God’s Care for the Poor
475
leisure, which afforded opportunity for the restoration of their phys-
ical powers for the exertions of the following years. They had more
time for meditation and prayer, for acquainting themselves with the
teachings and requirements of the Lord, and for the instruction of their
households.
In the sabbatical year the Hebrew slaves were to be set at liberty,
and they were not to be sent away portionless. The Lord’s direction
was: “When thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him
go away empty. 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.”
Deuteronomy
15:13, 14
.
The hire of a laborer was to be promptly paid: “Thou shalt not
oppress a hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy
brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land: ... at his day thou
shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is
poor, and setteth his heart upon it.”
Deuteronomy 24:14, 15
.
Special directions were also given concerning the treatment of
fugitives from service: “Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the
servant which is escaped from his master unto thee. He shall dwell
with thee, even among you, in that place which he shall choose in one
of thy gates, where it liketh him best: thou shalt not oppress him.”
Deuteronomy 23:15, 16
.
To the poor, the seventh year was a year of release from debt. The
Hebrews were enjoined at all times to assist their needy brethren by
lending them money without interest. To take usury from a poor man
was expressly forbidden: “If thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen
in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be
a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee. Take thou no
usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may
live with thee. Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor
lend him thy victuals for increase.”
Leviticus 25:35-37
. If the debt
remained unpaid until the year of release, the principal itself could not
[533]
be recovered. The people were expressly warned against withholding
from their brethren needed assistance on account of this: “If there be
among you a poor man of one of thy brethren, ... thou shalt not harden
thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother.... Beware that
there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year,