(10) Thou shalt surely give.--"Even a hundred times."
Him.--"Between thee and him alone." (Comp. "Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth" in Matthew 6:3). I have thought it worth while to borrow the comments of Rashi on these verses (Deuteronomy 15:7-10) almost entire, to show how well the Jews have understood the true principles of Christian charity from the law of Moses. That people has always been remarkable for kindness to its own poor.
For this thing.--Literally, this word, or this promise. And Rashi observes, "Even when thou hast promised to give, thou wilt receive the reward of the promise as well as the reward of the deed;" and we may compare St. Paul. "If there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not." (2 Corinthians 8:12.)
Verse 10. - Shall not be grieved; literally, shall not become evil, i.e. shall not entertain a grudge. They were to give, not grudgingly or of necessity, merely through dread of God's displeasure, but cheerfully and spontaneously (cf. 2 Corinthians 9:7). For this God would bless them in all their works, so that they should not only be no losers, but should be gainers, by their generosity.
15:1-11 This year of release typified the grace of the gospel, in which is proclaimed the acceptable year of the Lord; and by which we obtain the release of our debts, that is, the pardon of our sins. The law is spiritual, and lays restraints upon the thoughts of the heart. We mistake, if we think thoughts are free from God's knowledge and check. That is a wicked heart indeed, which raises evil thoughts from the good law of God, as theirs did, who, because God had obliged them to the charity of forgiving, denied the charity of giving. Those who would keep from the act of sin, must keep out of their minds the very thought of sin. It is a dreadful thing to have the cry of the poor justly against us. Grudge not a kindness to thy brother; distrust not the providence of God. What thou doest, do freely, for God loves a cheerful giver, 2Co 9:7.
Thou shall surely give him,.... Or lend to him; though lending in such a case and circumstances, that person being extremely poor, and the year of release at hand, is the same as giving. Jarchi remarks that money must be given him, even a hundred times if he asks it; but the limitation is to what he wants, and what is sufficient for his present wants, Deuteronomy 15:8.
and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him; grieved at parting with his money he has little or no hope of seeing again, grudging it to him to whom it is given; when, on the other hand, it should he given freely and cheerfully, for God loves a cheerful giver:
because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all thou puttest thine hand unto; that is, for lending or giving largely, liberally, and cheerfully, to persons in distress; see Proverbs 11:24.
Him.--"Between thee and him alone." (Comp. "Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth" in Matthew 6:3). I have thought it worth while to borrow the comments of Rashi on these verses (Deuteronomy 15:7-10) almost entire, to show how well the Jews have understood the true principles of Christian charity from the law of Moses. That people has always been remarkable for kindness to its own poor.
For this thing.--Literally, this word, or this promise. And Rashi observes, "Even when thou hast promised to give, thou wilt receive the reward of the promise as well as the reward of the deed;" and we may compare St. Paul. "If there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not." (2 Corinthians 8:12.)
and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him; grieved at parting with his money he has little or no hope of seeing again, grudging it to him to whom it is given; when, on the other hand, it should he given freely and cheerfully, for God loves a cheerful giver:
because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all thou puttest thine hand unto; that is, for lending or giving largely, liberally, and cheerfully, to persons in distress; see Proverbs 11:24.