Leviticus 25:17 kjv
Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 25:17 nkjv
Therefore you shall not oppress one another, but you shall fear your God; for I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 25:17 niv
Do not take advantage of each other, but fear your God. I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 25:17 esv
You shall not wrong one another, but you shall fear your God, for I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 25:17 nlt
Show your fear of God by not taking advantage of each other. I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 25 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 22:21-24 | "You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him...If you oppress them..." | Oppression of vulnerable; God hears their cry |
| Deut 15:7-11 | "If among you a poor man, one of your brothers, should be found..." | Command to generosity and against hardheartedness |
| Deut 24:14 | "You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy..." | Justice for the poor worker |
| Prov 22:22-23 | "Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate" | God is their defender against injustice |
| Isa 1:17 | "Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression..." | Call to uphold justice and righteousness |
| Jer 7:5-6 | "If you truly execute justice one with another...do not oppress..." | Obedience includes ethical conduct |
| Zech 7:9-10 | "Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments...oppress not..." | Justice and mercy are divine requirements |
| Mic 6:8 | "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require..." | Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with God |
| Ps 111:10 | "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom..." | Fear of God leads to understanding |
| Prov 1:7 | "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge..." | Reverence for God is foundational |
| Prov 8:13 | "The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil..." | Fear of God promotes moral uprightness |
| Eccl 12:13 | "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." | Fear of God leads to obedience |
| Matt 7:12 | "Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them..." | The Golden Rule; applies to fairness |
| Jas 2:1-4 | "My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith..." | No favoritism or oppression of the poor |
| Jas 5:4 | "Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields...cry out..." | Warning against economic exploitation |
| Rom 13:8-10 | "Owe no one anything, except to love one another..." | Love fulfills the law; no harm to neighbor |
| Phil 2:12-13 | "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling..." | Reverence in spiritual conduct |
| 1 Pet 2:17 | "Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor." | Fear God as a core Christian duty |
| Exod 20:2 | "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt..." | Declaration of divine authority, basis for laws |
| Lev 19:36 | "...you shall fear your God: I am the Lord your God." | Same phrasing, link to honest measures |
| Deut 6:24 | "And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord..." | Obedience for their own good |
| Col 3:25 | "For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done..." | Warning against injustice, God is impartial |
| Eph 6:9 | "And you, masters, do the same to them...knowing that your Master is in heaven" | Just treatment, for God sees |
Leviticus 25 verses
Leviticus 25 17 Meaning
Leviticus 25:17 prohibits exploitation or taking unfair advantage of one another, especially in economic dealings. It grounds this ethical command in the fear and reverence due to God, asserting that unjust actions against fellow humans are ultimately offenses against God Himself, who declares His supreme authority as the Lord of Israel.
Leviticus 25 17 Context
Leviticus chapter 25 details the laws concerning the Sabbath Year (every seventh year, land lies fallow, debts are remitted) and the Year of Jubilee (every fiftieth year, ancestral land returns to original families, Israelite slaves are freed). These laws formed the foundation of Israel’s economic and social structure, designed to prevent extreme wealth accumulation and poverty, ensure equity, and acknowledge God's ultimate ownership of the land and people. Leviticus 25:17 comes specifically after injunctions against fraudulent buying or selling of land (Lev 25:14-16), reinforcing the principle of fairness within these unique land and debt regulations. It aims to prevent exploitation in land transactions and other dealings that arise due to economic hardship, which the Jubilee system sought to remedy. Historically, in the ancient Near East, practices like perpetual land accumulation and debt-slavery were common; these Mosaic laws stood in stark contrast, providing a divine system to maintain social and economic balance and protect the vulnerable, asserting God’s just nature over human avarice.
