Leviticus 25:36-46

36 Do not charge him interest or otherwise profit from him, but fear your God, so that your brother can continue living with you.

37 Do not take interest when you loan him money or take a profit when you sell him food.

38 I am ADONAI your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt in order to give you the land of Kena'an and be your God.

39 "'If a member of your people has become poor among you and sells himself to you, do not make him do the work of a slave.

40 Rather, you are to treat him like an employee or a tenant; he will work for you until the year of yovel.

41 Then he will leave you, he and his children with him, and return to his own family and regain possession of his ancestral land.

42 For they are my slaves, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; therefore they are not to be sold as slaves.

43 Do not treat him harshly, but fear your God.

44 "'Concerning the men and women you may have as slaves: you are to buy men- and women-slaves from the nations surrounding you.

45 You may also buy the children of foreigners living with you and members of their families born in your land; you may own these.

46 You may also bequeath them to your children to own; from these groups you may take your slaves forever. But as far as your brothers the people of Isra'el are concerned, you are not to treat each other harshly.

Leviticus 25:36-46 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.