For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.
There will always be poor people in your land. That's why I'm commanding you to be generous and open-handed toward your fellow people who are poor and in need.
God is acknowledging that poverty will always exist, so He commands His people to be generous and help those in need.
📚 Historical Context
Moses spoke these words to the Israelites as they prepared to enter the Promised Land after 40 years in the wilderness. This command comes within a larger section about caring for the poor, including rules about forgiving debts every seven years and treating Hebrew servants fairly. God was establishing a social system that would prevent extreme poverty and ensure the vulnerable were protected in their new society.
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