Leviticus 25 42

Leviticus 25:42 kjv

For they are my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen.

Leviticus 25:42 nkjv

For they are My servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as slaves.

Leviticus 25:42 niv

Because the Israelites are my servants, whom I brought out of Egypt, they must not be sold as slaves.

Leviticus 25:42 esv

For they are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as slaves.

Leviticus 25:42 nlt

The people of Israel are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt, so they must never be sold as slaves.

Leviticus 25 verses

Leviticus 25 42 Meaning

Leviticus 25:42 articulates a fundamental principle regarding the treatment of Israelites who enter into temporary servitude due to poverty. The verse states that Israelites are considered the Lord's servants, having been redeemed by Him from bondage in Egypt. Consequently, they are not to be sold or treated as mere chattel, meaning they cannot be subjected to the permanent, inheritable, and dehumanizing form of slavery common in the surrounding nations. Their status as God's redeemed servants precludes any human master from asserting absolute, lifelong ownership over them.

Leviticus 25 42 Context

Leviticus 25 outlines laws for the Sabbatical Year and the Year of Jubilee, central to Israel's socio-economic and spiritual life. These laws regulate land ownership, debt, and servitude, ensuring that Israelite society maintains its distinctive covenantal identity and avoids permanent economic stratification. The entire chapter emphasizes God's ultimate ownership of the land and the people, contrasting with the prevailing norms of Ancient Near Eastern societies.

Verses 39-43 specifically address an Israelite who becomes impoverished and "sells himself" to another Israelite. This was a form of indentured servitude or debt-slavery, not chattel slavery. The context insists that such a person is not to be treated as a slave (e.g., permanent property) but rather as a hired worker or a sojourner, serving only until the Year of Jubilee when freedom and ancestral property were restored. Verse 42 provides the theological bedrock for this prohibition, reminding the Israelites of their collective liberation from Egypt and their unique status as servants dedicated to the Lord Himself. This prevents the ultimate degradation of a fellow covenant member into an ownerless commodity.

Leviticus 25 42 Word Analysis

• For (כִּי, ki): This conjunction serves as a causal link, introducing the fundamental reason or theological basis for the preceding stipulations (that Israelite servants are not to be treated harshly, v. 39, and must be released in the Jubilee, v. 40). It underlines that God's command is not arbitrary but rooted in His redemptive history with His people.

• they are My servants (עֲבָדַי הֵם, avadai hem):

  • עֶבֶד (eved): Literally "servant" or "slave." In this context, "My servants" refers to God's chosen people, Israel. While eved can denote lowly servitude, here it carries the honorific connotation of those exclusively dedicated to YHWH, owned by Him, and therefore obligated to Him alone in the ultimate sense.
  • Significance: This declaration establishes God's proprietary claim over every Israelite. Their primary allegiance is to the divine Master, superseding any human claim of ownership. It is the core identity statement that defines their societal laws regarding human interaction.

• whom I brought out of the land of Egypt (אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אֹתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם, asher hotzeti otam me'eretz Mitzraim):

  • Significance: The Exodus is the foundational redemptive act of Israel's history. God's liberation of them from Pharaonic slavery is the explicit "purchase price" or act of redemption that establishes His ownership. It means they already belong to God because He paid the ultimate price (liberating them from a superpower). They owe their very freedom and existence as a nation to Him. This divine act forever changed their status and formed an unbreakable bond.

• they shall not be sold (לֹא יִמָּכְרוּ, lo yimachru):

  • יִמָּכְרוּ (yimachru): A passive verb from makar (מָכַר), meaning "to sell." The "not" (לֹא, lo) is a strong prohibition.
  • Significance: This commands against the active act of selling them. It highlights that an Israelite is not an item of commerce that can be passed between owners through a sale. Their inherent dignity and status before God prohibit such transactions.

• as slaves (מִמְכֶּרֶת עָבֶד, mimkeret eved):

  • מִמְכֶּרֶת (mimkeret): A nominal form meaning "sale" or "what is sold." Joined with eved, it signifies "the sale of a slave" or "like chattel slavery."
  • Significance: This specific phrase clarifies the type of transaction that is forbidden. It’s not prohibiting all temporary arrangements of servitude due to debt. Instead, it forbids their being sold and treated like non-Israelite or foreign slaves, who could be bought, inherited, and used as mere property without ultimate right of redemption or release. It explicitly disallows their reduction to absolute human property, stripped of dignity and hope of future freedom.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "For they are My servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt": This forms the complete theological rationale for the entire section. God's act of redemption is the basis for His ownership and sets the boundary for human exploitation. Their past experience of brutal, permanent slavery under Pharaoh informs their future status: God freed them from that kind of slavery, so they must not fall into it again under a fellow Israelite.
  • "they shall not be sold as slaves": This phrase details the practical implication of their divine servitude. Because they belong to God through redemption, no other human can exercise ultimate control over their person by purchasing them permanently like an object. It enforces a significant difference between Israelite indentured servitude (temporary and debt-based) and true chattel slavery (permanent, generational, and dehumanizing).

Leviticus 25 42 Bonus section

• The law in Leviticus 25:42 provided a unique "social safety net" for the impoverished Israelite. Unlike typical Ancient Near Eastern societies where debtors could face permanent, harsh slavery, Israel's system ensured a mechanism for release and a fundamental human dignity based on divine ownership.
• The prohibition on treating fellow Israelites as absolute chattel slaves underscores a biblical concept of human value that is derived from their relationship with God, not their socio-economic status. It is a proto-human rights declaration embedded within the law.
• The "return" in the Year of Jubilee (including the release of servants) functions as a periodic resetting of society to reflect God's original creation order and His ultimate sovereignty over all things, preventing the permanent accumulation of wealth and power in a few hands and ensuring opportunities for all, including the marginalized.

Leviticus 25 42 Commentary

Leviticus 25:42 succinctly encapsulates a profound theological and ethical principle foundational to Israelite society: all Israelites, collectively and individually, belong to YHWH, their redeemer. Having been supernaturally delivered from their bondage in Egypt, they transitioned from Pharaoh's slaves to God's servants. This act of divine liberation formed an indelible bond, meaning no human being could claim absolute, permanent ownership over another Israelite.

This verse stands as a powerful statement against the dehumanizing aspects of slavery common in the ancient world. While temporary debt servitude was permissible (as a form of social welfare or financial recourse), it was never to devolve into chattel slavery where a person becomes mere property, devoid of human rights and dignity, permanently severable from their community and lineage. The Israelite was never to be sold on the "slave market" in the same manner as non-Israelite war captives or purchased property, whose status was truly that of an owner's possession. Their ultimate Master was God, and this relationship dictated boundaries for how one Israelite could treat another.

Practically, this meant that poverty-stricken Israelites who had to sell their labor or persons (due to debt) were guaranteed the prospect of freedom (at Jubilee) and were protected from severe abuse or commodification. It underscored a fundamental equality among those redeemed by God, preventing extreme economic and social disparities from leading to perpetual servitude. This echoes spiritually for New Covenant believers, bought with the blood of Christ, who are now "slaves of Christ" and therefore should not become "slaves of men" (1 Cor 7:23), finding their true freedom and identity in their relationship with their divine Redeemer.