Deuteronomy 15:14 · Bible study
Deuteronomy 15:14 Commentary: Freedom with Full Hands
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
What does 'furnish liberally' mean for freeing a Hebrew slave? Discover the command to give proportionally to God's blessing and how it shapes Christian giving.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The master must give the freed Hebrew slave a generous provision from flock, grain, and wine, proportional to how God has blessed him.
- Key words: Hanik (Hiphil infinitive absolute + imperfect), to load or adorn with a neck ornament; tson (flock), goren (threshing floor), yeqev (winepress), the three staples of agrarian life.
- Main debate: Whether the seventh year of release is the sabbatical year or the seventh year of a specific individual’s service (most commentators favour the latter; Keil & Delitzsch, Cambridge).
- Theological theme: Redemption leads to generous restoration. The master’s giving mirrors God’s lavish deliverance of Israel from Egypt.
- Best use: Preaching on Christian generosity, the Year of Jubilee, or the gospel as a “furnishing liberally” of grace.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
You are to furnish him liberally from your flock, your threshing floor, and your winepress. You shall give to him as the LORD your God has blessed you.
WEB World English Bible 2000
You shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, out of your threshing floor, and out of your wine press. As Yahweh your God has blessed you, you shall give to him.
KJV King James Version 1769
Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the Lord thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy threshing-floor, and out of thy winepress; as Jehovah thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
thou dost certainly encircle him out of thy flock, and out of thy threshing-floor, and out of thy wine-vat; of that which Jehovah thy God hath blessed thee thou dost give to him,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
thou shalt certainly furnish him from thy sheep, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of what Jehovah thy God hath blessed thee with shalt thou give unto him.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
But shall give him for his way out of thy flocks, and out of thy barnfloor, and thy winepress, wherewith the Lord thy God shall bless thee.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Le abastecerás liberalmente de tus ovejas, de tu era, y de tu lagar; le darás de aquello en que Jehová|strong="H3068, H0430" te hubiere bendecido.
Tu lhe abastecerás generosamente de tuas ovelhas, de tua eira, e de teu lagar; lhe darás daquilo em que o SENHOR te houver abençoado.
tu lui feras des présents de ton menu bétail, de ton aire, de ton pressoir, de ce que tu auras par la bénédiction de l’ Éternel, ton Dieu.
sondern sollst ihm auflegen von deinen Schafen, von deiner Tenne von deiner Kelter, daß du gebest von dem, das dir der HERR, dein Gott, gesegnet hat.
Gij zult hem rijkelijk opleggen van uw kudde, en van uw dorsvloer, en van uw wijnpers; waarin u de HEERE, uw God, gezegend heeft, daarvan zult gij hem geven.
lo fornirai liberalmente di doni tratti dal tuo gregge, dalla tua aia e dal tuo strettoio; gli farai parte delle benedizioni che l’Eterno, il tuo Dio, t’avrà largite;
Szczodrze go udarujesz z bydła twego, i z gumna twego, i z prasy twojej; z tego, w czem ci pobłogosławił Pan, Bóg twój, dasz mu.
но снабди его от стад твоих, от гумна твоего и от точила твоего: дай ему, чем благословил тебя Господь, Бог твой:
要從你羊群、禾場、酒醡 之中多多地 給 他；耶和華─你的 神 怎樣 賜福與你，你也要照樣給 他。
But give him freely from your flock and from your grain and your wine: in the measure of the wealth which the Lord your God has given you, you are to give to him.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Deuteronomy 15:14
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree this verse introduces a striking new demand beyond the earlier law in Exodus 21: when a Hebrew slave goes free, the master must provide substantial goods, not just release. Barnes notes the Hebrew verb hanik is remarkable: it means “thou shalt lay on his neck” or “adorn his neck with thy gifts.” Gill amplifies the idea: “loading thou shalt load him,” giving as much as he can carry. The three sources named, flock, threshing floor, winepress, cover the full range of produce: meat and wool, grain, and wine (Clarke, Keil & Delitzsch). The measure is not fixed; it is tied directly to how Yahweh has blessed the master (v. 14b). Keil and Delitzsch argue this is the heart of the law: not simply ending servitude but ensuring the freed person has a real start. The Cambridge Bible notes that this provision intends to prevent the freed slave from falling back into poverty. Across traditions, Jewish (Maimonides, as cited by Gill) and Christian, the command has been seen as a concrete expression of love that mirrors the lavish redemption Israel itself received from Egypt. The verb’s intensity and the proportionality clause together set a high bar: generosity is not optional but a required response to God’s own generosity.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The core command—to give a generous, proportional provision to the freed Hebrew slave—is not seriously disputed across traditions.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The verb 'hanik' and its meaning | All major commentators agree the verb carries the image of putting something around the neck, a necklace or a load, suggesting generous provision, not a minimal gift. | Some emphasize the ornamental sense ('adorn his neck', Barnes) while others stress the burden sense ('load him', Gill, Keil & Delitzsch). Both agree the intent is lavish giving. |
