Annotations.
AT the end of seven yeeres] Hereby seemeth properly to be meant according to the old [unspec 1] Latine version, In the seventh yeere; as in Deut. 14. 28. At the end of three yeeres, meaneth in the third yeere: and in Ier. 34. 14. it is said, At the end of seven yeeres, let yee goe every man his brother, &c. that is, as there after followeth, when hee hath ser∣ved thee six yeeres; and Moses here in Deut. 15. 12. explaineth it in the seventh yeere: and the Greeke Interpreters translate that place of Ieremy, At the end of seven yeeres, thus, when six yeeres are fulfil∣led. So here, the end of seven yeeres, is the seventh yeere, which is the end or last of the seven: and as servants were to be released in the beginning of the seventh yeere, when they had fully served six; so Aben Ezra (upon this place) expoundeth this re∣mission of debts to be at the beginning of the yeere. Howbeit some of the Hebrew Expositors take it o∣therwise, saying; The seventh (yeere) releaseth not debts of money, but at the end thereof, as it is said (in Deut. 15. 1.) At the end of seven yeeres, &c. And there he saith (in Deut. 31. 10.) At the end of seven yeeres, in the solemnity of the yeere of re∣lease; in the feast of Tabernacles. What is (meant) there? after (seven yeeres;) so the forgivenesse of monies is after seven (yeeres.) Therefore hee that lendeth to his neighbour in the seventh yeere it selfe, may require his debt all the yeere; but when the Sun is set in the night of new-yeeres day, at the going out of the seventh yeere, the debt is lost. Maimony in Misn. tom. 3. treat. of the Release and Iubilee, ch. 9. s. 4. This seventh yeere is that spoken of in Exod. 23. 11. and Levit. 25. 4. which was a Sabbath and rest for the land, that it might not be tilled, and a yeere of releasing debts, figuring the yeere of grace, the acceptable yeere of the Lord, which Christ preached, by whom wee have obtained of God release of our debts, that is, the forgivenesse of our sinnes, Luke 4. 18, 19. Matth. 6. 12. Luke 11. 4. and are taught also to forgive, if wee have ought against any; that our Father also which is in heaven, may forgive us our trespasses, Mark. 11. 25. that we be kinde one to another, tender hear∣ted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven us, Ephes. 4. 32. Coloss. 3. 12, 13. See the annotations on Levit. 25. a release] or, a remission, or intermission, called in Hebrew Shemitta••, in Greeke Aphesis, that is, forgivenesse, or remission: the word which the new Testament useth for forgivenesse of sinnes, Marke 1. 4. Matth. 26. 28. whereof this release of debts was a shadow. And the word is likewise used in Ex∣od. 23. 11. where speech is of the land, that it should be let rest, or intermitted from ••••llage, which was but for that seventh yeere onely: wherefore it can∣not be gathered from this word, that the remission of debts here commanded, was to be for ever, but might be an intermission onely for the seventh yeere, wherein was neither sowing, nor reaping, nor other workes of husbandry, so that the poore had not such meanes to pay their debts, as in other yeeres. Howbeit, the Hebrewes for the most part hold the remission to be perpetuall, and therefore have their limitations for some debts and debtors, as after shall be shewed.
Vers. 2. the manner] Hebr. the word; which the [unspec 2] Greeke expoundeth, the ordinance (or commande∣ment) of the release. every c••editour.] Hebr. every master (or owner) of the lending of his hand, that is, of the thing lent with his hand: which see∣meth to imply money, and the like, and that which is a mans own, whereof he hath power, as to lend, so to remit. It may also be interpreted, every ma∣ster of the exaction of his hand, whi••h he may exact of his neighbour, doe release it; that is, every credi∣tour that hath right to exact (the debt) with his hand, doe release that which he might exact. The Greeke expounds it thus; Thou shalt for give every proper debt (or, every debt of thine owne) which thy neighbour oweth thee. Chazkuni here observeth, that the relea••e is of things lent, not of things taken by robbery, or of things committed of trust to be kept. not exact] or, not urgently exact; in Greeke, not aske (or, require:) which the He∣brewes understand both of exacting the debt, and an oath concerning it, as some cases might re∣quire. The seventh yeere releaseth an oath, as it is said, THOV SHALT NOT EXACT; not at all; neither to pay, nor to sweare; meaning, an oath before the Iudges, &c. But an oath of them that have a thing to keepe, or for partnership, or the like; wherein if hee confesse, he must pay; in such case hee sweareth, after the (yeere of) release. Maimony in treat. of the Release, ch. 9. sect. 6, 7. and of his brother] that is, of such a neighbour as is his brother in the faith; to except the stranger, as in vers. 3. So And, is often used for explanation, as I meane, or, that is to say: see the notes on Gen. 13. 15. because he hath proclaimed] or, wh••n he (that is, God by the magistrate) hath proclaimed, or, because it is called a release. Targum Ionathan expoundeth it of a proclamation by the magi∣strates. to Iehovah] meaning, to his honour, and by his commandement. The Chaldee trans∣lateth, before the LORD: the Greeke, to the Lord thy God.
Vers. 3. Of a forrainer] whō the Chaldee calleth [unspec 3] a sonne of the peoples, meaning an heathen. exact] the Greek addeth, require whatsoever things are thine with him. thine hand shall release] which the Greeke explaineth thus, but to thy brother thou shalt make a release (or, forgivenesse) of thy debt: In this the Hebrewes (which hold the release to be for ever,) have their limitations. They say, the