What is Deuteronomy 15 saying about the poor? Deuteronomy 15 is giving laws and rules relating to the treatment of the poor in communities. Verse 4 says:


  However, there will be no poor among you, since the Lord will surely bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess


But verse 11 says:


  For the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land.’


What is the solution to the apparent contradiction here? Obviously we have poor with us today, so is verse 4 based upon a condition of obedience?
Verse 5 is a continuation of 4 which ends with a comma.


  , 5 if only you listen obediently to the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all this commandment which I am commanding you today.


So it is saying if you were to do these things then you will have no poor. Verse 11 is pretty much saying that we either cannot or are will not do these things so we will always have the poor with us.