Leviticus 25 17 Word analysis
- You shall not oppress: Hebrew lo’ tonu (לֹא תוֹנוּ). Tonu derives from the root ‘anah (עָנָה), meaning to afflict, humble, vex, or deal deceitfully. In this context, it specifically refers to taking unfair advantage, defrauding, or exploiting someone, particularly in financial or transactional matters. It encompasses any action that leads to another’s unjust suffering or disadvantage. The prohibition emphasizes honesty and fairness in all interpersonal dealings within the covenant community.
- one another: The Hebrew phrase indicates fellow Israelites or those within the community who are subject to the same divine covenant and laws. It highlights the horizontal dimension of ethical conduct—how covenant people are to treat each other.
- but you shall fear your God: Hebrew ki tiru Eloheikhem (כִּי תִירָאוּ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם). Tiru comes from yare’ (יָרֵא), meaning to fear, stand in awe of, or revere. This fear is not merely terror but a profound respect, reverence, and submission to God's authority and commands. It is the deep recognition of His omnipotence, holiness, and righteous judgment, serving as the ultimate motivation for ethical behavior and restraint from sin.
- for I am the Lord your God: Hebrew ki ani YHWH Eloheikhem (כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם). This is a quintessential declaration of divine identity, often appearing as a reinforcing theological rationale for a command. YHWH (rendered "the Lord") is God's covenant name, signifying His personal, eternal, and redemptive relationship with Israel. "Your God" reinforces this covenant bond. This phrase underscores that all commands, including those concerning justice and economic fairness, stem from God’s character, authority, and their relationship with Him. Disobeying this command is not just a breach against a neighbor, but a direct offense against God himself.
Words-group analysis:
- "You shall not oppress one another, but you shall fear your God": This pairing directly links outward ethical conduct ("not oppress") with inward spiritual reverence ("fear your God"). It establishes that genuine reverence for God manifests in righteous and fair treatment of others. The lack of oppression is not merely a social courtesy but a direct outgrowth of acknowledging God's sovereignty.
- "You shall fear your God; for I am the Lord your God": This emphasizes that the ultimate basis for all moral and ethical behavior is theological. The motivation for fearing God, and thus for avoiding oppression, is derived solely from God's identity as the covenant-keeping, sovereign Lord. His presence and nature provide the overarching reason and authority for His people's conduct.
Leviticus 25 17 Bonus section
The command in Leviticus 25:17 forms part of a larger theme throughout the Mosaic Law: the prohibition against "biting and devouring one another," spiritually rooted in the covenant relationship with YHWH. This specific verse emphasizes that unethical dealings are an expression of a deficient "fear of God." The frequent repetition of "I am the Lord your God" across Leviticus and Deuteronomy serves not just as an assertion of authority, but as a reminder of God's personal stake in their obedience and His watchful presence in their every transaction. These laws were given to prevent Israel from degenerating into a society where the strong systematically exploited the weak, reflecting God’s own compassion for the marginalized and setting them apart from surrounding pagan cultures that often glorified such predatory practices. The spiritual implications extend to Christian ethics today, reminding believers that fair and just interactions are not just good civic behavior, but essential demonstrations of one's submission to Christ.
Leviticus 25 17 Commentary
Leviticus 25:17 stands as a powerful statement against economic and social exploitation, grounding human ethics deeply in divine theology. It directly prohibits any action that takes unjust advantage of another, especially the vulnerable. The surrounding context of Jubilee laws emphasizes preventing perpetual poverty and ensuring land rights, underscoring that this command particularly applies to situations where individuals might be compelled by economic hardship to sell land or fall into servitude. The injunction to "fear your God" elevates this command beyond mere human legislation, transforming it into a matter of spiritual reverence and obedience to the Almighty. Because God is just and cares for His people, those who serve Him must reflect His character in their dealings. Ultimately, to oppress another is not merely an offense against a fellow human; it is a direct affront to the character and authority of the very God who identifies Himself as "the Lord your God"—the one who covenants with them and commands their well-being. This verse therefore calls for a societal ethic rooted in genuine piety, where justice and compassion are non-negotiable expressions of a life lived in reverence for God.