Deuteronomy 15:1-23, Deuteronomy 16:1-20 NIRV

Deuteronomy 15:1-23

The Year for Forgiving People What They Owe

At the end of every seven years you must forgive people what they owe you. Have you made a loan to one of your own people? Then forgive what is owed to you. You can’t require that person to pay you back. The Lord’s time to forgive what is owed has been announced. You can require someone from another nation to pay you back. But you must forgive what any of your own people owes you. There shouldn’t be any poor people among you. The Lord will greatly bless you in the land he is giving you. You will take it over as your own. The Lord your God will bless you if you obey him completely. Be careful to follow all the commands I’m giving you today. The Lord your God will bless you, just as he has promised. You will lend money to many nations. But you won’t have to borrow from any of them. You will rule over many nations. But none of them will rule over you.

Suppose someone is poor among you. And suppose they live in one of the towns in the land the Lord your God is giving you. Then don’t be mean to them. They are poor. So don’t hold back money from them. Instead, open your hands and lend them what they need. Do it freely. Be careful not to have an evil thought in your mind. Don’t say to yourself, “The seventh year will soon be here. It’s the year for forgiving people what they owe.” If you think like that, you might treat the needy people among you badly. You might not give them anything. Then they might make their appeal to the Lord against you. And he will find you guilty of sin. So give freely to needy people. Let your heart be tender toward them. Then the Lord your God will bless you in all your work. He will bless you in everything you do. There will always be poor people in the land. So I’m commanding you to give freely to those who are poor and needy in your land. Open your hands to them.

Set Your Hebrew Servants Free

Suppose any Hebrew men or women sell themselves to you. If they do, they will serve you for six years. Then in the seventh year you must let them go free. But when you set them free, don’t send them away without anything to show for all their work. Freely give them some animals from your flock. Also give them some of your grain and wine. The Lord your God has blessed you richly. Give to them as he has given to you. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. The Lord your God set you free. That’s why I’m giving you this command today.

But suppose your servant says to you, “I don’t want to leave you.” He loves you and your family. And you are taking good care of him. Then take him to the door of your house. Poke a hole through his earlobe into the doorpost. And he will become your servant for life. Do the same with your female servant.

Don’t think you are being cheated when you set your servants free. After all, they have served you for six years. The service of each of them has been worth twice as much as the service of a hired worker. And the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do.

Male Animals Born First to Their Mothers

Set apart every male animal among your livestock that was born first to its mother. Set it apart to the Lord your God. Don’t put a firstborn cow to work. Don’t clip the wool from a firstborn sheep. Each year you and your family must eat them. Do it in front of the Lord your God at the place he will choose. Suppose an animal has something wrong with it. It might not be able to see or walk. Or it might have a bad flaw. Then you must not sacrifice it to the Lord your God. You must eat it in your own towns. Those who are “clean” and those who are “unclean” can eat it. Eat it as if it were antelope or deer meat. But you must not eat meat that still has blood in it. Pour the blood out on the ground like water.

Read More of Deuteronomy 15

Deuteronomy 16:1-20

The Passover Feast

Celebrate the Passover Feast of the Lord your God in the month of Aviv. In that month he brought you out of Egypt at night. Sacrifice an animal from your flock or herd. It is the Passover sacrifice to honor the Lord your God. Sacrifice it at the special place the Lord will choose. He will put his Name there. Don’t eat the animal along with bread made with yeast. Instead, for seven days eat bread made without yeast. It’s the bread that reminds you of how much you suffered. Remember that you left Egypt in a hurry. Remember it all the days of your life. Don’t forget the day you left Egypt. Don’t keep any yeast anywhere in your land for seven days. You will sacrifice the Passover animal on the evening of the first day. Do not let any of its meat be left over until the next morning.

You must not sacrifice the Passover animal in just any town the Lord your God is giving you. Sacrifice it only in the special place he will choose for his Name. Sacrifice it there in the evening when the sun goes down. Do it on the same day every year. Be sure it’s the day you left Egypt. Cook the animal and eat it. Do it at the place the Lord your God will choose. Then in the morning return to your tents. For six days eat bread made without yeast. On the seventh day come together for a service to honor the Lord your God. Don’t do any work on that day.

The Feast of Weeks

Count off seven weeks from the time you begin to cut your grain in the field. Then celebrate the Feast of Weeks to honor the Lord your God. Give to the Lord anything you choose to give as an offering. Give, just as the Lord has given to you. Be filled with joy in the sight of the Lord your God. Be joyful at the special place he will choose for his Name. You, your children, and your male and female servants should be joyful. So should the Levites living in your towns. So should the outsiders and widows living among you. And so should the children whose fathers have died. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. Be careful to obey the rules I’m giving you.

The Feast of Booths

Gather the grain from your threshing floors. Take the fresh wine from your winepresses. Then celebrate the Feast of Booths for seven days. Be filled with joy at your feast. You, your children, and your male and female servants should be joyful. So should the Levites, the outsiders, and the widows living in your towns. And so should the children whose fathers have died. For seven days celebrate the feast to honor the Lord your God. Do it at the place he will choose. The Lord will bless you when you gather all your crops. He’ll bless you in everything you do. And you will be full of joy. All your men must appear in front of the Lord your God at the holy tent. They must go to the place he will choose. They must do it three times a year. They must go there to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Booths. None of your men should appear in front of the Lord without bringing something with him. Each of you must bring a gift. Give to the Lord your God, just as he has given to you.

Appoint Judges and Officials

Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes. Do it in every town the Lord your God is giving you. They must judge the people fairly. Do what is right. Treat everyone the same. Don’t take money from people who want special favors. It makes those who are wise close their eyes to the truth. It twists the words of those who have done nothing wrong. Do only what is right. Then you will live. You will take over the land the Lord your God is giving you.

Read More of Deuteronomy 16