Leviticus 25:35-45

35 If any Israelites living near you become poor and cannot support themselves, you must provide for them as you would for a hired worker, so that they can continue to live near you. 1
36 Do not charge Israelites any interest, but obey God and let them live near you.
37 Do not make them pay interest on the money you lend them, and do not make a profit on the food you sell them. 2
38 This is the command of the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt in order to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.
39 If any Israelites living near you become so poor that they sell themselves to you as a slave, you shall not make them do the work of a slave. 3
40 They shall stay with you as hired workers and serve you until the next Year of Restoration.
41 At that time they and their children shall leave you and return to their family and to the property of their ancestors.
42 The people of Israel are the Lord's slaves, and he brought them out of Egypt; they must not be sold into slavery.
43 Do not treat them harshly, but obey your God.
44 If you need slaves, you may buy them from the nations around you.
45 You may also buy the children of the foreigners who are living among you. Such children born in your land may become your property,

Leviticus 25:35-45 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 25

In this chapter the Israelites are directed, when come into the land of Canaan, to observe every seventh year as a sabbatical year, in which there was to be no tillage of the land, and yet there would be a sufficiency for man and beast, Le 25:1-7; and every fiftieth year as a year of jubilee, in which also there was to be no tillage of the land, and every man was to return to his possession or estate, which had been sold to another any time before this, Le 25:8-17; and a promise of safety and plenty in the seventh year is made to encourage the observance of it, Le 25:18-22; and several laws and rules are delivered out concerning the sale of lands, the redemption of them, and their return to their original owner in the year of jubilee, Le 25:23-28; and the sale of houses, and the redemption of them, and the difference between those in walled cities and those in villages, with respect thereunto, Le 25:29-31; and also concerning the houses of the cities of the Levites, and the fields of the suburbs of them, Le 25:32-34; to which are added some instructions about relieving decayed, persons, and lending and giving to them, without taking usury of them, Le 25:34-38; and other laws concerning the release of such Israelites as had sold themselves for servants to the Israelites, in the year of jubilee, since none but Heathens were to be bondmen and bondmaids for ever, Le 25:39-46; and of such who were sold to proselytes, Le 25:47-55.

Cross References 3

  • 1. 25.35Deuteronomy 15.7, 8.
  • 2. 25.37Exodus 22.25;Deuteronomy 23.19, 20.
  • 3. 25.39-46Exodus 21.2-6;Deuteronomy 15.12-18.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.