If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:
If there be ... a poor man ... thou shalt not harden thine heart. The constitutional principle of non-acceptance of interest from native Israelites, together with the septennial cancelling of debts, and the restoration of alienated land to the original proprietor, might in some cases operate to the disadvantage of the poor, by increasing the difficulties of obtaining relief under pressing difficulties. Lest the foregoing law, then, should prevent the Israelites lending to the poor, Moses here admonishes them against so mean and selfish a spirit, and exhorts them to give in a liberal spirit of charity and kindness, which will secure the divine blessing (Romans 12:8; 2 Corinthians 9:7).
Verse 11. For the poor shall never cease. Although every Israelite on the conquest of Canaan became the owner of property, yet, in the providence of God, who foresaw the event, it was permitted, partly as a punishment of disobedience, and partly for the exercise of benevolent and charitable feelings, that 'the poor should never cease out of the land.'