Levítico 25:39

39 Y cuando tu hermano empobreciere, estando contigo, y se vendiere a ti, no le harás servir como esclavo

Levítico 25:39 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 25:39

And if thy brother [that dwelleth] by thee be waxen poor
The above laws and instructions seem designed to prevent such extreme poverty as obliged to what follows, namely, a brother being sold either to an Israelite or to a stranger, by relieving his wants or lending him money; but when these were insufficient to support him, and keep him from sinking into the lowest state of distress and misery, then he was obliged to be sold, as follows: and be sold unto thee;
either by himself, being ready to starve and perish, or by the sanhedrim, having stolen something, as Aben Ezra observes; in such a case the civil magistrate had a power of selling a man, ( Exodus 22:3 ) ; thou shall not compel him to serve as a bondservant;
such as were Heathens, and bought of them, or taken in war and made slaves of; but an Israelite sold was not to serve as they, either with respect to matter or manner, or time of service; such as were bondmen were put to the hardest service, the greatest drudgery, as well as what was mean and reproachful, and were used in the most rigorous and despotic manner, and were obliged to serve for ever, and were never released; but a brother, an Israelite, sold to another through extreme poverty, was not to be put to any low, mean, base, and disgraceful service, by which it would be known that he was a servant, as Jarchi notes; such as to carry his master's vessels or instruments after him to the bath, or to unloose his shoes; but, as the same writer observes, he was to be employed in the business of the farm, or in some handicraft work, and was to be kindly and gently used, rather as a brother than a servant, and to be freed in the year of jubilee.

Levítico 25:39 In-Context

37 No le darás tu dinero a usura, ni tus víveres a ganancia

38 YO SOY vuestro Dios, que os saqué de la tierra de Egipto, para daros la tierra de Canaán, para ser vuestro Dios

39 Y cuando tu hermano empobreciere, estando contigo, y se vendiere a ti, no le harás servir como esclavo

40 Como criado, como extranjero estará contigo; hasta el año del jubileo te servirá

41 Entonces saldrá libre de tu casa, él y sus hijos consigo, y volverá a su familia, y a la posesión de sus padres se restituirá