What is the meaning of Deuteronomy 15:14? You are to furnish him liberally • This command follows the release of a Hebrew servant in the seventh year (Deuteronomy 15:12-13). The master is not merely to set him free but to bless him on the way out. • “Furnish…liberally” speaks of a generous, open-handed spirit. The emphasis is on abundance, not bare minimums (compare 2 Corinthians 9:6-7; Proverbs 11:24-25). • God’s people are to mirror His own lavish grace. As He redeemed Israel from Egypt with wealth (Exodus 12:35-36), so the newly freed servant is to leave equipped for a fresh start. From your flock, your threshing floor, and your winepress • Three staples of an agrarian life are named—animals, grain, and wine—covering daily provision, future income, and celebration (Psalm 104:14-15). • The servant shares in what the master himself relies on. It is costly, intentional generosity, not leftovers (Leviticus 19:9-10). • By specifying these sources, the Lord anchors the principle of tangible aid rather than vague good wishes (James 2:15-16). You shall give to him • The verb is direct: giving is an act, not a feeling. Obedience requires concrete transfer of goods (1 John 3:17-18). • Release without supply would leave the servant vulnerable and likely force him back into bondage—counter to God’s heart for lasting freedom (Galatians 5:1). • The personal pronoun “him” keeps the focus on an individual, reminding us that generosity is relational, not merely institutional (Luke 10:35). As the LORD your God has blessed you • God’s past provision becomes the standard for present giving (Deuteronomy 8:17-18). We respond to grace with grace. • Blessing is measured not only by quantity but by experience; every Israelite knew firsthand the Lord’s faithfulness in the land (Psalm 116:12-14). • This principle endures: “Freely you have received; freely give” (Matthew 10:8). Our generosity remains proportionate to the blessings we acknowledge. summary Deuteronomy 15:14 commands God’s people to send a freed servant away with generous, tangible resources drawn from their own livelihood, reflecting the same abundant blessing God has poured out on them. Obedient generosity secures the servant’s future, honors the Lord’s provision, and models His redemptive grace to all who witness it. |
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