Leviticus 25:42

42 You must do this because these people are my servants—I brought them out of Egypt's land. They must not be sold as slaves.

Leviticus 25:42 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 25:42

For they [are] my servants, which I brought forth out of the
land of Egypt
The Lord redeemed them out of Egypt, made a purchase of them, and had a prior right unto them, and being his servants first, they cannot be the servants of others; his right unto them as such antecedes and prevents any other claim upon them: they shall not be sold as bondmen;
or, "with", or, "according to the sale of a bondman" ^F21; in the manner they are sold, or according to the laws of selling of servants; not in such a public manner as they are sold in markets, nor for such purposes to be used as slaves in a rigorous manner, nor so as to be retained for ever in servitude; not to be sold by proclamation, as Jarchi observes, saying, here is a servant to be sold; nor shall they set him upon the stone of sale; for it seems in public places in markets, where slaves were sold, there was a stone on which they were placed, which showed that they were to be sold; but now an Israelite was not to be sold in such a manner, so Maimonides ^F23 says, but privately, in an honourable way.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F21 (dbe trkmm) "venditione servi", Drusius.
F23 Hilchot Abadim, c. 1. sect. 5.

Leviticus 25:42 In-Context

40 Instead, they will be like a hired laborer or foreign guest to you. They will work for you until the Jubilee year,

41 at which point the poor Israelite along with their children will be released from you. They can return to their extended family and to their family property.

42 You must do this because these people are my servants—I brought them out of Egypt's land. They must not be sold as slaves.

43 You will not harshly rule over them but must fear your God.

44 Regarding male or female slaves that you are allowed to have: You can buy a male or a female slave from the nations that are around you.