Leviticus 25:35-45

35 "`And if thy brother be waxed poor and hath fallen into ruin with thee, then thou shalt relieve him, yea, though he be a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with thee.

36 Take thou no interest from him or increase; but fear thy God, that thy brother may live with thee.

37 Thou shalt not give him thy money upon interest, nor lend him thy victuals for increase.

38 I am the LORD your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.

39 "`And if thy brother who dwelleth by thee be waxed poor and is sold unto thee, thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bond servant;

40 but as a hired servant and as a sojourner he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee unto the Year of Jubilee.

41 And then shall he depart from thee, both he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return.

42 For they are My servants, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as bondmen.

43 Thou shalt not rule over him with rigor, but shalt fear thy God.

44 Both thy bondmen and thy bondmaids, whom thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen who are round about you. From them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids.

45 Moreover of the children of the strangers who sojourn among you, from them shall ye buy and from their families who are with you, whom they begot in your land; and they shall be your possession.

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.