The Meaning of Deuteronomy 15:9 Explained

Deuteronomy 15:9

KJV: Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee.

YLT: Take heed to thee lest there be a word in thy heart -- worthless, saying, Near is the seventh year, the year of release; and thine eye is evil against thy needy brother, and thou dost not give to him, and he hath called concerning thee unto Jehovah, and it hath been in thee sin;

Darby: Beware that there be not a wicked thought in thy heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry against thee to Jehovah, and it be sin in thee.

ASV: Beware that there be not a base thought in thy heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou give him nought; and he cry unto Jehovah against thee, and it be sin unto thee.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Beware  that there be not a thought  in thy wicked  heart,  saying,  The seventh  year,  the year  of release,  is at hand;  and thine eye  be evil  against thy poor  brother,  and thou givest  him nought; and he cry  unto the LORD  against thee, and it be sin  unto thee. 

What does Deuteronomy 15:9 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 15

1  The seventh year a year of release for the poor
7  one must be generous in lending or giving
12  A Hebrew servant, except by choice, must be freed in the seventh year
19  All firstborn males of the cattle are to be sanctified unto the Lord

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 15:9 mean?

Beware unto lest there be a thought in your heart wicked saying is at hand year the seven year of the release and be evil your eye against your brother poor and nothing you give him and he cry out against you to Yahweh and it become among you sin
הִשָּׁ֣מֶר לְךָ֡ פֶּן־ יִהְיֶ֣ה דָבָר֩ עִם־ לְבָבְךָ֨ בְלִיַּ֜עַל לֵאמֹ֗ר קָֽרְבָ֣ה שְׁנַֽת־ הַשֶּׁבַע֮ שְׁנַ֣ת הַשְּׁמִטָּה֒ וְרָעָ֣ה עֵֽינְךָ֗ בְּאָחִ֙יךָ֙ הָֽאֶבְי֔וֹן וְלֹ֥א תִתֵּ֖ן ל֑וֹ וְקָרָ֤א עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ אֶל־ יְהוָ֔ה וְהָיָ֥ה בְךָ֖ חֵֽטְא

הִשָּׁ֣מֶר  Beware 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
לְךָ֡  unto 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
פֶּן־  lest 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: פֶּן  
Sense: lest, not, beware lest adv.
יִהְיֶ֣ה  there  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
דָבָר֩  a  thought 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
לְבָבְךָ֨  your  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: לֵבָב  
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding.
בְלִיַּ֜עַל  wicked 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בְּלִיַּעַל  
Sense: worthlessness.
לֵאמֹ֗ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
קָֽרְבָ֣ה  is  at  hand 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: קָרַב  
Sense: to come near, approach, enter into, draw near.
שְׁנַֽת־  year 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
הַשֶּׁבַע֮  the  seven 
Parse: Article, Number, feminine singular
Root: שֶׁבַע  
Sense: seven (cardinal number).
שְׁנַ֣ת  year 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
הַשְּׁמִטָּה֒  of  the  release 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: שְׁמִטָּה  
Sense: letting drop of exactions, (temporary) remitting, release (from debt).
וְרָעָ֣ה  and  be  evil 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: מֵרֵעַ 
Sense: to be bad, be evil.
עֵֽינְךָ֗  your  eye 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
בְּאָחִ֙יךָ֙  against  your  brother 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
הָֽאֶבְי֔וֹן  poor 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: אֶבְיׄון  
Sense: in want, needy, chiefly poor, needy person.
וְלֹ֥א  and  nothing 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תִתֵּ֖ן  you  give 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
וְקָרָ֤א  and  he  cry  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
עָלֶ֙יךָ֙  against  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וְהָיָ֥ה  and  it  become 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בְךָ֖  among  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
חֵֽטְא  sin 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֵטְא  
Sense: sin.