The Seventh Year
(Exodus 23:10–13; Leviticus 25:1–7)

1At the terme of seuen yeeres thou shalt make a freedome. 2And this is the maner of the freedome: euery creditour shall quite ye lone of his hand which he hath lent to his neighbour: he shall not aske it againe of his neighbour, nor of his brother: for the yeere of the Lords freedome is proclaimed. 3Of a stranger thou mayest require it: but that which thou hast with thy brother, thine hand shall remit: 4Saue when there shall be no poore with thee: for the Lorde shall blesse thee in the land, which the Lord thy God giueth thee, for an inheritance to possesse it: 5So that thou hearken vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God to obserue and doe all these commandements, which I commande thee this day. 6For the Lord thy God hath blessed thee, as he hath promised thee: and thou shalt lend vnto many nations, but thou thy selfe shalt not borow, and thou shalt reigne ouer many nations, & they shall not reigne ouer thee.

Generosity in Lending and Giving
(Matthew 6:1–4)

7If one of thy brethren with thee be poore within any of thy gates in thy land, which the Lord thy God giueth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poore brother: 8But thou shalt open thine hand vnto him, and shalt lend him sufficient for his neede which he hath. 9Beware that there be not a wicked thought in thine heart, to say, The seuenth yeere, the yeere of freedome is at hand: therefore it grieueth thee to looke on thy poore brother, and thou giuest him nought, and he crie vnto the Lorde against thee, so that sinne be in thee: 10Thou shalt giue him, and let it not grieue thine heart to giue vnto him: for because of this the Lord thy God shal blesse thee in al thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand to. 11Because there shall be euer some poore in the land, therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand vnto thy brother, to thy needie, and to thy poore in thy land.

Hebrew Servants
(Exodus 21:1–11)

12If thy brother an Ebrewe sell himselfe to thee, or an Ebrewesse, and serue thee sixe yeere, euen in the seuenth yeere thou shalt let him goe free from thee: 13And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him goe away emptie, 14But shalt giue him a liberall reward of thy sheepe, and of thy corne, and of thy wine: thou shalt giue him of that wherewith the Lorde thy God hath blessed thee. 15And remember that thou wast a seruant in the land of Egypt, & the Lord thy God deliuered thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day. 16And if he say vnto thee, I will not go away from thee, because he loueth thee & thine house, and because he is well with thee, 17Then shalt thou take a naule, and perce his eare through against the doore, and he shall be thy seruant for euer: and vnto thy maid seruant thou shall doe likewise.

18Let it not grieue thee, when thou lettest him goe out free from thee: for he hath serued thee sixe yeeres, which is the double worth of an hired seruant: and the Lorde thy God shall blesse thee in all that thou doest.

Firstborn Animals
(Exodus 13:1–16)

19All the first borne males that come of thy cattell, and of thy sheepe, thou shalt sanctifie vnto the Lord thy God. Thou shalt do no worke with thy first borne bullocke, nor sheare thy first borne sheepe. 20Thou shalt eate it before the Lord thy God yeere by yeere, in the place which the Lord shall chose, both thou, and thine household. 21But if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or haue any euill fault, thou shalt not offer it vnto the Lord thy God, 22But shalt eate it within thy gates: the vncleane, and the cleane shall eate it alike, as the roe bucke, and as the hart. 23Onely thou shalt not eate the blood thereof, but powre it vpon the ground as water.