What is the meaning of Deuteronomy 15:12? If a fellow Hebrew Deuteronomy 15:12 begins, “If a fellow Hebrew…”. God is addressing Israel’s internal community, highlighting family responsibility. • Similar language appears in Leviticus 25:35–46, where God distinguishes Israelite servants from foreign slaves, stressing kinship. • Galatians 6:10 encourages believers to “do good to everyone, especially to those of the household of faith,” echoing this priority of caring first for God’s own people. • The phrase reminds us that God calls His people to treat spiritual siblings with heightened love and fairness (1 John 3:16–18). a man or a woman Scripture specifies both genders, underscoring equal protection and dignity. • Exodus 21:7–11 extends rights to female servants, showing God’s concern for vulnerable women. • In Christ, “there is neither male nor female” (Galatians 3:28); the seed of that truth is already present in the Mosaic law’s equal safeguards. • God refuses to let cultural norms eclipse His righteous standards; every image-bearer matters (Genesis 1:27). is sold to you The verse recognizes an economic reality: voluntary servitude (indentured service) to pay debt. • Exodus 22:3 notes restitution through servitude when someone cannot repay. • Second Kings 4:1 records a widow whose sons risk slavery for debt, illustrating how poverty led to this arrangement. • God never condones cruel slavery (Exodus 21:16); rather, He regulates indenture to curb abuse and guard dignity. and serves you six years Service is limited, preventing perpetual bondage. • Exodus 21:2 sets the same six-year term, showing consistency in God’s law. • The Sabbath pattern—six units of work followed by release or rest—runs throughout Scripture (Genesis 2:2; Leviticus 25:3–4). • By capping service at six years, God balances responsibility (debts must be paid) with mercy (bondage must end). then in the seventh year you must set him free The climax is freedom, mirroring the Sabbath principle of rest and the Jubilee theme of release (Leviticus 25:10). • Jeremiah 34:13–17 rebukes Judah for ignoring this mandate, proving God takes it seriously. • Deuteronomy 15:13–14 commands generosity at release—sending the servant away supplied—anticipating Christ’s lavish grace (Ephesians 1:7–8). • Ultimately, the law points to Jesus, who proclaims “liberty to the captives” (Luke 4:18) and frees us from sin’s debt (Romans 6:17–18). summary Deuteronomy 15:12 reveals God’s heart for justice wrapped in mercy. He acknowledges real debts yet refuses lifelong bondage for His people. By limiting service to six years and demanding release in the seventh, the Lord embeds the rhythm of redemption into Israel’s economy, foreshadowing the gospel freedom Christ secures for all who trust Him. |
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