrifice offered by Christ Jesus, but to that sincerity and uprightness of heart which God requires in all those who approach him in the way of worship.
Verse 4
If it be told thee - In a private way by any confidential person. And thou hast heard of it; so that it appears to be notorious, very likely to be true, and publicly scandalous. And hast inquired diligently - sought to find out the truth of the report by the most careful examination of persons reporting, circumstances of the case, etc. And, behold, it be true - the report is not founded on vague rumor, hearsay, or malice. And the thing certain - substantiated by the fullest evidence. Then shalt thou bring forth that man, [Deu 17:5]. As the charge of idolatry was the most solemn and awful that could be brought against an Israelite, because it affected his life, therefore God required that the charge should be substantiated by the most unequivocal facts, and the most competent witnesses. Hence all the precautions mentioned in the fourth verse must be carefully used, in order to arrive at so affecting and so awful a truth.