Leviticus 25:42

42 The people of Israel are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt, so they must never be sold as slaves.

Leviticus 25:42 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 25:42

For they [are] my servants, which I brought forth out of the
land of Egypt
The Lord redeemed them out of Egypt, made a purchase of them, and had a prior right unto them, and being his servants first, they cannot be the servants of others; his right unto them as such antecedes and prevents any other claim upon them: they shall not be sold as bondmen;
or, "with", or, "according to the sale of a bondman" ^F21; in the manner they are sold, or according to the laws of selling of servants; not in such a public manner as they are sold in markets, nor for such purposes to be used as slaves in a rigorous manner, nor so as to be retained for ever in servitude; not to be sold by proclamation, as Jarchi observes, saying, here is a servant to be sold; nor shall they set him upon the stone of sale; for it seems in public places in markets, where slaves were sold, there was a stone on which they were placed, which showed that they were to be sold; but now an Israelite was not to be sold in such a manner, so Maimonides ^F23 says, but privately, in an honourable way.

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 (dbe trkmm) "venditione servi", Drusius.
F23 Hilchot Abadim, c. 1. sect. 5.

Leviticus 25:42 In-Context

40 Treat him instead as a hired worker or as a temporary resident who lives with you, and he will serve you only until the Year of Jubilee.

41 At that time he and his children will no longer be obligated to you, and they will return to their clans and go back to the land originally allotted to their ancestors.

42 The people of Israel are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt, so they must never be sold as slaves.

43 Show your fear of God by not treating them harshly.

44 “However, you may purchase male and female slaves from among the nations around you.