Leviticus 25:43

43 You shall not rule over him with ruthlessness, but you shall revere your God.

Leviticus 25:43 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 25:43

Thou shalt not rule over him with rigour
As the Egyptians ruled over the Israelites, and made them to serve, ( Exodus 1:13 ) ; where the same word is used as here, and seems designed to put them in mind of it, that so they might abstain from such usage of their brethren, which they had met with from their most cruel enemies; it signifies tyranny and oppression, treating them with great severity, laying hard and heavy tasks and burdens upon them they could not bear; enjoining them things they could not perform, and ordering them to do what were unnecessary, and without any limitation with respect to time: but shalt fear thy God;
that has been good to thee, and has brought thee out of hard and rigorous bondage in Egypt; and which should be remembered with thankfulness, and they should fear to offend so good a God by using a brother cruelly.

Leviticus 25:43 In-Context

41 And he and his sons with him shall go out from you, and he shall return to his clan, and to the property of his ancestors he shall return.

42 Because they [are] my servants whom I brought out from the land of Egypt, they shall not be sold {as a slave}.

43 You shall not rule over him with ruthlessness, but you shall revere your God.

44 " 'As for your slave and your slave woman who are yours, from the nations that [are] all around you, from them you may buy a slave or a slave woman.

45 And you may buy also from the children of the temporary residents who are dwelling with you as aliens and from their clan who are with you, who have children in your land; indeed, they may be as property for you.

Footnotes

• [a]. Singular throughout this verse
• [b]. Or "and"