Deuteronomy 15:4-5
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This verse isn't just about what to do with debt, but about the ideal outcome of following God: a community so blessed that extreme poverty becomes rare, not an excuse for inaction. It sets up a vision of abundance that flows from obedience, creating a society where such laws are almost unnecessary because God's provision has made them so.
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— if only you will strictly obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all this commandment that I command you today.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage is part of a larger discourse by Moses, laying out the laws and covenant responsibilities for the Israelites as they are about to enter the Promised Land. It specifically follows the command for a "year of release" every seven years, where debts are to be forgiven among fellow Israelites. The verse clarifies that the goal of this release and God's blessing is to create a community where extreme poverty is largely absent, and that this prosperity is contingent on their obedience to God's commands.
Deuteronomy 15:4 seems to promise a poverty-free society. But how could that be, especially when the very next verse (v. 11) says the poor will always be among them?
This verse isn't just a wish; it's a divine goal and a conditional promise. The phrase "Save when there shall be no poor among you" (or "only that there shall be no poor among you") functions as a qualifier. It means that the purpose of the release laws and God's blessings is to prevent extreme poverty from taking root and to ensure that the community prospers to the point where such hardship is rare, not that it will be completely eradicated.
Think of it like this: God intends for His people to be so blessed and so generous that no one needs to beg. The promise that follows – "for the LORD will greatly bless you" – is the key. This blessing is directly linked to their obedience. If they follow God's commands, including the release of debts and generous giving, their prosperity will be so great that the
God promises to bless His people "in the land." But is this blessing simply a reward for obedience, or is it also the enabling factor for a poverty-conscious society?
The structure of Deuteronomy 15:4 suggests a beautiful interplay: God's promised blessing is not just a future reward; it's the very resource that makes the ideal of minimal poverty possible.
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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.
shama · Hebrew Verb
To hear and act upon; to submit to divine authority. Obedience in the Bible is active, not passive, involving a life aligned with God's revealed will and moral standards.
mitzvah · Hebrew Noun
A divine instruction or moral directive given by God for the well-being and holiness of His people. It is an expression of God's character and a path for life.
This passage describes the early believers sharing all their possessions, creating a community where 'there was no one in need,' echoing the ideal stated in Deuteronomy if the people were obedient.
2 Corinthians 9:6-11Paul encourages generous giving by linking it to God's abundant blessing, mirroring the promise in Deuteronomy that obedience and generosity would lead to great prosperity and sufficiency.
Philippians 4:19This verse assures believers that 'my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus,' reflecting the divine provision promised to those who live according to God's commands and care for the needy.
Proverbs 22:7The proverb states, 'the rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender,' highlighting the economic disparity that Deuteronomy seeks to mitigate through its laws of release and care for the poor.
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 about what to do with debt, but about the ideal outcome of following God: a community so blessed that extreme poverty becomes rare, not an excuse for inaction. It sets up a vision of abundance that flows from obedience, creating a society where such laws are almost unnecessary because God's provision has made them so.
This passage is part of a larger discourse by Moses, laying out the laws and covenant responsibilities for the Israelites as they are about to enter the Promised Land. It specifically follows the command for a "year of release" every seven years, where debts are to be forgiven among fellow Israelites. The verse clarifies that the goal of this release and God's blessing is to create a community where extreme poverty is largely absent, and that this prosperity is contingent on their obedience to God's commands.
This passage is part of a larger discourse by Moses, laying out the laws and covenant responsibilities for the Israelites as they are about to enter the Promised Land. It specifically follows the command for a "year of release" every seven years, where debts are to be forgiven among fellow Israelites. The verse clarifies that the goal of this release and God's blessing is to create a community where extreme poverty is largely absent, and that this prosperity is contingent on their obedience to God's commands.
"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— if only you will strictly obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all this co…" — This verse isn't just about what to do with debt, but about the ideal outcome of following God: a community so blessed that extreme poverty becomes rare, not an excuse for inaction. It sets up a…
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Last reviewed October 2026
