Breakdown of Leviticus 25:35-43

"“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…" — This verse doesn't just ask you to help a fellow Israelite who’s fallen on hard times; it insists you support them as if they were a foreigner living among you. This highlights that even the most v…

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Leviticus 25:35-43

What does Leviticus 25:35-43 mean?

This verse doesn't just ask you to help a fellow Israelite who’s fallen on hard times; it insists you support them as if they were a foreigner living among you. This highlights that even the most vulnerable among us are to be treated with deep respect and dignity, never cast aside as less than fully human.

“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. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God. “If your brother becomes poor beside you and sells himself to you, you shall not make him serve as a slave: he shall be with you as a hired worker and as a sojourner. He shall serve with you until the year of the jubilee. Then he shall go out from you, he and his children with him, and go back to his own clan and return to the possession of his fathers. For they are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as slaves. You shall not rule over him ruthlessly but shall fear your God.

English Standard Version (ESV)

What Leviticus 25:35-43 means

This passage is part of the laws given to Israel about their land and community, specifically addressing poverty and debt within the community. It comes right after the instructions for the Jubilee year, which was meant to reset land ownership and free enslaved Israelites. Here, Moses is detailing the immediate responsibilities neighbors have towards fellow Israelites who fall into financial hardship, even to the point of becoming indentured or needing to live with others for support.

Upholding a Failing Hand

What does it truly mean to 'support' someone who is struggling?

The verse uses powerful imagery for helping those in need. When it says, 'if your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself... you shall support him,' the original Hebrew suggests 'laying hold' of him, 'strengthening' him, or 'upholding' him. It's not just a handout, but an active intervention to prevent them from completely falling. Imagine someone’s hand trembling and unable to hold on; your job is to steady that hand, to give them the strength and stability they need to get back on their feet. This is about practical, hands-on support, ensuring they don't become an outcast but can continue to live among you.

The Stranger Within Our Gates

How should we treat those who are not our blood relatives but share our community?

The command to support a struggling brother is intensified by the comparison: 'as though he were a stranger and a sojourner.' This might seem counterintuitive, but it highlights a crucial principle. Strangers and sojourners in ancient Israel were to be treated with dignity and fairness, often receiving special care (Leviticus 19:33-34). So, when an Israelite fell into poverty, he wasn't to be treated as a lesser person or an outcast. Instead, he was to receive the same level of consideration and respect that was due to a foreigner living among them. This ensures that poverty doesn't strip a person of their inherent dignity and place within the community.

Understand the original words

The original words in Leviticus 25:35-43

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What Leviticus 25:35-43 means

What does Leviticus 25:35-43 mean?

What Leviticus 25:35-43 means

Upholding a Failing Hand

The Stranger Within Our Gates

The original words in Leviticus 25:35-43

Ask Sola about this verse

What Leviticus 25:35-43 means

Upholding a Failing Hand

The Stranger Within Our Gates

The original words in Leviticus 25:35-43

Ask Sola about this verse

The situation behind Leviticus 25:35-43

Key themes in Leviticus 25:35-43

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