Leviticus 25:44

44 "The male and female slaves which you have are to come from the surrounding nations; you are permitted to buy slaves from them.

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 Because the People of Israel are my servants whom I brought out of Egypt, they must never be sold as slaves.

43 Don't tyrannize them; fear your God.

44 "The male and female slaves which you have are to come from the surrounding nations; you are permitted to buy slaves from them.

45 You may also buy the children of foreign workers who are living among you temporarily and from their clans which are living among you and have been born in your land. They become your property.

46 You may will them to your children as property and make them slaves for life. But you must not tyrannize your brother Israelites.