Leviticus 25:14 kjv

And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbor, or buyest ought of thy neighbor's hand, ye shall not oppress one another:

Leviticus 25:14 nkjv

And if you sell anything to your neighbor or buy from your neighbor's hand, you shall not oppress one another.

Leviticus 25:14 niv

"?'If you sell land to any of your own people or buy land from them, do not take advantage of each other.

Leviticus 25:14 esv

And if you make a sale to your neighbor or buy from your neighbor, you shall not wrong one another.

Leviticus 25:14 nlt

"When you make an agreement with your neighbor to buy or sell property, you must not take advantage of each other.

Leviticus 25 verses

Leviticus 25 14 Meaning

Leviticus 25:14 sets a foundational principle for commercial transactions among God's people: honesty and integrity. It prohibits any form of fraud, deception, or taking unfair advantage in buying or selling goods or property. The command ensures equitable dealings and mutual respect within the community, reflecting the divine character of justice and the covenant relationship.

Leviticus 25 14 Context

Leviticus chapter 25 details laws concerning the Sabbath year (Shmita) and the Jubilee year (Yovel). These laws were established to ensure periodic economic resets, prevent extreme wealth accumulation and perpetual poverty, and remind Israel that the land ultimately belongs to God. Within this broader framework of economic justice and divine ownership, verse 14 addresses the everyday transactional honesty. It specifically anticipates the buying and selling of land, crops, or other goods that would occur between Jubilee years, emphasizing that even within the legal parameters of land tenure and redemption, unfair dealing was forbidden. This ethical principle reinforces the concept of a just society reflecting God's holy character.

Leviticus 25 14 Word analysis

• And if you sell (וְכִי תִמְכְּרוּ - və·ḵî ṯim·ḵə·rū): The conjunction "And" connects this command directly to the preceding laws about property and time, highlighting its integration into daily life. "Sell" (mākar) implies a voluntary exchange for compensation.
• anything (לָאִישׁ - la-’îsh implicit): While not explicitly translated as "anything," the context applies to any item or property transacted. The Hebrew for "to a man" implies general transaction.
• to your neighbor (לַעֲמִיתֶךָ - la·‘ă·mî·ṯe·ḵā): Refers to a fellow Israelite, a member of the covenant community. The term emphasizes shared kinship and responsibility, highlighting that the command is about internal community ethics.
• or buy (אוֹ קָנֹה - ’ō qā·nōh): Qā·nōh means to acquire or buy. It covers the reciprocal side of the transaction, ensuring responsibility from both buyer and seller.
• from your neighbor (מֵעַמִּיתֶךָ - mê·‘am·mî·ṯe·ḵā): Reiteration of the relationship, stressing mutual accountability in the transaction.
• you shall not wrong (לֹא תוֹנוּ - lō tō·w·nū): The crucial prohibition. Yānâ means to oppress, defraud, deal unjustly, deceive, or take advantage. It goes beyond simple theft to include any cunning or manipulative act that leads to an unfair gain at another's expense, whether by misrepresentation of quality, quantity, price, or withholding crucial information. It implies emotional or financial harm caused by unfair advantage.
• one another (אִישׁ אֶת־אָחִיו - ’îsh ’eṯ-’ā·ḥîw): Literally "a man his brother." This underscores the mutual obligation and the fraternal nature of the relationship within the community. It means that the prohibition applies reciprocally; neither party should wrong the other.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And if you sell anything...or buy": Establishes the commercial nature of the interaction. It refers to a common and necessary activity of life, showing that divine law governs even everyday commerce.
• "to your neighbor...from your neighbor": Defines the scope of the relationship where this ethical conduct is paramount – within the covenant community, where members are considered "brothers" and "fellows." This sets Israel apart from nations where such practices might be tolerated against foreigners.
• "you shall not wrong one another": This is the core imperative. It's a broad prohibition against any form of overreaching, exploitation, or taking unfair advantage in a transaction. The concept of ona'ah (derived from yanah) applies to any gain acquired through deception, misleading statements, or by taking advantage of another's ignorance or distress. This extends to misrepresenting quality, quantity, market value, or hiding defects, and applies to both the buyer who might undervalue an item and the seller who might overvalue it.

Leviticus 25 14 Bonus section

This verse forms part of the "holiness code" (Lev 17-26) and underscores that holiness is not merely ritual purity but permeates all aspects of life, including economic interactions. The principle of ona'ah (wronging/overreaching) found here later developed in rabbinic tradition to include not only monetary exploitation (ona'at mamon) but also verbal abuse or humiliation (ona'at devarim), emphasizing the breadth of preventing distress or harm to one's fellow. God's ownership of all land and property (Lev 25:23) serves as the ultimate basis for this ethical economic conduct, reminding the Israelites that they are merely stewards, called to administer His resources with justice and equity among themselves. This aligns with the New Testament's call for honesty, avoiding greed, and treating others as one would wish to be treated (Matt 7:12).

Leviticus 25 14 Commentary

Leviticus 25:14 serves as a foundational ethical standard for economic interactions within the Israelite community, rooted in God's character and ownership. The command "you shall not wrong one another" encompasses all forms of ona'ah, or overreaching. This includes not just explicit fraud or lying about a product's true value, quality, or quantity, but also taking advantage of someone's desperate situation, ignorance, or lack of knowledge regarding fair market prices. It implies a moral obligation to be transparent, honest, and just, reflecting the principle of "loving your neighbor as yourself." The law underscores that the integrity of transactions is not just a matter of human fairness but a requirement stemming from Israel's covenant with a righteous God.

Examples:

• A seller disclosing a defect in an item even if the buyer doesn't notice it.
• A buyer offering a fair price, not drastically lower, if the seller is in a vulnerable financial position.
• Neither party concealing relevant information that would alter the perceived value of the transaction.