And further provision was made for the poor. There is nothing, after their recognition of the claims of God, that more distinguishes the laws given by Moses than the liberal, tender, and hospitable spirit enjoined toward the poor. Although God had promised greatly to bless His people, it was not His design that poverty should be wholly unknown among them. He declared that the poor should never cease out of the land. There would ever be those among His people who would call into exercise 531 their sympathy, tenderness, and benevolence. Then, as now, persons were subject to misfortune, sickness, and loss of property; yet so long as they followed the instruction given by God, there were no beggars among them, neither any who suffered for food.

Der blev også sørget for de fattige på anden måde. De love, som Moses gav, udmærker sig frem for alt ved, at de næst efter at tage hensyn til Guds krav opfordrer til at vise rundhåndethed, mildhed og gæstfrihed over for de fattige. Skønt Gud havde lovet at velsigne sit folk rigt, havde han ikke til hensigt at lade fattigdom være et fuldstændig ukendt fænomen iblandt dem. Han sagde, at der altid ville være fattige i landet. Der ville altid være nogle, som appellerede til deres sympati, godhed og velvilje. Folk kunne også komme ud for ulykker, sygdom og tab dengang, men så længe de rettede sig efter Gud, ville der ikke være nogen, der tiggede eller manglede det daglige brød.