Leviticus 25:39-40
“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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This verse reveals a crucial distinction: while an Israelite could be "sold" due to poverty, they were never to be treated like a chattel slave. God prohibited forcing them into the hardest, most degrading labor, emphasizing they should be considered more like a hired worker than a true bondservant.
This passage is part of a larger section in Leviticus detailing the laws of the Jubilee year and how to care for the poor within the Israelite community. It follows instructions on lending money and supporting a struggling brother, now addressing the dire situation where an Israelite becomes so impoverished that they sell themselves into servitude, a practice that would be more harshly enforced if they were sold to a foreigner. The directive here ensures they are treated with dignity, not as a perpetual slave, but more like a hired worker, awaiting redemption or freedom at the Jubilee.
When poverty hits hard, an Israelite could be sold to another. But God’s law gives a surprising directive: treat them not as a full slave, but with a different, more humane standard.
The law in Leviticus 25:39-43 draws a clear distinction between how an Israelite sold into service should be treated, and how foreign slaves were treated.
Not Like Other Slaves:
This wasn't just about economic regulation; it was about preserving the dignity and identity of God's chosen people, even in their most vulnerable state.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Leviticus 25:39-40 is available in the Sola app.
Why such a specific, humane rule for impoverished Israelites? The answer lies in who ultimately 'owns' everyone, especially His redeemed people.
Leviticus 25:55 famously declares, 'For the people of Israel are my servants; it is I the Lord who make you free.' This verse is crucial for understanding the unique status of the Israelite servant.
A Higher Claim:
Understand the original words
muk · Hebrew Adjective
One who is destitute or lacking the necessary means of support; in the biblical context, it often calls for compassion and protection from the community.
ebed · Hebrew Noun
A person held in bondage or servitude to another, often lacking personal freedom and subject to the will of their master.
sakir · Hebrew Noun
Someone hired for wages to perform labor, distinct from a slave as they maintained a level of contractual autonomy and limited service duration.
toshab · Hebrew Noun
A resident foreigner or temporary dweller who lived among the Israelites; they were afforded specific legal protections and were subject to the covenantal regulations of the land.
yobel · Hebrew Noun
A special year of release and restoration ordained by God, occurring every fifty years, during which land reverted to its original owners and Hebrew slaves were set free.
This passage provides context for when an Israelite might be sold, indicating it could be due to theft, highlighting the different circumstances and implied treatment compared to a foreign slave.
Deuteronomy 15:12-15This passage reiterates the command to treat a Hebrew servant not as a slave but as a hired laborer, emphasizing the grace of God in liberating the Israelites from Egypt as the basis for this humane treatment.
Nehemiah 5:1-12This passage illustrates the dire circumstances of poverty leading to Israelites enslaving their own children, showing a real-world breakdown of these laws and the cry for justice.
Ephesians 6:9This New Testament passage echoes the principle by urging masters to treat their slaves well, reminding them that they too have a Master in heaven, extending the accountability for humane treatment beyond the Old Testament law.
calvinLeviticus 25:39-55: "And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant:"
Moreover, of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and of their families that are with you, which they begat in your land; and they shall be your possession:
Et etiam de filiis incolarum qui versantur apud vos, emetis: et de familia eorum qui apud vos sunt, quos procreaverunt in terra vestra: e…
pooleLeviticus 25:39: "And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant:"
Neither for the time, for ever, nor for the manner, with the hardest and vilest kinds of service, rigorously and severely exacted from him.
This verse reveals a crucial distinction: while an Israelite could be "sold" due to poverty, they were never to be treated like a chattel slave. God prohibited forcing them into the hardest, most degrading labor, emphasizing they should be considered more like a hired worker than a true bondservant.
This passage is part of a larger section in Leviticus detailing the laws of the Jubilee year and how to care for the poor within the Israelite community. It follows instructions on lending money and supporting a struggling brother, now addressing the dire situation where an Israelite becomes so impoverished that they sell themselves into servitude, a practice that would be more harshly enforced if they were sold to a foreigner. The directive here ensures they are treated with dignity, not as a perpetual slave, but more like a hired worker, awaiting redemption or freedom at the Jubilee.
This passage is part of a larger section in Leviticus detailing the laws of the Jubilee year and how to care for the poor within the Israelite community. It follows instructions on lending money and supporting a struggling brother, now addressing the dire situation where an Israelite becomes so impoverished that they sell themselves into servitude, a practice that would be more harshly enforced if they were sold to a foreigner. The directive here ensures they are treated with dignity, not as a perpetual slave, but more like a hired worker, awaiting redemption or freedom at the Jubilee.
"“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." — This verse reveals a crucial distinction: while an Israelite could be "sold" due to poverty, they were never to be treated like a chattel slave. God prohibited forcing them into the hardest, most deg…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
