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Leviticus 25:39

in Leviticus 25

If a countryman among you becomes destitute and sells himself to you, then you must not force him into slave labor.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And if thy brother be waxed poor with thee, and sell himself unto thee; thou shalt not make him to serve as a bondservant.

KJV

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:

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This verse in Leviticus 25

Commentary

3 notes on this verse
The law here appears harmoniously to supplement the earlier one in Exo 21:1-6. It was another check applied periodically to the tyranny of the rich. Compare Jer 34:8-17.

This site's exposition

that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor

on Leviticus 25:39-41

An Israelite who sells himself is handled as a hired servant and serves until the jubile. Exodus 21:2 had already set six years as the term for a Hebrew servant, and the commentators read the two rules together, the six years running from each sale and the jubile releasing anyone still in service when it sounds. He goes out with his children and returns to the possession of his fathers, so the release restores his ground along with his freedom.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor,....

The words behind it

11 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וְכִֽי־and if

    vekhi-H3588 →4482 times

  • יָמ֥וּךְhe will become impoverished

    yamukhH4134 →5 times

  • אָחִ֛יךָbrother your

    ʾachikhaH251 →630 times

  • עִמָּ֖ךְwith you

    ʾimakhH5973 →1050 times

  • וְנִמְכַּר־and he will sell himself

    venimkar-H4376 →80 times

  • לָ֑ךְto <the> you

    lakh

  • לֹא־not

    lo'-H3808 →5168 times

  • תַעֲבֹ֥דyou will labor

    taavodH5647 →288 times

  • בּ֖וֹby <the> him

    bo

  • עֲבֹ֥דַת[the] labor of

    ʾavodatH5656 →145 times

  • עָֽבֶד׃a slave

    ʾavedH5650 →799 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

14 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Exodus 21:2If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free without paying anything.6 worksMatthew 18:25Since the man was unable to pay, the master ordered that he be sold to pay his debt, along with his wife and children and everything he owned.6 works1 Kings 9:22But Solomon did not consign any of the Israelites to slavery, because they were his men of war, his servants, his officers, his captains, and the commanders of his chariots and cavalry.5 worksLeviticus 25:46You may leave them to your sons after you to inherit as property; you can make them slaves for life. But as for your brothers, the Israelites, no man may rule harshly over his brother.3 works2 Kings 4:1Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And now his creditor is coming to take my two children as his slaves!”3 worksNehemiah 5:5We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless to redeem them because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”3 works
The other 8 cross-references, with their words ▾
Exodus 1:14and made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar, and with all kinds of work in the fields. Every service they imposed was harsh.2 worksDeuteronomy 15:12–14If a fellow Hebrew, a man or a woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, then in the seventh year you must set him free.2 worksJeremiah 34:14Every seventh year, each of you must free his Hebrew brother who has sold himself to you. He may serve you six years, but then you must let him go free. But your fathers did not listen or incline their ear.2 worksJeremiah 30:8On that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, I will break the yoke off their necks and tear off their bonds, and no longer will strangers enslave them.2 worksJeremiah 25:14For many nations and great kings will enslave them, and I will repay them according to their deeds and according to the work of their hands.’”2 worksExodus 22:3But if it happens after sunrise, there is guilt for his bloodshed. A thief must make full restitution; if he has nothing, he himself shall be sold for his theft.2 worksJeremiah 27:7All nations will serve him and his son and grandson, until the time of his own land comes; then many nations and great kings will enslave him.2 worksIsaiah 50:1This is what the LORD says: “Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce with which I sent her away? Or to which of My creditors did I sell you? Look, you were sold for your iniquities, and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.0 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    2 Kings 4:1

    Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And now his creditor…

    it leads to

    • Matthew 18:25

      Since the man was unable to pay, the master ordered that he be sold to pay his debt, along with his wife and children and everything he owned.

    • 2 Kings 2:3

      Then the sons of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the LORD will take your master away from you today?” “Yes, I know,” he replied. “Do…

    • Nehemiah 5:2–5

      Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive.”

    • Psalms 147:11

      The LORD is pleased with those who fear Him, who hope in His loving devotion.

  • Through

    Exodus 21:2

    If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free without paying anything.

    it leads to

    • Deuteronomy 15:12–15

      If a fellow Hebrew, a man or a woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, then in the seventh year you must set him free.

    • Exodus 12:44

      But any slave who has been purchased may eat of it, after you have circumcised him.

  • Through

    Nehemiah 5:5

    We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless to…

    it leads to

    • 2 Kings 4:1

      Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And now his creditor…

    • Leviticus 25:39–43

      If a countryman among you becomes destitute and sells himself to you, then you must not force him into slave labor.

Where this verse is studied

About Leviticus

Moses and Aaron Appear before Pharaoh, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Moses and Aaron Appear before Pharaoh, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Leviticus: the study guide →Read Leviticus 25 →

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch.

Read on in Leviticus 25 →