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Deuteronomy 15 · Grade 4

The Year of Release

Name Date

Read and Think

Deuteronomy 15 describes the year of release. Every seventh year, debts owed by fellow Israelites were canceled. God's goal was a community with no poor among them, if they listened to His voice.

Moses knew people's hearts. Someone might refuse to lend because the seventh year was near and the loan would be canceled. God called that a wicked thought. Instead, Israel must open their hand wide and give without a grudging heart. Since the poor will never cease out of the land, generosity would always be needed.

Hebrew servants also went free in the seventh year. Their masters had to send them off with generous gifts, as God had blessed them. The reason was memory: you were a slave in Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you. Grace received becomes grace given.

Show What You Know

  1. What happened in the year of release?

  2. What did God call refusing to lend before the seventh year?

  3. Why would generosity always be needed?

  4. What does grace received become?

Word Bank Fill-In

Use the word bank to fill in each blank.

lendGodopenreleasepoor
  1. Deuteronomy 15 describes the year of .
  2. Someone might refuse to because the seventh year was near and the loan would be canceled.
  3. called that a wicked thought.
  4. Instead, Israel must their hand wide and give without a grudging heart.
  5. Since the will never cease out of the land, generosity would always be needed.

Think About It

  1. Why does God care about the attitude of our hearts when we give?

  2. How does remembering what God has done for you make you more generous?

Memory Verse

“For the poor will never cease out of the land. Therefore I command you to surely open your hand to your brother, to your needy, and to your poor, in your land.”

Deuteronomy 15:11 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for giving to me. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • How can you treat people who owe you something with mercy?
  • Where is it hardest for you to be generous, and why?

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.