Leviticus 25:14
And if you make a sale to your neighbor or buy from your neighbor, you shall not wrong one another.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This isn't just about fair prices; the original wording suggests not "overreaching" or taking advantage of a fellow Israelite, your "brother" within the covenant community. It’s a deep call to transact with a spirit of mutual respect, reflecting God's own care for His people.
This verse is part of the laws surrounding the Year of Jubilee, a radical societal reset that happens every 50 years. Just as the land was to rest, so too were all Israelites to be freed from debt and servitude, and ancestral lands were to be returned to their original owners. Against this backdrop of profound economic and social justice, God commands that even in ordinary sales between fellow Israelites, no one should take unfair advantage of another's circumstances or ignorance.
Ever felt cheated in a transaction? This verse speaks to a deeper principle than just getting a fair price.
The Heart of Oppression
This command, "ye shall not oppress one another," goes beyond simple fraud. The original Hebrew word here points to 'overreaching' or taking advantage. It means neither the seller should demand too much, nor the buyer should exploit the other's need or ignorance to get a price lower than what the item is truly worth.
This wasn't just about legal loopholes; it was about community integrity. In a society deeply connected by faith and lineage, transactions were meant to strengthen, not exploit, fellow Israelites. The principle is clear: treat your neighbor as you'd want to be treated, especially when they're in a tight spot or don't know as much as you do about the item's value.
Why did God care so much about how Israelites traded with each other?
Brothers in the Covenant
The term "neighbor" in this context isn't just a generic term for any person nearby. It specifically refers to a fellow Israelite, someone within the covenant community.
This relationship carried a unique weight. They were bound together by God's promises and laws. Therefore, transactions between them were meant to reflect this sacred bond. Exploiting another Israelite was like harming the fabric of the community God was building. The instruction to avoid oppression underscores that economic dealings were not separate from their spiritual and communal obligations.
Understand the original words
yanah · Hebrew Verb
To treat someone unjustly, to oppress, or to take advantage of them in a transaction; it involves a violation of the covenant relationship and the command to love one's neighbor.
This passage directly echoes the principle of fair dealings, emphasizing honest weights and measures in all transactions, which is the spirit behind not oppressing your neighbor in a sale.
Proverbs 11:1This proverb highlights the importance of honest scales in commerce, reinforcing the Levitical command against unfair practices and deceit in business dealings.
1 Samuel 12:3-4Samuel confronts the Israelites about their corrupt practices, directly asking if he has taken anything from them, echoing the concern for honesty and integrity in dealings between neighbors.
Matthew 7:12Jesus encapsulates this principle with the Golden Rule, calling us to treat others as we wish to be treated, which fundamentally includes fairness and lack of oppression in all our interactions, including business.
Colossians 4:1Paul instructs masters to treat their slaves justly and fairly, extending the concept of not oppressing to employer-employee relationships and underscoring the ethical responsibility in all power dynamics.
clarkeLeviticus 25:14: "And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest ought of thy neighbour's hand, ye shall not oppress one another:"
Ye shall not oppress one another - Ye shall take no advantage of each other's ignorance either in buying or selling; for he that buys an article at less than it is worth, or sells one for more than it is worth, taking advantage in both cases of the ignorance of the vender or buyer, is no better than a thief, as he actually robs his neighbor of as much property…
ellicottLeviticus 25:14: "And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest ought of thy neighbour's hand, ye shall not oppress one another:"
(14) Ye shall not oppress one another. —Better, ye shall not overreach any man his brother. Not only does the Law provide against the poor man losing his land for ever, but enjoins that in the temporary sales the buyer and seller are not to take undue advantage of each other’s circumstances. Hence it was enacted that if any one bought or sold anything for a si…
This isn't just about fair prices; the original wording suggests not "overreaching" or taking advantage of a fellow Israelite, your "brother" within the covenant community. It’s a deep call to transact with a spirit of mutual respect, reflecting God's own care for His people.
This verse is part of the laws surrounding the Year of Jubilee, a radical societal reset that happens every 50 years. Just as the land was to rest, so too were all Israelites to be freed from debt and servitude, and ancestral lands were to be returned to their original owners. Against this backdrop of profound economic and social justice, God commands that even in ordinary sales between fellow Israelites, no one should take unfair advantage of another's circumstances or ignorance.
This verse is part of the laws surrounding the Year of Jubilee, a radical societal reset that happens every 50 years. Just as the land was to rest, so too were all Israelites to be freed from debt and servitude, and ancestral lands were to be returned to their original owners. Against this backdrop of profound economic and social justice, God commands that even in ordinary sales between fellow Israelites, no one should take unfair advantage of another's circumstances or ignorance.
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"And if you make a sale to your neighbor or buy from your neighbor, you shall not wrong one another." — This isn't just about fair prices; the original wording suggests not "overreaching" or taking advantage of a fellow Israelite, your "brother" within the covenant community. It’s a deep call to transa…