| The seventh year of release | Both Jewish and Christian traditions accept that a Hebrew slave goes free after six years of service, as commanded in Exodus 21 and repeated here. | Whether this seventh year is the sabbatical year or the seventh year of that individual's service is debated. Keil & Delitzsch argue it is the latter; some earlier interpreters connected it to the sabbatical year. The connection to the sabbatical year is not explicit in the verse. |
| Application to female Hebrew slaves | The verse addresses a male slave ('him'), but verse 12 explicitly includes 'a Hebrew woman.' The same provision is meant to apply to women as well. | Exodus 21 had separate rules for female slaves (concubines). Deuteronomy expands the law to women but does not explain how the provision for a freed female slave might differ in practice. Some traditions (Cambridge Bible) see verse 17b as an addition to clarify the ear-piercing ceremony for women. |
| How much is 'liberally'? | The amount is not fixed absolutely; it depends on the master's blessing from God. This is universally accepted. | Gill cites Maimonides' ruling that the minimum is the value of thirty shekels (based on Exodus 21:32). Other Jewish sources suggest a sliding scale. Christian interpreters generally avoid setting a specific amount, focusing instead on the proportional principle. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This verse belongs to a section in Deuteronomy 15 (vv. 12-18) that regulates the release of Hebrew slaves. In ancient Israel, a person could become a slave through debt, poverty, or as punishment for theft (Exodus 22:3). This was not the chattel slavery of later societies; the law protected the slave’s dignity and set a limit of six years of service (Exodus 21:2). The seventh year of release, likely the seventh year of that individual’s service, not the sabbatical year (Keil & Delitzsch, Cambridge Bible), was God’s way of restoring freedom and preventing perpetual bondage.
What makes Deuteronomy 15:14 new is the command to “furnish liberally.” The verb hanik (used twice in the Hebrew: an infinitive absolute followed by an imperfect) carries the root meaning of putting something around the neck, like a necklace or a yoke. Barnes captures this: “adorn his neck with thy gifts.” The master is to load the freed slave’s shoulders with three kinds of provisions: from the flock (sheep and goats, for meat, milk, and wool), from the threshing floor (grain, for bread), and from the winepress (wine, for drink and celebration). These three staples represent the complete range of what a household needed to live and thrive (Clarke, Keil & Delitzsch).
The motivation is explicit in verse 15: “You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and Yahweh your God redeemed you.” Israel’s whole national story, exodus from slavery, receiving gifts from God in the wilderness, was meant to shape how they treated the poor among them. The command to give “as Yahweh your God has blessed you” ties the amount not to a fixed minimum but to the master’s own prosperity. This is a grace-based economy, not a rule-based one.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Deuteronomy 15:14. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts. The doubled verb form (hanek ta'anik, infinitive absolute + imperfect) is consistent in the Masoretic tradition and is reflected in the translations (WEB: “furnish him liberally”; KJV: “furnish him liberally”).
Reception History
In Jewish tradition, this verse was the basis for the requirement that a master give a released slave a substantial gift, sometimes called “the endowment” (ha'anakah). The Talmud (Kiddushin 17a, as cited by Gill) and Maimonides specified a minimum value of thirty shekels, tying it to the valuation of a slave in Exodus 21:32. Medieval Jewish commentators such as Rashi emphasized the connection to the exodus: as God “loaded” Israel with gifts when they left Egypt, so the master should load the freed slave.
In Christian history, the verse was read typologically. Matthew Henry saw in it a picture of Christ freeing believers from the bondage of sin and providing “all things richly to enjoy.” The Geneva Bible notes that the command to give “of that wherewith the Lord thy God hath blessed thee” sets a pattern for Christian generosity that is free, proportional, and motivated by gratitude. More broadly, the passage has been cited in discussions of economic justice and the Year of Jubilee, especially by those who see in it a divine mandate to reset social inequality.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Freedom without provision is incomplete. The law could have simply said “free him,” but God insists the master supply flock, grain, and wine. The freed slave leaves with the means to build a new life. This is a picture of the gospel: Christ does not just break our chains; He loads us with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3; see also Acts 20:35: “It is more blessed to give than to receive”).
- Generosity is proportional to blessing. “As Yahweh your God has blessed you, you shall give to him.” There is no fixed formula. The one who has received much from God gives accordingly. This calls for honest self-assessment: how has God blessed me? The answer shapes the size of my gift.
- Remember your own redemption. Verse 15 supplies the motive: Israel was a slave, and God redeemed them. The master’s generosity is not charity from superior to inferior; it is a fellow-sinner acting out of shared deliverance.
Five-point outline
- The command: “furnish liberally” (v. 14a). The Hebrew verb suggests loading the freed slave’s neck with gifts, a burden of blessing.
- The sources: flock, threshing floor, winepress (v. 14b). These cover all necessities: protein, grain, and drink. Nothing essential is missing.
- The measure: “as Yahweh your God has blessed you” (v. 14c). The gift is tied to the master’s own prosperity, not a minimum standard. Proportional giving reflects the heart of the law.
- The context: the year of release (v. 12). Freedom every seventh year was God’s reset for society. Giving generously ensured the reset actually worked.
- The Christological dimension: Christ freed us from sin and death and then gave us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). The command to “furnish liberally” foreshadows the lavish grace of the gospel.
Illustration hooks
- When a neighbour loses a job, offering a gift card for groceries or helping with rent is concrete love. This verse asks: how much? As you have been blessed.
- A family leaving a transitional housing program often leaves with nothing. Churches that provide a “starter kit” of furniture, food, and toiletries echo this command.
- The principle applies to any situation where we help someone restart: after prison, after divorce, after addiction recovery. The gift should be enough to give them a real foundation, not just a token.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “How much is enough when I help someone in need? Should I give until it hurts, or until I have given a reasonable amount?”
- “Does this command apply only to slaves or to all forms of charity today? Can I use it for giving to the poor in general?”
- “What if I am not wealthy? ‘As God has blessed you’ sounds like it could be very little for some. Is that okay?”
Leading a Discussion
This small-group guide helps you reflect on Deuteronomy 15:14 and consider how God’s generosity toward us shapes our own giving. Read the verse aloud and let it sink in. Then work through these questions together.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What does the verse actually command the master to do? List the specific items and the basis for the amount.
- Observation: Look at verse 15. What reason does God give for this command? How does remembering the exodus change the master’s attitude?
- Interpretation: The Hebrew verb hanik means “to put on the neck” like a necklace. What does that picture tell you about the kind of giving God expects?
- Interpretation: Why do you think God specifies three different sources (flock, threshing floor, winepress) rather than just saying “give generously”?
- Interpretation: The phrase “as Yahweh your God has blessed you” ties the gift directly to the master’s own prosperity. In practical terms, how might a person determine what that means for them?
- Application: Are there people in your life or community who are “going free” from a difficult situation but leaving empty-handed? How could you help provide a real start?
- Application: Read Acts 20:35 (“It is more blessed to give than to receive”). How does this verse from Paul connect to the spirit of Deuteronomy 15:14? What might it look like for your group to practice this kind of liberality together?
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)
| Nehemiah 8:10 | Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared, for today is holy to our Lord. Don’t be grieved, for the joy of Yahweh is your strength.” |
| Psalms 68:10 | Your congregation lived therein. You, God, prepared your goodness for the poor. |
| Proverbs 10:22 | Yahweh’s blessing brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it. |
| Acts 20:35 | In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” |
| I Corinthians 16:2 | On the first day of every week, let each one of you save as he may prosper, that no collections are made when I come. |
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.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke views the command to "furnish" a departing servant as a provision of practical resources for a fresh start. He specifies three categories: livestock from the flock for breeding, grain from the threshing floor for seed and bread, and wine from the press for immediate need. The servant is not sent away empty but equipped to sustain himself.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights the vivid physical image behind the command to give generously. The Hebrew verb literally means to lay something on a person's neck or to adorn it with gifts, suggesting not just provision but an open-handed, almost ornamenting generosity.Barnes draws attention to the striking Hebrew verb behind the command. It literally pictures laying gifts on someone's neck, adorning them with what you give. This suggests a generosity that is open-handed and even lavish, not merely meeting a minimum duty.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentary notes that Deuteronomy’s slave-release law adds a distinctive provision the earlier laws lack: equipping the freed slave from the owner’s property. The writer also traces a clear progression from Exodus through Deuteronomy to Leviticus, showing how the rules for Hebrew slaves developed over time.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note stresses that the gift to a freed servant must be generous, not grudging. It commands giving from the herds and harvests, tying the amount directly to what God has blessed the giver with as the measure of liberality.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes the command to give the freed servant a generous, almost burdensome supply, loading him with goods so he can stand up under the weight. The Hebrew word also suggests honor, as if placing chains of dignity on him. He then applies this to spiritual freedom: God delivers believers from sin and lavishes them with every grace and necessity freely.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch emphasize that the seventh year for freeing Hebrew slaves is not the sabbatical year but the seventh year of their bondage. The new requirement Moses adds here is that masters must not send freed slaves away empty-handed; they must generously provide them with livestock, grain, and wine from what God has blessed them with.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads the commands about debt release, slave freedom, firstborn dedication, and the three feasts as six ascending stages of the same Sabbath principle. For him the Sabbath-thought progressively sanctifies all of life and time, from weekly rest to yearly celebrations, and finally points toward humanity’s complete and joyful rest in God.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry observes that this law, repeating an earlier one, reinforces that God's people Israel are fundamentally free and must not be forced into permanent slavery. The same principle applies spiritually: God's redeemed people are called to liberty. Even if the seven-year term was not yet complete, the jubilee year would bring release.