Leviticus 25 44

Leviticus 25:44 kjv

Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids.

Leviticus 25:44 nkjv

And as for your male and female slaves whom you may have?from the nations that are around you, from them you may buy male and female slaves.

Leviticus 25:44 niv

"?'Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves.

Leviticus 25:44 esv

As for your male and female slaves whom you may have: you may buy male and female slaves from among the nations that are around you.

Leviticus 25:44 nlt

"However, you may purchase male and female slaves from among the nations around you.

Leviticus 25 verses

Leviticus 25 44 Meaning

Leviticus 25:44 details that the Israelites were permitted to acquire male and female bondservants specifically from the surrounding pagan nations, as opposed to fellow Israelites. This provision was part of the Mosaic Law's comprehensive framework for society, differentiating the treatment of covenant members from those outside the covenant community regarding indentured service.

Leviticus 25 44 Context

Leviticus chapter 25 provides laws concerning the Sabbath year (Shemitah) and the Year of Jubilee (Yovel), focusing on the sanctity of the land and the liberation of the people of Israel. The laws emphasize that both the land and the people ultimately belong to God (Lev 25:23, 42, 55). The immediate preceding verses (25:39-43) stipulate that if a fellow Israelite falls into poverty and sells himself, he is not to be treated as a slave but as a hired servant until the Year of Jubilee, at which point he and his children must be set free. This contrasts sharply with the allowance for perpetual service from foreign nations, underscoring the covenantal distinction between Israelites and non-Israelites regarding their economic and social status under the Mosaic Law. This regulatory framework for human bondservice in Israel aimed to mitigate the harsh realities of ancient Near Eastern slavery, establishing protections for Israelites while providing a structured way for non-Israelites to enter a household's service.

Leviticus 25 44 Word analysis

• Your male and female slaves: (אֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ וְאַמְּהֹ֣תֶ֔יךָ avadēḵā wəʾammahōṯeyḵā) The Hebrew terms eved (male servant/slave) and amah (female servant/slave/maidservant) describe individuals in a state of servitude or bondservice. In the biblical context, these terms encompass a range of relationships, from chattel slavery (less common for Israelites) to indentured servitude or a person who has sold themselves due to debt or poverty. The context of Leviticus 25 draws a critical distinction between Israelite "slaves" (who are temporary bondservants) and foreign "slaves" (who could be perpetual servants).
• whom you may have: Implies rightful ownership or possession within the framework of the Mosaic Law, which carefully regulates how such individuals may be acquired and treated.
• are to be from the nations: (מֵהַגּוֹיִ֖ם mēhagōyim - from the Gentiles/nations) This specifies the source of the permissible bondservants. The "nations" or "Gentiles" refer to people outside the covenant community of Israel. This distinction is central to the passage, as it prohibits Israelites from enslaving their brethren perpetually.
• that are around you: (אֲשֶׁר֙ סְבִיבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם ʾăšer sēvivōṯêḵem - who are around you) This geographical descriptor further defines the source as neighboring, non-Israelite peoples. It points to a regulated form of integration for foreigners into Israelite society through service, rather than aggressive conquest solely for enslavement.
• from them you may buy: (מֵהֶ֥ם תִּקְנ֖וּ mēhem tiqnu - from them you shall acquire/purchase) This verb emphasizes acquisition through purchase, contrasting with unlawful means such as kidnapping (Exod 21:16, Deut 24:7), which was a capital crime. It implies a transaction, likely for those who had sold themselves due to debt, poverty, or were prisoners of war whose lives were spared. This differentiates it from the modern, abhorrent concept of slave trading where individuals are captured against their will.
• male and female slaves: A repetition for clarity and emphasis on the type of individuals to be acquired. This reaffirms that both genders from the specified source are eligible for this perpetual form of bondservice.

• Your male and female slaves... from the nations: This phrase group highlights the primary differentiation in the Mosaic Law concerning bondservice: Israelites could not hold their brethren in perpetual servitude, but this rule did not extend to non-Israelites from surrounding nations. This distinction was rooted in Israel's unique covenant relationship with God and the divine protection afforded to its members' land and freedom, distinct from those outside the covenant.
• from them you may buy: This specific phrasing, read in conjunction with laws against man-stealing, means that the permitted acquisition was not through force or kidnapping but through a form of transaction, often involving those who were selling themselves or being sold by desperate families due to economic hardship, or taken as captives of war. The purchase implied ownership but within strict ethical parameters set by the Torah.

Leviticus 25 44 Bonus section

The allowance for perpetual bondservice from foreign nations, when contrasted with the temporary nature for Israelites, underscores the covenantal distinction present throughout the Old Testament between God's chosen people and the Gentile nations. This verse serves as a reminder of the initial phase of God's redemptive plan, which focused on a particular people (Israel) to be a light to the nations (Isa 49:6). While these foreign bondservants did not experience the same release as Israelites, they were still under the purview of Israelite law, which contained provisions for protection against extreme mistreatment (e.g., if a master permanently injured a servant, the servant would be set free - Exod 21:26-27). This points to a legal system, though limited by its ancient context, that aimed for a higher standard of humanity than often found elsewhere. The New Testament, however, brings a new understanding through Christ, breaking down the wall between Jew and Gentile and proclaiming spiritual freedom for all (Gal 3:28). This theological development reorients our understanding of human dignity and equality, moving beyond the ancient regulations to a new, higher ethic.

Leviticus 25 44 Commentary

Leviticus 25:44 must be understood within the broader context of ancient Near Eastern society and the unique ethical framework of the Mosaic Law. While bondservice was a widespread practice in the region, the Torah profoundly regulated it, particularly differentiating between Israelites and non-Israelites. For Israelites, servitude was never to be permanent; it was a temporary provision for economic distress, akin to indentured servitude, with automatic release in the Jubilee year or after six years of service. This upheld the theological principle that no Israelite should be perpetually owned, as they were "the servants of the Lord" (Lev 25:42).

In contrast, foreigners acquired as bondservants were permitted to be kept in perpetual service, passed down as property (Lev 25:45-46). This does not signify an endorsement of inhumane chattel slavery but reflects a societal reality accommodated and regulated by the Law. These foreign bondservants would often be integrated into the Israelite household, potentially observing its customs, and benefiting from the peace and justice of the land. Furthermore, their acquisition was to be through purchase, explicitly forbidding man-stealing or raiding for enslaved people, a practice that drew the death penalty (Exod 21:16). This mitigated the harshness seen in other ANE codes and established clear boundaries for Israel's practice. The inclusion of the "nations around you" suggests a focus on existing geopolitical realities, where people from conquered lands or those facing severe economic hardship might seek service in a more stable society. While this provision poses a moral challenge for modern readers, its original intent was not to promote arbitrary cruelty but to regulate an existing societal institution within specific covenantal parameters that protected Israel's unique identity and heritage while also establishing certain ethical minimums for how foreign bondservants were to be acquired and held.