Leviticus 25:53

53 He shall be with him {as a yearly hired worker}; he shall not rule over him with ruthlessness {in your sight}.

Leviticus 25:53 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 25:53

[And] as a yearly hired servant shall he be with him
Being redeemable every year, and upon his redemption might quit his master's service, as an hireling may; and the price of his redemption to be valued according to the years he served, and as if he had been hired for so much a year; as well as he was to be treated in a kind and gentle manner, not as a bondman, but as if he was an hired servant, as follows: [and the other] shall not rule with rigour over him in thy sight;
the person he is sold unto, his master, a sojourner or stranger, he might not use an Hebrew he had bought with any severity; for if an Hebrew master might not use an Hebrew servant with rigour, it was not by any means to be admitted in the commonwealth of Israel for a proselyte to use one in such a manner, and that openly, in the sight of an Israelite his neighbour; he looking on and not remonstrating against it, or acquainting the civil magistrate with it, who had it in his power to redress such a grievance, and ought to do it.

Leviticus 25:53 In-Context

51 If [there are] still many years, {in keeping with them} he shall restore his redemption {in proportion to his purchase price}.

52 And if [there are] a few years left until the Year of Jubilee, then he shall calculate for himself; he shall restore his redemption {according to the number of his years}.

53 He shall be with him {as a yearly hired worker}; he shall not rule over him with ruthlessness {in your sight}.

54 And if he is not redeemed by [any of] these [ways], then he and his sons with him shall go out in the Year of Jubilee.

55 Indeed, the {Israelites} [are] servants for me; they [are] my servants whom I brought out from the land of Egypt. I [am] Yahweh your God.'"

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "as a hired worker of a year in a year"
• [b] Singular
• [c] Literally "to your eyes" or "for your eyes"