Leviticus 25:46

46 You may keep them as a possession for your children after you, for them to inherit as property. These you may treat as slaves, but as for your fellow Israelites, no one shall rule over the other with harshness.

Leviticus 25:46 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 25:46

And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children
after you
Which they might leave them at their death to inherit, as they did their estates and lands; for such servants are, with the Jews ^F25, said to be like immovable goods, as fields, vineyards, to inherit [them for] a possession;
as their property, as anything else that was bequeathed to hem, as negroes now are in our plantations abroad: thy shall be your bondmen for ever;
and not be released at the year jubilee, nor before nor after; unless they obtained their liberty, either by purchase, which they might make themselves, or by the means of others, or else by a writing under their master's hand dismissing them from his service ^F26; or in case they were maimed by him, then he was obliged to let them go free, ( Exodus 21:26 Exodus 21:27 ) ; but over your brethren, the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one
over another with rigour;
which repeated for the confirmation of it, and for the fuller explanation and description of the person not to be ruled over with rigour; and that it might be the more taken notice of, and to make them the more careful in the observance of it and though this peculiarly respects masters' treatment of their servants, yet Jarchi thinks it comprehends a prince over his people, and a king over his ministers, whom he may not rule with rigour.

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Kiddushin, c. 1. sect. 3.
F26 Misn. Kiddushin, ib.

Leviticus 25:46 In-Context

44 As for the male and female slaves whom you may have, it is from the nations around you that you may acquire male and female slaves.

45 You may also acquire them from among the aliens residing with you, and from their families that are with you, who have been born in your land; and they may be your property.

46 You may keep them as a possession for your children after you, for them to inherit as property. These you may treat as slaves, but as for your fellow Israelites, no one shall rule over the other with harshness.

47 If resident aliens among you prosper, and if any of your kin fall into difficulty with one of them and sell themselves to an alien, or to a branch of the alien's family,

48 after they have sold themselves they shall have the right of redemption; one of their brothers may redeem them,