Deuteronomy 15:9Beware that there not be a base thought in your heart, saying, "The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand;" and your eye be evil against your poor brother, and you give him nothing; and he cry to Yahweh against you, and it be sin to you.
The setting
Plains of Moab, Jordan River Valley, ~1406 BC. Moses addresses Israel before entering Canaan. Modern-day Jordan, east of Jericho.
The emotion here: urgent concern for future generations
The original word
belial (בְלִיַּעַל) — worthless, base, destructive thought that opposes God's character
Why it matters
The seventh year release applied to Hebrew slaves and debts, creating economic cycles Israel had never experienced
Read with care
What most readers miss in Deuteronomy 15:9
This warns against timing charity based on personal convenience rather than genuine need
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about being generous. It's actually about examining the evil thoughts that stop generosity before it starts.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Deuteronomy 15:9
Bible Genome reading
Deuteronomy 15:9 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Deuteronomy 15:9 comes from the book of Deuteronomy, written during the exodus period. These words are attributed to Moses. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the prophecy genre of biblical literature. Key themes include heart attitude, warning against selfishness. Notable phrases: beware that there not be; base thought in your heart. This verse contains a command.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same anxious
“And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
— 2 Timothy 3:12
“The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"”
— Acts 19:15
“I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'”
— Acts 22:7
“When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is har…”
— Acts 26:14
Your reflection
What does Deuteronomy 15:9 mean to you, today?
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