Leviticus 25:44

44 A servant and (a) handmaid be to you of [the] nations that be in your compass, and of [the] comelings the which be pilgrims with you, (For your slaves and your slave-girls, buy thou them from the nations that be all around you, and from the newcomers who be foreigners, or strangers, among you,)

Leviticus 25:44 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 25:44

Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have,
&c.] Such it seems were allowed them, if they had need of them; but if they had them, they were to be not of the nation of Israel, but of other nations; this is an anticipation of an objection, as Jarchi observes; if so, who shall I have to minister to me? The answer follows, they [shall be] of the heathen that are round about thee, of them shall ye
buy bondmen and bondmaids;
that is, of the Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, and Syrians, as Aben Ezra, that were their neighbours, that lived round about them, of any but the seven nations, which they were ordered utterly to destroy; wherefore Jarchi observes it is said, "that are round about thee"; not in the midst of the border of your land, for them they were not to save alive, ( Deuteronomy 20:16 ) .

Leviticus 25:44 In-Context

42 For they be my servants, and I led them out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold by the condition of servants; (For they be my slaves, and I led them out of Egypt; and they shall not be sold into human slavery;)

43 torment thou not them by thy power, but dread thou thy Lord. (so do not thou torment him with thy power, but rather, fear thou thy God.)

44 A servant and (a) handmaid be to you of [the] nations that be in your compass, and of [the] comelings the which be pilgrims with you, (For your slaves and your slave-girls, buy thou them from the nations that be all around you, and from the newcomers who be foreigners, or strangers, among you,)

45 either they that be born of comelings in your land; ye shall have these (as) servants, and by right of heritage ye shall leave them to your after-comers, and ye shall wield them without end; (or they who be born to newcomers in your land; ye shall have them as your slaves, and by right of inheritance ye shall leave them to your after-comers, and so ye shall own them forever;)

46 soothly oppress ye not by power your brethren, the sons of Israel. (but with your power, do not ye oppress your own brothers, the Israelites.)