Leviticus 25:35-37
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When your brother's "hand wavers" and he can't support himself, you're commanded to "lay hold of him" and uphold him, treating him with the same care you would a resident foreigner. This isn't just about charity; it's about actively strengthening someone whose ability to provide for themselves has faltered, ensuring they remain a valued part of the community.
“If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you. Take no interest from him or profit, but fear your God, that your brother may live beside you. You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This section of Leviticus is shifting from the laws about the land and the Year of Jubilee back to the well-being of the community, specifically addressing what happens when people fall into poverty. The verses immediately preceding discuss the return of ancestral land during Jubilee, while the verses following detail the prohibition of usury and the broader responsibility to support a struggling brother, even to the point of providing him with a home. This verse sets the stage for a profound ethic of care within the community, extending help to those whose "hand wavers" and cannot sustain themselves.
What does it mean for a brother's 'hand to waver' or 'fail'? This isn't just about having less money; it's about losing the very ability to provide for oneself.
The verse uses vivid imagery to describe destitution. When it says a brother's 'hand wavereth' or 'hath decayed,' it speaks to a profound loss of capacity. This isn't a simple shortfall of resources, but a state where one's strength, skill, and ability to work and earn have faltered. It implies a loss of self-sufficiency, a state of being unable to grasp or maintain one's livelihood.
Imagine someone who has always been able to provide, but now, due to illness, misfortune, or economic downturn, their strength is gone, their skills are obsolete, or opportunities have vanished. They can no longer 'work with their hands' to secure food or shelter. This calls for more than just charity; it requires direct intervention to 'strengthen' and 'uphold' them, enabling them to live, not just survive.
The command is to support a poor brother 'as though he were a stranger and a sojourner.' What does this unusual comparison teach us about the quality of support required?
This is a fascinating directive. When a fellow Israelite falls into poverty, you are to support him 'as a stranger and a sojourner.' This doesn't mean treating him as an outsider or less than family. Instead, it points to the kind of dignified care extended to resident foreigners.
In ancient Israel, strangers and sojourners were vulnerable but were also to be treated with respect and fairness. They were not to be oppressed, and their rights were to be protected (Leviticus 19:33-34). The comparison highlights:
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Understand the original words
ach · Hebrew Noun
A fellow member of the covenant community of Israel. Brotherly duty in the Bible involves providing aid, protection, and justice, reflecting the relational obligations of the covenant.
ger · Hebrew Noun
A temporary resident or guest in a land not their own. Biblically, they often lived under the protection of the host community but lacked the full political and land-owning rights of native citizens.
neshek · Hebrew Noun
Refers to gain or increase charged on a loan, specifically the act of charging interest on money lent to a fellow Israelite, which was prohibited under the Mosaic law to prevent exploitation.
yare · Hebrew Verb
The reverent fear, awe, and submission directed toward God, acknowledging His holiness, authority, and sovereignty over one's life.
The parable of the Good Samaritan powerfully illustrates the spirit of Leviticus 25:35, showing that compassion and support for those in need, regardless of their background, is a core expression of righteousness.
Deuteronomy 15:7-11This passage directly echoes the command to not harden one's heart toward a poor brother and to generously open one's hand, reinforcing the benevolent intent behind supporting those who are struggling.
1 John 3:17-18John's letter connects practical acts of love and support for those in need with the truth of God's love dwelling within us, mirroring the deep connection between God's people and their care for the vulnerable.
Nehemiah 5:1-5This historical account reveals a sad reality where the poor were exploited, leading Nehemiah to rebuke the nobles for failing in their duty to support their struggling brothers, highlighting the consequences of neglecting the commands found in Leviticus.
pulpitLeviticus 25:35: "And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee."
Verses 35-38. - Slavery. It is presumed that no Hebrew will become a slave except on the pressure of poverty, and this poverty his brethren are commanded to relieve; but foreseeing that either want of charity on the part of the rich or unthrift on the part of the poor would certainly bring about slavery, the le…
pooleLeviticus 25:35: "And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee."
Fallen in decay, Heb. his hand wavereth, of faileth or is decayed so that he hath not power to get or keep wealth, as the phrase is, Deu 8:18 ; as on the contrary, when a man is able, his hand is said to attain and find sufficiency , as here above, Leviticus 25:26 . Relieve him, Heb. strengthen him , comfort hi…
When your brother's "hand wavers" and he can't support himself, you're commanded to "lay hold of him" and uphold him, treating him with the same care you would a resident foreigner. This isn't just about charity; it's about actively strengthening someone whose ability to provide for themselves has faltered, ensuring they remain a valued part of the community.
This section of Leviticus is shifting from the laws about the land and the Year of Jubilee back to the well-being of the community, specifically addressing what happens when people fall into poverty. The verses immediately preceding discuss the return of ancestral land during Jubilee, while the verses following detail the prohibition of usury and the broader responsibility to support a struggling brother, even to the point of providing him with a home. This verse sets the stage for a profound ethic of care within the community, extending help to those whose "hand wavers" and cannot sustain themselves.
This section of Leviticus is shifting from the laws about the land and the Year of Jubilee back to the well-being of the community, specifically addressing what happens when people fall into poverty. The verses immediately preceding discuss the return of ancestral land during Jubilee, while the verses following detail the prohibition of usury and the broader responsibility to support a struggling brother, even to the point of providing him with a home. This verse sets the stage for a profound ethic of care within the community, extending help to those whose "hand wavers" and cannot sustain themselves.
"“If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you. Take no interest from him or profit, but fear your God, that your brother m…" — When your brother's "hand wavers" and he can't support himself, you're commanded to "lay hold of him" and uphold him, treating him with the same care you would a resident foreigner. This isn't just a…
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Last reviewed October 2026
