rsv Deuteronomy:15:7-18 SEEK
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If there is among you a poor man ,
one of your brethren ,
in any of your towns within your land which the LORD your God gives you ,
you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother ,
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but you shall open your hand to him ,
and lend him sufficient for his need ,
whatever it may be .
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Take heed lest there be a base thought in your heart ,
and you say , `
The seventh year ,
the year of release is near ,'
and your eye be hostile to your poor brother ,
and you give him nothing ,
and he cry to the LORD against you ,
and it be sin in you .
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You shall give to him freely ,
and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him ;
because for this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake .
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For the poor will never cease out of the land ;
therefore I command you ,
You shall open wide your hand to your brother ,
to the needy and to the poor ,
in the land .
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If your brother ,
a Hebrew man ,
or a Hebrew woman ,
is sold to you ,
he shall serve you six years ,
and in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you .
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And when you let him go free from you ,
you shall not let him go empty-handed ;
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you shall furnish him liberally out of your flock ,
out of your threshing floor ,
and out of your wine press ;
as the LORD your God has blessed you ,
you shall give to him .
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You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt ,
and the LORD your God redeemed you ;
therefore I command you this today .
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But if he says to you , `
I will not go out from you ,'
because he loves you and your household ,
since he fares well with you ,
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then you shall take an awl ,
and thrust it through his ear into the door ,
and he shall be your bondman for ever .
And to your bondwoman you shall do likewise .
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It shall not seem hard to you ,
when you let him go free from you ;
for at half the cost of a hired servant he has served you six years .
So the LORD your God will bless you in all that you do .