Deuteronomy 15:10 · Bible study
Deuteronomy 15:10 Commentary: Cheerful Giving and Divine Blessing
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the command to give generously without a grieved heart, and the promise of God's blessing on all your work, based on Hebrew grammar, commentary,
Research Summary
- Meaning: A command to give generously to the poor without a grudging heart, with a promise of God's blessing on all work.
- Key words: נָתַן (give), לֵבָב (heart), גָּלָל (on account of), מַעֲשֶׂה (work), מִשְׁלַח יָד (undertaking of hand).
- Main debate: Whether “this thing” refers specifically to giving to the poor or to the broader obedience of the sabbatical laws.
- Theological theme: God's provision for the poor and His blessing on those who trust Him with their resources.
- Best use: Preaching and teaching on cheerful giving, generosity, and reliance on God's provision.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Give generously to him, and do not let your heart be grieved when you do so. And because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything to which you put your hand.
WEB World English Bible 2000
You shall surely give, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because it is for this thing Yahweh your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you put your hand to.
KJV King James Version 1769
Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Thou shalt surely give him, and thy heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him; because that for this thing Jehovah thy God will bless thee in all thy work, and in all that thou puttest thy hand unto.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
thou dost certainly give to him, and thy heart is not sad in thy giving to him, for because of this thing doth Jehovah thy God bless thee in all thy works, and in every putting forth of thy hand;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Thou shalt bountifully give unto him, and thy heart shall not be evil-disposed when thou givest unto him; because for this thing Jehovah thy God will bless thee in all thy works, and in all the business of thy hand.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
But thou shalt give to him: neither shalt thou do any thing craftily in relieving his necessities: that the Lord thy God may bless thee at all times, and in all things to which thou shalt put thy hand.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Sin falta le darás, y no sea tu corazón maligno cuando le dieres: que por ello|strong="H2088, H1967" te bendecirá Jehová tu Dios en todos tus hechos, y en todo lo que pusieres mano.
Sem falta lhe darás, e não seja teu coração maligno quando lhe deres: que por ele te abençoará o SENHOR teu Deus em todos os teus feitos, e em tudo o que puseres mão.
Donne-lui, et que ton cœur ne lui donne point à regret; car, à cause de cela, l’ Éternel, ton Dieu, te bénira dans tous tes travaux et dans toutes tes entreprises.
Sondern du sollst ihm geben und dein Herz nicht verdrießen lassen, daß du ihm gibst; denn um solches willen wird dich der HERR, dein Gott, segnen in allen deinen Werken und in allem, was du vornimmst.
Gij zult hem mildelijk geven, en uw hart zal niet boos zijn, als gij hem geeft; want om dezer zake wil zal u de HEERE, uw God, zegenen in al uw werk, en in alles, waaraan gij uw hand slaat.
Dagli liberalmente; e quando gli darai, non te ne dolga il cuore; perché, a motivo di questo, l’Eterno, l’Iddio tuo, ti benedirà in ogni opera tua e in ogni cosa a cui porrai mano.
Ale ochotnie dawać mu będziesz, i nie będzie niechętne serce twoje, gdy mu dawać będziesz, albowiem dla tegoć pobłogosławi Pan, Bóg twój, we wszystkich sprawach twoich, i do czegokolwiek ściągniesz rękę twoję.
