Good News Translation and Revised English Bible join this verse to the following two verses; Revised Standard Version and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh join it to the verses that come before it. It is a linking verse; but everything considered, it seems better to join it to what follows, not to what comes before.

The verse is a reminder of the constant need to provide for Levites, who had no territory of their own and were thus dependent on the generosity of their fellow Israelites (see 12.19; 18.1-2; Num 18.20; 26.62).

You shall not forsake: that is, “Do not neglect [or, disregard],” “Do not fail to help.”

The Levite who is within your towns: in most languages it is much better to use the plural form, “the Levites who live in your communities [or, towns].”

No portion or inheritance: this is a typical doublet, showing emphasis—“they have no land,” “they were not allotted any territory” (see the comment at 12.2).

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

The tithe every third year is not in addition to the annual one of verses 22-26, but a different use of the tithe in that year, given for the support of the Levites and other needy people in the community. For a more elaborate statement of this tithe, see 26.12-15.

At the end of every three years: stated more succinctly and naturally this is “every third year” (Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version). The time would be after all the crops had been harvested.

You shall bring forth all the tithe of your produce: see the similar language in verse 22. Bring forth is completed by lay it up, that is, “take and deposit [or, store].”

In the same year: New Revised Standard Version is better, “You shall bring out the full tithe of your produce for that year.”

Lay it up within your towns: it is probable that there was a central deposit of some kind where all the produce was stored for distribution to the needy people in the community.

Contemporary English Version has a helpful model for this verse:

• Every third year, instead of using the ten percent of your harvest for a big celebration, bring it into town and put it in a community storehouse.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

For other statements about providing for the needs of the poor and needy in Israel, see 16.11; 24.19-21; 26.12-15.

The Levite … has no portion or inheritance with you: as in verse 27 and 12.12.

The sojourner: these are the foreigners who lived permanently in Israel (see 1.16; 5.14; 10.18-19).

The fatherless, and the widow: see 10.18.

The LORD your God may bless you: this is the reward for compassion and generosity. On bless see also 2.7.

All the work of your hands that you do: a rather wordy way of saying “everything you do.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

With the beginning of a new section, translators are advised to reintroduce Moses as the speaker; for example, “Moses said to the people of Israel:….”

At the end of every seven years: this same form is used in 14.28; New Revised Standard Version has “Every seventh year.” This provision for the seventh year matches the older legislation of not cultivating the land every seventh year (see Exo 23.10-11; Lev 25.2-7).

You shall grant a release: the Hebrew noun translated release appears here, in verse 2, and in 31.10, and nowhere else in the Old Testament. Since this release means canceling debts, it is better to say, with New Revised Standard Version, “you shall grant a remission of debts.” New International Version is better still, “you must cancel debts.” Contemporary English Version has “that loans do not need to be paid back.” Good News Translation “the debts of those who owe you money” seems needlessly wordy in English. However, in some languages it will be expressed in a similar way; for example, “lift the debts of those people who have borrowed money from you,” or even “do not require that people who have borrowed money from you should pay it back.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Deut 15.2

The release is here defined in clear terms: the debt of every fellow Israelite is to be canceled.

And this is the manner of the release: simply, “This is what you must do,” or “This is how it is to be done” (Good News Translation, New International Version).

From the second person singular in verse 1 the Hebrew text switches to the third person singular in verse 2, then back to the second singular in the rest of the section. In translation it is recommended that the second singular be kept in verse 2; or else we may follow the Good News Translation, “Each of you….”

Every creditor shall release what he has lent to his neighbor: since a creditor is a person who lends money to someone else, the word itself is redundant; see Good News Translation, “Each of you who has lent money….”

His neighbor: this is a way of speaking of a “fellow-Israelite” (Good News Translation), which should be made clear in translation.

He shall not exact it: this is the negative form of the previous shall release; thus “don’t try to collect the debt,” or “don’t ask him to pay it back.”

His neighbor, his brother: the second term defines more exactly the first one. Some think that it is a later addition to the text. (The Hebrew text as we have it is “his neighbor and his brother,” which seems to indicate additional editorial work. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “his fellow or kinsman.”) The best way to translate this is to say “his fellow-Israelite,” or even “another Israelite.”

The LORD’s release has been proclaimed: this introduces a new element. The LORD’s release means the release required by the LORD; the passive has been proclaimed suggests that there may have been a formal public proclamation of the beginning of the seventh year. But this is only a conjecture, and if the passive form of the verb cannot be used, we may say something like the following: “it is the year the LORD has ordered cancellation of all debts” or “… has ordered you to cancel [or, forgive] all debts.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

This verse makes it clear that the law applies only to Israelites; foreigners must pay their debts, as usual (see similar discrimination in 23.20). Another way to say this is “You may collect money that a foreigner owes you.”

Whatever of yours is with your brother: that is, whatever a fellow-Israelite owes you; that debt must be forgiven.

Your brother: your fellow-Israelite.

Your hand shall release: this is an idiomatic way of saying “you must cancel [or, forgive].” The most common verb used for the cancellation of debts should be chosen.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Notice that verses 4-5 are one sentence. However, there are better ways of rearranging the material than the one followed by Revised Standard Version (which is difficult to read aloud effectively); see Good News Translation. It is also possible to combine verses 4 and 5 (see the alternative translation model at the end of verse 6).

But there will be no poor among you: this initial statement is explained by two further comments. These are that (1) the LORD will bless the people, and (2) the people must obey the LORD’s commands (verse 3).

There will be no poor among you: in light of the contradictory statement in verse 11, the affirmation here is not absolute, but dependent on the people’s faithful obedience to Yahweh’s commands. Poor will be expressed in a number of languages as “a person with few possessions.”

The LORD will bless you in the land which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance to possess: this is frequently stressed, and these terms appear many times in this book. The verb will bless is in a compound form, which makes for an emphatic statement: “he will surely bless you.” For a comment on the translation of bless, see 1.11. For the LORD your God see 1.6. For the terms inheritance and possess, see 1.8, 35. This sentence may be placed at the end of verse 5 (see the alternative model at the end of the comments on verse 6).

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

If only you obey: this is the condition for the promise that there will be no poor people in the land. Again the emphatic form is used; the Hebrew verb is actually “hear,” meaning “listen to,” “pay heed to,” that is, obey.

The voice of the LORD your God: that is, “what the LORD your God orders [or, tells] you to do.”

Being careful to do: the sense is “doing your best to obey,” or “carefully observing” (Good News Translation).

All this commandment: see 5.31.

Again the emphasis is laid on this day (see 11.26, 28, 32; 13.18).

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

God will bless the people so that they will prosper and thrive and dominate other nations. Israel will become a major economic power in the region, and thus able to exert influence over other nations (see also 28.12-13, 44).

Lend … borrow: these are financial terms, and the unstated object is “money.” Good News Translation has “You will lend money to many nations, but you will not have to borrow from any.” It is also possible to say “You will let the people from other countries borrow money from you, but you will not have to borrow money from them.”

Rule … not rule: this kind of rule seems to be economic supremacy, not necessarily domination achieved through force of arms. But a general word for “control” or “domination” will do.

An alternative translation model for verses 4-6 is as follows:

• No one in Israel will ever be poor, if you obey the LORD your God and carefully observe all his commands that I am giving you today. The LORD your God is giving you this land, and he has promised to make you successful in all that you do. He will do what he has promised. You will lend money to the people of other nations, but you will not have to borrow money from any of them. You will have control over other nations, but no nation will have control over you.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .