Deuteronomy 15:18 · Bible study
Deuteronomy 15:18 Commentary: The Double Value of a Servant's Work
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
What does 'double the value of a hired hand' mean in Deut 15:18? Explore the economic and theological logic behind freeing Hebrew servants.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The command not to see freeing a Hebrew servant as a hardship is grounded in the servant's already rendered 'double' value and a promise of divine blessing.
- Key words: יִקְשֶׁה (yiksheh, 'it will be hard') describes an attitude; מִשְׁנֶה (mishneh, 'double') quantifies the servant's worth; שָׂכִיר (sakhir, 'hired laborer') contrasts with a bondservant.
- Main debate: Does 'double' refer to twice the length of service (since hirelings typically served three years) or twice the productivity/savings of a hired worker?
- Theological theme: Generosity toward the vulnerable flows from remembering God's redemption; obedience releases blessing.
- Best use: A text for teaching on fair wages, employment ethics, and the connection between gratitude and justice.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Do not regard it as a hardship to set your servant free, because his six years of service were worth twice the wages of a hired hand. And the LORD your God will bless you in all you do.
WEB World English Bible 2000
It shall not seem hard to you when you let him go free from you, for he has been double the value of a hired hand as he served you six years. Yahweh your God will bless you in all that you do.
KJV King James Version 1769
It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee, in serving thee six years: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou lettest him go free from thee; for to the double of the hire of a hireling hath he served thee six years: and Jehovah thy God will bless thee in all that thou doest.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`It is not hard in thine eyes, in thy sending him away free from thee; for the double of the hire of an hireling he hath served thee six years, and Jehovah thy God hath blessed thee in all that thou dost.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Let it not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for double the worth of a hired servant hath he been to thee, [in] serving thee six years; and Jehovah thy God will bless thee in all that thou doest.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Turn not away thy eyes from them when thou makest them free: because he hath served thee six years according to the wages of a hireling: that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the works that thou dost.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
No te parezca duro cuando le enviares libre de ti; que doblado del salario de mozo jornalero te sirvió seis años: y Jehová tu Dios te bendecirá en todo cuanto hicieres.
Não te pareça duro quando lhe enviares livre de ti; que dobrado do salário de jovem assalariado te serviu seis anos: e o SENHOR teu Deus te abençoará em tudo quanto fizeres.
Tu ne trouveras point dur de le renvoyer libre de chez toi, car il t’ a servi six ans, ce qui vaut le double du salaire d’ un mercenaire; et l’ Éternel, ton Dieu, te bénira dans tout ce que tu feras.
Und laß dich' s nicht schwer dünken, daß du ihn frei losgibst, denn er hat dir als zwiefältiger Tagelöhner sechs Jahre gedient; so wird der HERR, dein Gott, dich segnen in allem, was du tust.
Het zal niet hard zijn in uw ogen, als gij hem vrij van u gaan laat; want als een dubbel-loons-dagloner heeft hij u zes jaren gediend; zo zal u de HEERE, uw God, zegenen in alles, wat gij doen zult.
Non ti sia grave rimandarlo da te libero, poiché t’ha servito sei anni, e un mercenario ti sarebbe costato il doppio; e l’Eterno, il tuo Dio, ti benedirà in tutto ciò che farai.
Niech to nie będzie przykro w oczach twoich, że go puścisz wolno od siebie; bo dwojaką zapłatę najemnika zasłużył u ciebie przez sześć lat; i błogosławić będzie tobie Pan, Bóg twój, we wszystkiem, co będziesz czynił.
Не считай этого для себя тяжким, что ты должен отпустить его от себя на свободу, ибо он в шесть лет заработал тебе вдвое против платы наемника; и благословит тебя Господь, Бог твой, во всем, что ни будешь делать.
你任 他 自由的時候，不可 以為 難事，因 他服事你 六 年，較比雇工 的工價 多加一倍了。耶和華─你的 神 就必在你所 做 的一切 事上賜福與你。」
Let it not seem hard to you that you have to send him away free; for he has been working for you for six years, which is twice the regular time for a servant: and the blessing of the Lord your God will be on you in everything you do.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Deuteronomy 15:18
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Most commentators agree that the phrase means the Hebrew servant's labor was worth substantially more than a hired hand's, though they explain it in two main ways. Barnes states plainly that such a servant 'has earned twice as much as a common hired laborer would have done in the same time.' Keil and Delitzsch concur: the servant produced so much that hiring a day-laborer in his place would have cost twice as much. JFB adds that the slave's service was more advantageous because it was both without wages and for a longer period. Calvin notes the traditional Jewish inference that hired servants typically contracted for three years (based on Isa 16:14, 21:16), so six years of bondservice counted as double the term. But Calvin himself prefers the view that a slave’s labor was simply twice as profitable, harder and more consistent than that of a free hireling. Gill points out that a hired hand received wages plus food, while a bondservant received only upkeep, doubling the net value. Across these sources, the core agreement is clear: the master has already received full value and should not begrudge the servant's freedom or the gifts commanded in vv. 13, 14.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Double the time: Jewish tradition (Aben Ezra); cross-reference to Isa 16:14 and 21:16 suggests hired workers typically served three years, so six years is double the length.
- Double the productivity: Calvin, Barnes, Keil & Delitzsch: the slave’s continuous, unremunerated labor produced twice as much value as hiring a free worker who received wages and lighter demands.
What is clear: The servant's service was demonstrably more valuable to the master than a hireling’s would have been, so the master should release him freely and generously.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'double the value' | The servant's labor was worth more than a hired hand's, so the master has no reason to begrudge freedom or gifts. | Some (e.g., Jewish tradition via Aben Ezra, cited by Calvin and Gill) hold it refers to twice the time because hirelings served three years; others (Calvin, Barnes, Keil & Delitzsch) view it as twice the productivity or savings. |
| Is this law tied to the sabbatical year? | The release occurs in the seventh year of service, reflecting a sabbatical pattern. | Lange sees it as connected to the sabbatical principle; others (Barnes, Cambridge) say it is connected to the sabbatical principle but not to the sabbatical year itself. |
| Application to modern employment | The principle of fair treatment and generous release applies across contexts. | Whether it mandates specific severance pay or is a general ethical principle is interpreted differently across traditions. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Deuteronomy 15:12-18 sits within a section on the year of release, a sabbatical institution that cancels debts and frees Hebrew servants. The surrounding laws (vv. 1, 11) deal with lending to the poor; the law of the servant follows naturally, for poverty might force an Israelite to sell himself into servitude. The memory of Egypt frames the whole passage: v. 15 commands, 'You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and Yahweh your God redeemed you.' The master is to treat his servant with the same generous redemption God showed Israel.
In ancient Israel, hired laborers (śākhîr) worked for short terms, often year by year, and Isaiah 16:14 and 21:16 suggest a typical stint of three years. A hired hand received daily wages and often food. A Hebrew bondservant, by contrast, served for six years without wages, receiving only shelter and sustenance. The law in vv. 13, 14 required the master to provide liberally from flock, threshing floor, and wine press when the servant was freed, launching him into independent life.
The verb 'it shall not seem hard' (yiqsheh) carries the sense of seeing something as burdensome or grievous. The master's natural reluctance to lose a proven worker is anticipated and countered: the six years have already brought disproportionate profit. The blessing in the final clause ('Yahweh your God will bless you in all that you do') ties obedience directly to divine provision. This is not a grudging command but an invitation to trust that generosity does not lead to loss.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Deuteronomy 15:18. The Masoretic Text is stable. The major interpretive question concerns meaning, not manuscript divergence.
Reception History
Jewish exegetes, including Aben Ezra (12th century), read the phrase in light of the typical three-year hireling contract, concluding that the servant's six years constitute double the term. This interpretation appears in later Christian commentators such as Calvin and Gill who engage with it. Christian tradition has often seen the passage as an ethical model for employer-employee relationships, applying the principle of generous release to contexts ranging from manumission in early church slavery debates to modern labor justice. The verse has also been quoted in discussions of worker compensation, emphasizing that fair wages and respectful treatment reflect the character of a redeeming God.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Generosity is rooted in gratitude. The command to free servants and equip them generously (vv. 13, 14) follows the reminder of Israel's own redemption from Egypt (v. 15). We give because we have first received.
- Fair wages and just treatment honor God. The verse insists that the master has already been paid in full by the servant's six years. No debt remains. Releasing with blessing is an act of justice, not charity.
- God’s blessing accompanies obedience. The promise that 'Yahweh your God will bless you in all that you do' frees the master from fear of loss. Generosity opens the door to provision, not scarcity.
Five-point outline
- Acknowledge the tendency to begrudge. The verse names the internal resistance: letting the servant go feels hard. It is honest about human reluctance.
- Reckon the full value of another’s labor. The servant has given 'double', whether measured in time, productivity, or savings. The master owes far more than he is being asked to give.
- Release is not loss; it is faithful stewardship. Freedom is not a concession but the completion of a just arrangement.
- Connect obedience to blessing. The promise is concrete: God will bless 'in all that you do.' Obedience in this one area affects every other area.
- Remember your own redemption. The memory of Egypt shapes how Israel treats the vulnerable. The gospel of liberation reshapes how Christians treat employees, tenants, and anyone in their care.
Illustration hooks
- A small business owner hesitates to give an employee a bonus or raise after years of loyal service, worrying about the bottom line. The passage asks: have you already received more than you paid? Let generosity reflect reality.
- An employer who promotes a long-term assistant to a better position worries about losing productivity. This verse says: you have already been served well; release freely.
- A church leader resists letting a talented volunteer step into a new calling because their work is so valuable. The text calls for blessing, not clinging.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this passage mean I should always give extra when ending an employment relationship?
- How do I discern when I am holding someone back out of self-interest rather genuine need?
- What does it mean practically to bless someone 'in all that you do'? Is it a promise of material prosperity?
Leading a Discussion
This small-group guide explores how the principle of fair release and generous provision applies to relationships where one person has authority over another, employer and employee, mentor and mentoree, even parents and adult children. The passage connects just treatment with the memory of God's own redemption.
Discussion questions
- Read Deuteronomy 15:12, 18. What emotions do you think a master might feel when a long-serving servant is freed? Why does God address that feeling directly?
- The servant is said to have been 'worth double a hired hand.' In what ways do we underestimate the contribution of people who serve us for a long time?
- Compare this command to the memory of Egypt in verse 15. How does remembering your own rescue change how you treat others?
- The master is told to provide liberally from his flock, floor, and wine press. What would it look like to send someone away with more than they expected?
- How does the promise of blessing in verse 18 free the master from fear? Can you think of a time when generosity opened the door to unexpected provision in your own life?
- This law applies to an economic relationship. What parallels exist in modern contexts, work, church, family, where you have authority over others?
- What is one step you can take this week to release someone (from a debt of gratitude, a task, or a position) with tangible blessing?
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)
| Isaiah 16:14 | But now Yahweh has spoken, saying, “Within three years, as a worker bound by contract would count them, the glory of Moab shall be brought into contempt, with all his great multitude; and the remnant will be very small and feeble.” |
| Isaiah 21:16 | For the Lord said to me, “Within a year, as a worker bound by contract would count it, all the glory of Kedar will fail, |
| Luke 17:7 | But who is there among you, having a servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say when he comes in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down at the table’? |
| Luke 17:8 | Wouldn’t he rather tell him, ‘Prepare my supper, clothe yourself properly, and serve me while I eat and drink. Afterward you shall eat and drink’? |
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
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes observes that the law's command to give a generous gift to a freed servant served a practical purpose: it encouraged diligence and faithfulness during the years of service. He notes that such a servant was worth twice as much as a common hired laborer over six years.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin points out that the slave's six years of service were worth twice as much as a hired worker's, either because slaves do heavier work or because they served twice as long. Letting such a servant go empty-handed would be stingy and unjust, so God commands generous compensation.
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 annotators stress that a master should not begrudge freeing his servant after six years, because that servant's labor was worth twice as much as a hired worker's. They add that God promises to bless the master in all he does when he obeys this command.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill explains that a master should not resent freeing a servant, because six years of bondservice without wages was worth double the work of a hired servant who received pay. The commentator draws on this economic logic to argue that releasing a servant with generosity would bring God's blessing on the master's own endeavors.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB observes this servant's service was far more valuable than a hired worker's because he worked without wages over a longer period. While hired servants were engaged by the year or at most three years, this man's unpaid service entitled him to double the compensation a hired hand would receive.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch reject two common interpretations of the six-year servant's wages. They maintain the phrase simply means the servant produced so much value that hiring a day-labourer in his place would have cost the master twice as much.
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.