дай ему [и взаймы дай ему, сколько он просит и сколько ему нужно], и когда будешь давать ему, не должно скорбеть сердце твое, ибо за то благословит тебя Господь, Бог твой, во всех делах твоих и во всем, что будет делаться твоими руками;
你總要 給 他，給 他 的時候心 裡不可 愁煩； 因 耶和華─你的 神 必在你這 一切所行的，並 你手裡所辦的 事上，賜福與你。
But it is right for you to give to him, without grief of heart: for because of this, the blessing of the Lord your God will be on all your work and on everything to which you put your hand.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Deuteronomy 15:10
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Deuteronomy 15:10 links outward generosity with inward disposition. The Hebrew infinitive absolute plus imperfect (נָת֤וֹן תִּתֵּן֙, “you shall surely give”) makes the command emphatic, giving is not optional. But the verse immediately prohibits a grieved heart. Gill notes that Jarchi required giving even a hundred times, yet the real point is cheerfulness. Wesley says that without a willing mind, charity itself becomes uncharitable. Keil and Delitzsch connect the promised blessing to Proverbs 11:24 and Psalm 41:1, 2, showing that generosity flows from and returns to God's provision. The blessing covers “all your work” and “every undertaking of your hand”, a comprehensive promise for those who trust God with their resources.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The verse commands giving to the poor without a grudging heart, and promises God's blessing on all work and undertakings for those who obey.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The recipient of the command | All commentators agree the primary recipient is a fellow Israelite ('brother') in poverty. | Some see this as limited to the covenant community of Israel; others apply the principle to all people in need, while noting the distinction made for foreigners (v.3). |
| The nature of the promised blessing | God promises to bless those who give generously, as seen in Proverbs 11:24, 25 and Psalm 41:1, 2. | Gill and Keil emphasize material prosperity; Wesley and Matthew Henry include spiritual contentment and peace. Traditions differ on whether the blessing is primarily physical or spiritual. |
| The tension between verses 4 and 11 | Both verses are authoritative: God can bless so that there is no poor, yet poverty persists because of sin and the fall. | Some harmonize by reading verse 4 as conditional ('there will be no poor if you obey fully'), while others see verse 11 as a realistic assessment of human nature. Barnes notes the law was 'stringent' and rabbis made it void. |
| Application of the year of release today | The principles of debt forgiveness and care for the poor are timeless. | Some Christians see the sabbatical year as a ceremonial law no longer binding; others apply it as a pattern for periodic debt relief or jubilee practices in community. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The command in verse 10 sits within a larger section on the year of release (Deuteronomy 15:1, 11). Every seven years, debts among Israelites were forgiven. This practice, rooted in the sabbatical year (Exodus 23:10, 11; Leviticus 25:2, 7), aimed to prevent permanent impoverishment. The land itself rested, and the people were reminded that their security came from Yahweh, not accumulated wealth.
Verses 7, 11 address the temptation to withhold when the seventh year approaches. A lender might think: “If I lend now, the debt will be canceled, and I will lose my money.” The law anticipates this “worthless thought” (v.9, Hebrew literally “word of worthlessness”) and commands the opposite: open your hand freely. The promise of blessing is meant to overcome the fear of loss. The culture was agrarian and clan-based. Poverty could arise from crop failure, illness, or misfortune. The law provided multiple safety nets: gleanings (Deuteronomy 24:19), tithes for the vulnerable (Deuteronomy 14:29), and interest-free loans that would be forgiven. The “foreigner” (v.3) could be pressed for repayment because he did not share in the covenant inheritance. But the “brother” was treated with familial solidarity. Blessing was tied to covenant faithfulness: if Israel obeyed, God would remove poverty (v.4), yet even then the poor would never entirely disappear because of human sin and the fall (v.11). The verse emphasizes that motivation for giving is not just compassion but trust in God's provision.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, and no major disagreements affect interpretation.
Reception History
This verse has been widely cited in Christian teaching on almsgiving and cheerful generosity. 2 Corinthians 9:7 echoes its call for a cheerful giver. The early church, in works like the Didache, applied it to support for the needy. Medieval theologians such as Thomas Aquinas used it to argue that charity requires both internal and external acts. The Protestant reformers, including Calvin and Luther, emphasized the freedom of the Christian to give without fear, trusting God's blessing. In modern times, it is often used in stewardship campaigns and financial wisdom literature, connecting generosity to discipleship and reliance on God's provision.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Give definitely. The Hebrew infinitive absolute + imperfect (נָת֤וֹן תִּתֵּן֙) stresses certainty. This is not a suggestion but a command. God requires action toward the poor.
- Give without a grieved heart. The verb יֵרַע (ye.Ra') means “to be evil” or “to be sad.” The heart must not resent the loss. Generosity is incomplete if it is grudging.
- Receive God’s comprehensive blessing. The promise covers “all your work” and “every undertaking of your hand.” God is not indebted to us, but He rewards cheerful giving with provision and success.
Five-point outline
- The year of release tests the heart (vv.1, 9).
- The command to give is emphatic and unconditional (v.10a).
- The heart must be willing, not grieving (v.10b).
- The motivation is the blessing of God (v.10c).
- The permanence of poverty calls for perpetual generosity (v.11).
