Deuteronomy 15:9
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The verse warns against a "thought in your wicked heart," highlighting that sin often begins internally. It’s not just about refusing to give, but the internal calculation—seeing the "year of release" as an excuse to withhold help—that God flags as a deeply "wicked" and sinful act.
Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release is near,’ and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the LORD against you, and you be guilty of sin.
English Standard Version (ESV)
God has just established the Year of Release, a time every seven years when debts are forgiven among Israelites. He's commanded them to be generous to their poor brothers, even lending them what they need as this special year approaches. The verse warns against a deceitful mindset: using the upcoming release as an excuse to withhold help and begrudge the poor, which would be a grave sin.
The year of release was meant to bring relief and restoration. But what happens when people twist it for their own selfish gain?
In Deuteronomy 15, God institutes a 'year of release' every seven years. This wasn't just about canceling debts; it was a profound act of mercy and a way to prevent extreme poverty from taking root in Israel.
But human hearts can be tricky! Verse 9 warns against a specific kind of spiritual deception: using the upcoming release as an excuse not to help someone in need now. The thought process is: 'Why give or lend to my poor brother when the debt will be wiped clean soon anyway?' This isn't compassion; it's calculating self-interest disguised as prudence.
This highlights a crucial theme: God's commands for justice and mercy are not loopholes to be exploited. They are principles to be lived out, even when it's inconvenient or costly.
What does it mean to have an 'evil eye' or a 'grudging heart' towards someone in need?
The phrase 'your eye look grudgingly' (or 'evil eye' in some translations) captures a deep-seated attitude. It’s not just about withholding money; it’s about the heart's disposition.
This 'evil eye' signifies envy, stinginess, and a lack of mercy. It’s the opposite of a generous, open hand and a willing spirit. Instead of seeing a brother's need as an opportunity for obedience and kindness, this attitude sees it as an annoyance or a potential loss, especially when the year of release is near.
God sees this inner disposition. He knows the difference between a reluctant, resentful giving and a cheerful, generous heart. He calls this grudging attitude 'sin' because it directly opposes the compassionate heart He desires for His people.
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What happens when the cry of the needy reaches the ears of the Lord?
Deuteronomy 15:9 delivers a stark warning: if you refuse help to your poor brother out of a selfish calculation related to the year of release, 'he cry to the LORD against you, and you be guilty of sin.'
This isn't an idle threat. God explicitly states that the cries of the oppressed and neglected are heard by Him. When people are treated unjustly, especially by fellow Israelites who are meant to embody God's justice and mercy, their pleas can rise directly to God's throne.
The consequence is clear: such actions are not merely social or economic failings; they are sins against God. They incur guilt and will be reckoned with. This underscores the profound spiritual dimension of caring for the poor and needy – it is a direct act of obedience or disobedience to God Himself.
Understand the original words
shemittah · Hebrew Noun
A reference to the Sabbatical year (also called the year of remission) occurring every seventh year, in which debts were to be forgiven or released among Israelites. It functioned as a mechanism for social restoration and trust in God's provision.
chatta'ah · Hebrew Noun
A state of falling short of God's holy standard, or an act of rebellion against His law. It brings guilt upon the individual and breaks fellowship with God, requiring repentance and atonement.
ra'a' · Hebrew Adjective/Verb
Refers to having a stingy, mean, or envious spirit, specifically regarding the possessor's wealth. It stands in direct opposition to the biblical command to be generous and compassionate toward the needy.
Jesus warns against greed, equating it to a wicked heart, a concept directly paralleled in Deuteronomy's caution against an 'unworthy thought' driven by the proximity of the year of release.
Proverbs 28:22This proverb speaks of the 'evil eye' and the desire for wealth, mirroring the warning in Deuteronomy against a grudging attitude towards the poor, especially when financial release is near.
Matthew 25:40Jesus' teaching on serving the least of these highlights the spiritual significance of caring for the needy, underscoring the idea that neglecting the poor, as warned against in Deuteronomy, is seen as neglecting Christ himself.
2 Corinthians 9:7Paul encourages cheerful giving, which directly contrasts with the grudging spirit warned against in Deuteronomy 15:9, showing that God desires a willing heart, not just outward compliance.
1 John 3:17This passage explicitly states that if someone has material possessions but closes their heart to a needy brother, the 'love of God' is not in them, echoing the severe warning in Deuteronomy that a refusal to help has spiritual consequences.
calvinDeuteronomy 15:1-11: "At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release."
And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbor shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbor, or of his brother; because it is called the Lord's release.
Haec autem est ratio remissionis, ut remittat omnis qui mutuum dederit manu sua, id quod mutuum dederit amico suo: non reposcet ab amico suo, aut a fratre suo, quia proclamata est remissio Jehovae.
3.…
clarkeDeuteronomy 15:9: "Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee."
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 Deuteronomy 13:13 (note). And thine eye be evil - An evil…
The verse warns against a "thought in your wicked heart," highlighting that sin often begins internally. It’s not just about refusing to give, but the internal calculation—seeing the "year of release" as an excuse to withhold help—that God flags as a deeply "wicked" and sinful act.
God has just established the Year of Release, a time every seven years when debts are forgiven among Israelites. He's commanded them to be generous to their poor brothers, even lending them what they need as this special year approaches. The verse warns against a deceitful mindset: using the upcoming release as an excuse to withhold help and begrudge the poor, which would be a grave sin.
God has just established the Year of Release, a time every seven years when debts are forgiven among Israelites. He's commanded them to be generous to their poor brothers, even lending them what they need as this special year approaches. The verse warns against a deceitful mindset: using the upcoming release as an excuse to withhold help and begrudge the poor, which would be a grave sin.
"Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release is near,’ and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the LORD against you, and yo…" — The verse warns against a "thought in your wicked heart," highlighting that sin often begins internally. It’s not just about refusing to give, but the internal calculation—seeing the "year of release…
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Last reviewed October 2026
