Lévitique 25:42

42 Car ce sont mes serviteurs, que j'ai fait sortir du pays d'Egypte; ils ne seront point vendus comme on vend des esclaves.

Lévitique 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.

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FOOTNOTES:

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

Lévitique 25:42 In-Context

40 Il sera chez toi comme un mercenaire, comme celui qui y demeure; il sera à ton service jusqu'à l'année du jubilé.

41 Il sortira alors de chez toi, lui et ses enfants avec lui, et il retournera dans sa famille, dans la propriété de ses pères.

42 Car ce sont mes serviteurs, que j'ai fait sortir du pays d'Egypte; ils ne seront point vendus comme on vend des esclaves.

43 Tu ne domineras point sur lui avec dureté, et tu craindras ton Dieu.

44 C'est des nations qui vous entourent que tu prendras ton esclave et ta servante qui t'appartiendront, c'est d'elles que vous achèterez l'esclave et la servante.