Illustration hooks
- A farmer plants seed knowing some will be lost, but he trusts the harvest. Giving to the poor is like sowing seed for a crop that God will bring.
- Lending a tool to a neighbor who breaks it. The natural reaction is resentment. The command says to give with a happy heart, trusting God's provision.
- An unexpected medical bill leaves a family struggling. A friend covers the cost. The giver might feel the pinch, but over time sees God's faithfulness in unexpected ways.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “How can I give cheerfully when I have barely enough myself?”
- “Does this promise mean I will get rich if I give?”
- “What about giving to people who might misuse the money?”
Leading a Discussion
This verse connects our wallets to our inner lives. God cares not just that we give, but how we feel about it. The year of release made giving risky, the loan would be canceled. But God promised a blessing that outweighs the risk. Discuss how this applies to your life today.
Discussion questions
- What does it mean for your heart to be “grieved” when you give? Can you think of a time you gave reluctantly?
- Why does the year of release create a temptation to withhold (v.9)? How does that temptation show up in modern forms?
- What kind of blessing is promised in this verse? Is it only material, or does it include other forms?
- How does the promise of blessing help you overcome reluctance to give?
- Read Proverbs 11:24, 25. How does that reinforce or expand the teaching of Deuteronomy 15:10?
- Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). How does this Old Testament command prepare us for that?
- What practical steps can your group take to give more freely and joyfully?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 14:19 | All winged creeping things are unclean to you. They shall not be eaten. |
| Deuteronomy 14:29 | The Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, as well as the foreigner living among you, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your gates shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that Yahweh your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do. |
| Deuteronomy 15:4 | However there will be no poor with you (for Yahweh will surely bless you in the land which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance to possess) |
| Deuteronomy 24:19 | When you reap your harvest in your field, and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not go again to get it. It shall be for the foreigner, for the fatherless, and for the widow, that Yahweh your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. |
| Psalms 41:1 | For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. Blessed is he who considers the poor. Yahweh will deliver him in the day of evil. |
| Psalms 41:2 | Yahweh will preserve him, and keep him alive. He shall be blessed on the earth, and he will not surrender him to the will of his enemies. |
| Proverbs 11:24 | There is one who scatters, and increases yet more. There is one who withholds more than is appropriate, but gains poverty. |
| Proverbs 11:25 | The liberal soul shall be made fat. He who waters shall be watered also himself. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes clarifies that the release of debts in the sabbatical year was only a temporary suspension for that year, not a permanent cancellation, and applied exclusively to loans made because of poverty. He resolves the apparent contradiction between verses about no poor and always poor by explaining that the release is only required when a poor person is involved.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator highlights this command as a key example of Deuteronomy's concern with inner attitude, not just outward action. The law forbids giving with a grieved heart, anticipating the New Testament principle that God loves a cheerful giver.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The note stresses that giving to a needy person must be done cheerfully, not reluctantly. A grudging heart spoils the gift, but God promises to reward generous giving by blessing all the work of the giver's hands.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that lending to a desperately poor person when the year of release is near is essentially giving, since the debt will likely never be repaid. He warns against giving grudgingly and insists the heart must give cheerfully, because God promises to bless every work of the cheerful giver.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch stresses that the real danger is a worthless thought rising in the heart, not simply refusing to lend. Such a thought treats the coming year of release as an excuse for stinginess, making the heart evil toward a poor brother. This becomes sin that calls down God's anger, whereas cheerful giving brings God's blessing.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees the entire passage as a deliberate unfolding of the Sabbath idea in six ascending stages: rest from debt, freedom from bondage, consecration of life, redemption through Passover, joy in harvest, and final perfection in the feast of tabernacles. For him, the Sabbath principle shapes not just a day but all of Israel's economic and worship life as a preparation for God's ultimate rest.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry stresses that the release of debts every seventh year is called "the Lord's release," meaning God claims it as His own institution. He sees the law as a test of faith: a generous heart must not hold back from lending even when the release year is near, trusting God's blessing over human calculation. For Henry, the command checks both stinginess and unbelief.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley insists that charity without a cheerful heart is not charity at all. The giver's inward disposition matters as much as the outward gift; a reluctant or grieving spirit makes the offering uncharitable in God's sight, regardless of the amount given.