Leviticus 25 38

Leviticus 25:38 kjv

I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.

Leviticus 25:38 nkjv

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.

Leviticus 25:38 niv

I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.

Leviticus 25:38 esv

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.

Leviticus 25:38 nlt

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.

Leviticus 25 verses

Leviticus 25 38 Meaning

Leviticus 25:38 asserts God's unwavering identity and covenantal relationship with Israel, foundational to the laws of justice and economic equity in the Sabbatical and Jubilee years. It declares Him as YHWH, their personal God, who miraculously delivered them from slavery in Egypt. This historical act was not without purpose; it was to bestow upon them the promised land of Canaan, establishing them as His special people, reinforcing His exclusive claim over their lives and their inheritance.

Leviticus 25 38 Context

Leviticus chapter 25 details laws concerning the Sabbatical Year and the Jubilee Year. These regulations dictate land rest, debt cancellation, and the redemption of property and slaves among the Israelite community, emphasizing the sacredness of the land and the dignity of human life. The core principle behind these laws, stated explicitly in verse 23, is that the land ultimately belongs to God, and the Israelites are merely sojourners and tenants. Verse 38 concludes a section (vv. 35-37) dealing with aiding fellow Israelites who fall into poverty, urging financial assistance without interest (vv. 35-37). This verse, "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," serves as the ultimate theological rationale and motivation for Israel's adherence to all the preceding laws of social and economic justice, rooted in God's covenantal redemption and sovereign ownership. It reminds them of their history, identity, and the basis of their existence in the promised land, thereby reinforcing their obligations to live justly as God's redeemed people.

Leviticus 25 38 Word analysis

• I am: (Hebrew: Ani אֲנִי) A powerful self-assertion of divine identity. It carries authority and echoes the divine declaration "I AM WHO I AM" (Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh) in Ex 3:14, signaling God's self-existent and covenantal nature.
• the Lord: (Hebrew: YHWH or Yahweh יְהוָה) The sacred, personal, and covenant name of God, revealed to Moses. It signifies God's eternality, faithfulness, and active presence in salvation history, distinguishing Him from all other deities. This is the unutterable name signifying the absolute sovereignty and commitment of God to His promises.
• your God: (Hebrew: Elohim אֱלֹהֵיכֶם) A possessive form, highlighting the specific, exclusive, and intimate covenant relationship God has with Israel. It emphasizes that YHWH is not just a God, but their God, by virtue of His choosing and redemptive acts. This reinforces a personal and collective belonging.
• who brought you out: (Hebrew: Hotseti הוֹצֵאתִי) "Brought out" speaks of a powerful, deliberate, and singular act of deliverance. This specific verb emphasizes God's direct agency and redemptive power, serving as the foundational act upon which their relationship is built and from which their obligations stem. It underlines their former state of bondage and God's role as their liberator.
• of the land of Egypt: Refers to their physical and spiritual condition of slavery and oppression under a powerful, pagan empire. Egypt represents the anti-God system, the world from which God rescued His people, and the complete dominion He overcame.
• to give you: (Hebrew: Latet לָתֵת) Implies a sovereign, gracious gift, not something earned or deserved. It underscores divine generosity and purpose, transforming their status from slaves to recipients of inheritance. This highlights the unconditional nature of the promise of land.
• the land of Canaan: The specific geographical inheritance promised to Abraham's descendants (Gen 12:7, 15:18-21). It signifies rest, security, abundance, and the place where Israel would fully become a nation under God's rule. It is a tangible fulfillment of covenant.
• and to be your God: This phrase (Hebrew: Lihyot Lakhem L’Elohim לִהְיוֹת לָכֶם לֵאלֹהִים) completes the covenant formula. It signifies the purpose of their deliverance and reception of the land: an ongoing, exclusive relationship where God is sovereign, worshiped, and obeyed, and Israel is His chosen people. It implies mutual belonging and mutual obligation.

• Words-Group Analysis:
• "I am the Lord your God": This opening declaration is a self-disclosure formula frequently used in Leviticus (and Exodus). It acts as a divine credential and foundation for all commands. It grounds the commands not merely in legislative power but in the personal character, historical faithfulness, and covenant identity of YHWH. This phrase reminds Israel of God's authority over them and His ownership of them.
• "who brought you out of the land of Egypt": This historical memory is the foundational redemptive act in Israel's history. It is consistently invoked throughout the Torah (e.g., in the Decalogue) as the primary motivation for obedience to God's laws, including those regarding social justice. It defines their identity as a people redeemed by divine power from servitude, making them obligated to live as liberated people, caring for the oppressed within their own society. It also implicitly refutes any reliance on or worship of Egyptian gods or systems, asserting YHWH's supreme power.
• "to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God": This phrase outlines the dual purpose of the Exodus. First, it was to fulfill the ancient promise of the land (Canaan), signifying God's faithfulness and their inheritance. Second, it was to solidify their unique covenant relationship, where Israel would fully enter into its identity as God's chosen people, under His direct rule and for His glory. This second purpose signifies that the land was not merely an entitlement, but a context within which to live out their identity as His people under His covenant, demanding righteous living, particularly in economic matters within the land itself.

Leviticus 25 38 Bonus section

This verse serves as a crucial theological anchor, demonstrating how ethical behavior (social justice, equitable land distribution) is rooted in theological truth (God's identity, His saving acts, His covenant purpose). It functions as a summary statement for the motivations underlying God's commands. The repeated appeal to "I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt" across Leviticus and the broader Pentateuch underlines that their moral and ceremonial obligations are not arbitrary rules, but flow directly from God's identity as their Redeemer and Sovereign. It's a reminder that their entire national identity and existence are a result of God's gracious intervention. The implication for stewardship is profound: because God provided the land and established their place in it, they are accountable to Him for how they use it, ensuring that no Israelite falls into irreversible destitution, as all are equally part of God's redeemed community within His promised land. This forms a direct challenge to human tendencies towards avarice and exploitation, aligning their economic practices with divine justice.

Leviticus 25 38 Commentary

Leviticus 25:38 encapsulates the very essence of the covenant relationship between YHWH and Israel, providing the ultimate theological warrant for the socio-economic laws described throughout the chapter. God introduces Himself not merely as a distant deity, but as "the Lord your God"—intimate, personal, and profoundly involved in their history. The bedrock of this relationship is His transformative act of bringing them out of Egypt, demonstrating His omnipotence, His faithfulness to His promises (specifically the Abrahamic covenant of land), and His desire for an exclusive relationship. This deliverance and gift of land create an inescapable obligation for Israel: since God owns them and their land by right of creation, redemption, and gift, they must steward both in a manner consistent with His character. This specifically underpins the justice-oriented laws of the Sabbatical and Jubilee years, which ensured economic equity and prevented perpetual poverty among their brethren. The memory of their own liberation from servitude demands that they do not perpetuate servitude among themselves, especially over the land that belongs to God.