Leviticus 25:36-46

36 Do not charge him any interest on money you loan to him, but respect your God; let the poor live among you.
37 Don't lend him money for interest, and don't try to make a profit from the food he buys.
38 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give the land of Canaan to you and to become your God.
39 "'If anyone from your country becomes very poor and sells himself as a slave to you, you must not make him work like a slave.
40 He will be like a hired worker and a visitor with you until the year of Jubilee.
41 Then he may leave you, take his children, and go back to his family and the land of his ancestors.
42 This is because the Israelites are my servants, and I brought them out of slavery in Egypt. They must not become slaves again.
43 You must not rule this person cruelly, but you must respect your God.
44 "'Your men and women slaves must come from other nations around you; from them you may buy slaves.
45 Also you may buy as slaves children from the families of foreigners living in your land. These child slaves will belong to you,
46 and you may even pass them on to your children after you die; you can make them slaves forever. But you must not rule cruelly over your own people, the Israelites.

Leviticus 25:36-46 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 25

In this chapter the Israelites are directed, when come into the land of Canaan, to observe every seventh year as a sabbatical year, in which there was to be no tillage of the land, and yet there would be a sufficiency for man and beast, Le 25:1-7; and every fiftieth year as a year of jubilee, in which also there was to be no tillage of the land, and every man was to return to his possession or estate, which had been sold to another any time before this, Le 25:8-17; and a promise of safety and plenty in the seventh year is made to encourage the observance of it, Le 25:18-22; and several laws and rules are delivered out concerning the sale of lands, the redemption of them, and their return to their original owner in the year of jubilee, Le 25:23-28; and the sale of houses, and the redemption of them, and the difference between those in walled cities and those in villages, with respect thereunto, Le 25:29-31; and also concerning the houses of the cities of the Levites, and the fields of the suburbs of them, Le 25:32-34; to which are added some instructions about relieving decayed, persons, and lending and giving to them, without taking usury of them, Le 25:34-38; and other laws concerning the release of such Israelites as had sold themselves for servants to the Israelites, in the year of jubilee, since none but Heathens were to be bondmen and bondmaids for ever, Le 25:39-46; and of such who were sold to proselytes, Le 25:47-55.

Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.