Deuteronomy 15:4
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This verse isn't just setting a rule; it's painting a picture of God's desired outcome for His people. The phrase "Save when there shall be no poor among you" can also be understood as "so that there will be no poor among you," implying that the blessing of God will be so abundant that extreme poverty will be eliminated through obedience.
But there will be no poor among you; for the LORD will bless you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess—
English Standard Version (ESV)
God is instituting the "year of release," a seventh-year reset for debts, and is explaining the conditions and blessings associated with it. This declaration of potential widespread prosperity and the absence of poverty sets the stage for the command to generously help any poor brother among them, assuring them that obedience will bring God's abundant blessing.
Does God actually expect us to live in a world without poverty? This verse sounds almost utopian!
The opening of Deuteronomy 15:4, 'Save when there shall be no poor among you,' isn't just a condition; it's a divine ideal! The Hebrew here suggests a strong expectation, even a promise, that if Israel walks in obedience, poverty will be a rare exception, not the norm.
A Vision of Blessing
This isn't about pretending poverty doesn't exist. Instead, it points to a community so blessed and so generous that extreme destitution is largely eliminated. The law of release (forgiving debts every seven years) is a tool designed to prevent people from falling into inescapable poverty. It’s about creating a system where compassion and economic justice work hand-in-hand, aiming for a society where everyone has enough.
Why would God promise such prosperity? Is it just about material wealth?
The reason given for the potential absence of poverty is striking: 'for the LORD will greatly bless you.' This isn't a small blessing; it's an abundant outpouring that equips the people to handle their responsibilities.
Blessing with Purpose
God's blessing on Israel's land and labor is designed to be more than enough. This abundance is the fuel for their generosity. It’s a reminder that any prosperity we have ultimately comes from God. Therefore, when we share our resources, we are participating in God's own generous nature. This blessing isn't just for individual accumulation; it's meant to create a surplus that can be channeled towards caring for the vulnerable within the community.
Ask a follow-up
Understand the original words
ebyon · Hebrew Noun
The state of being destitute or lacking the necessities of life. Biblically, poverty is seen as a condition that demands the care and generosity of the community, as God is the special protector of the poor.
barak · Hebrew Verb
To bestow favor, prosperity, or divine benefit. It signifies God's active involvement in the lives of His people, providing not only material needs but also spiritual well-being and favor.
nachalah · Hebrew Noun
A portion or property received through divine promise or ancestral right. It signifies the security and stability granted by God to His people as His covenant possession.
This passage describes the early Christian community sharing all things in common, resulting in 'no one among them being in need,' echoing the ideal presented in Deuteronomy where God's blessing would prevent poverty.
2 Corinthians 9:7Paul's exhortation for believers to give generously and cheerfully connects directly with the spirit of Deuteronomy's command to bless the poor, promising that God blesses those who give.
Luke 6:38Jesus' teaching 'Give, and it will be given to you' mirrors the principle that generosity towards the needy, as commanded in Deuteronomy, will be met with God's abundant blessing.
Proverbs 19:17This proverb states that 'Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD,' highlighting the divine favor and reward promised to those who show kindness to the less fortunate, just as God promises in Deuteronomy.
Matthew 25:40Jesus' parable of the sheep and the goats, where serving the 'least of these' is seen as serving Him, underscores the eternal significance of caring for the poor, a foundational principle for Israel's blessing in Deuteronomy.
gillDeuteronomy 15:4: "Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the LORD shall greatly bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it:"
Save when there shall be no poor among you,.... Then such a law could not take place, there would be no debts to be released; for this was never designed to screen rich persons from the payment of their just debts, or whoever were in a capacity of so doing, only such as were really poor, and unable to pay; and it s…
clarkeDeuteronomy 15:4: "Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the LORD shall greatly bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it:"
There shall be no poor - That is, comparatively; see Deuteronomy 15:11 .
This verse isn't just setting a rule; it's painting a picture of God's desired outcome for His people. The phrase "Save when there shall be no poor among you" can also be understood as "so that there will be no poor among you," implying that the blessing of God will be so abundant that extreme poverty will be eliminated through obedience.
God is instituting the "year of release," a seventh-year reset for debts, and is explaining the conditions and blessings associated with it. This declaration of potential widespread prosperity and the absence of poverty sets the stage for the command to generously help any poor brother among them, assuring them that obedience will bring God's abundant blessing.
God is instituting the "year of release," a seventh-year reset for debts, and is explaining the conditions and blessings associated with it. This declaration of potential widespread prosperity and the absence of poverty sets the stage for the command to generously help any poor brother among them, assuring them that obedience will bring God's abundant blessing.
"But there will be no poor among you; for the LORD will bless you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess—" — This verse isn't just setting a rule; it's painting a picture of God's desired outcome for His people. The phrase "Save when there shall be no poor among you" can also be understood as "so that there…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
