Leviticus 25 45

Leviticus 25:45 kjv

Moreover of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and of their families that are with you, which they begat in your land: and they shall be your possession.

Leviticus 25:45 nkjv

Moreover you may buy the children of the strangers who dwell among you, and their families who are with you, which they beget in your land; and they shall become your property.

Leviticus 25:45 niv

You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property.

Leviticus 25:45 esv

You may also buy from among the strangers who sojourn with you and their clans that are with you, who have been born in your land, and they may be your property.

Leviticus 25:45 nlt

You may also purchase the children of temporary residents who live among you, including those who have been born in your land. You may treat them as your property,

Leviticus 25 verses

Leviticus 25 45 Meaning

Leviticus 25:45 details a specific allowance for Israelites to acquire perpetual bondservants from among the non-Israelite resident foreigners and their families who were born in the land. Unlike Hebrew servants whose terms of service were limited by the Sabbath year or the Year of Jubilee, these foreign individuals and their descendants could become permanent family possessions, indicating a form of inherited and perpetual servitude within the Israelite household, though still governed by God's protective laws for such laborers.

Leviticus 25 45 Context

Leviticus chapter 25 provides laws for the Sabbath year and the Year of Jubilee, structuring the socio-economic life of Israel around principles of resting the land, releasing debts, and returning ancestral land to its original families every fifty years. These laws aimed to prevent extreme poverty and permanent land alienation among Israelites, ensuring a cycle of economic reset.

Verse 45 falls within a specific section (25:39-55) dealing with servitude. This passage differentiates between two types of service: that of a poor Israelite "brother" who temporarily sells himself for debt or need (25:39-43) and that of non-Israelite foreigners. For the Israelite, servitude was limited and they were explicitly not to be treated as "bondservants" (עֶבֶד, `eved), implying a harsher, more permanent status, but as "hired workers" or "sojourners." They would go free at the Jubilee. Conversely, verses 44-46 outline that Israelites could acquire bondservants from surrounding nations or from foreigners resident within their land, and these individuals, along with their offspring, could be held as permanent possessions, signifying a distinct and perpetual form of servitude permitted under Mosaic Law for non-Israelites. This context is vital to understand that the laws pertaining to Israelites did not apply equally to resident foreigners, reflecting Israel's unique covenant relationship with God as His chosen people, distinct from the surrounding nations.

Leviticus 25 45 Word analysis

• Moreover: Connects this specific provision to the broader regulations regarding land and servitude, highlighting a distinct class of people subject to different rules.
• of the children (מִבְּנֵי, mib'nei): Lit. "from the sons of." Indicates descendants or members of the group.
• of the strangers (הַגֵּרִים, haggerim): Refers to settled foreigners, resident aliens, or sojourners living among the Israelites, distinct from visiting travelers. They were not Israelites by birth but had taken up long-term residence. Their status was often vulnerable as they did not inherit land.
• who sojourn (הַתּוֹשָׁבִים, hattoshavim): Emphasizes their residential status; they are "dwellers" or "inhabitants," reinforcing that they are established within Israelite territory, not just passing through.
• among you (אִתְּכֶם, itkhem): Denotes their presence within Israelite society and land.
• of them you may buy (מֵהֶם תִּקְנוּ, mehem tiknu): qanah (קָנָה) means "to acquire," "purchase." This indicates a legal transaction for service. It explicitly prohibits man-stealing (Exod 21:16, Deut 24:7) but allows for acquisition, likely through economic necessity where individuals or families sold themselves into servitude to repay debt or survive, a common ANE practice that Israelite law sought to regulate.
• and of their families (וּמִמִּשְׁפַּחֹתָם, umimmishpachotam): Refers to their extended household or kindred, broadening the scope beyond just individuals to include entire familial units.
• who are with you (אֲשֶׁר אִתְּכֶם, asher itkhem): Again highlights their embedded presence within the Israelite community.
• which they begat (אֲשֶׁר הוֹלִידוּ, asher holidu): Pertains to those born into these foreign families while residing in the land.
• in your land (בְּאַרְצְכֶם, b'artzchem): Confirms that even foreign children born on Israelite soil did not automatically gain the status of an Israelite and remained subject to the regulations pertaining to their parents' origin.
• and these may be your possession (וְהָיוּ לָכֶם לַאֲחֻזָּה, v'hayu lakhem la'achuzzah): achuzzah (אֲחֻזָּה) primarily refers to an inherited landed estate or permanent possession. Here, its application to people signifies that these acquired foreign individuals and their offspring could be held in permanent, hereditary service within an Israelite household, contrasting sharply with the temporary nature of Israelite servitude. This established them as perpetual bondservants, integral to the family's labor force and estate, passing from generation to generation. It denotes legal ownership of their service rather than chattel status implying absence of human rights.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Moreover, of the children of the strangers who sojourn among you...": This phrase clearly identifies the specific population group being discussed: foreign residents who are not full members of the Israelite community, distinguishing them from the "brother" Israelites mentioned in previous verses. Their "sojourning" implies an established, yet not fully integrated, status.
• "...of them you may buy, and of their families who are with you, which they begat in your land...": This elaborates on the source of these bondservants, clarifying that they could be acquired from existing foreign families and would include those born within the land, solidifying a multi-generational possibility for this servitude. The "buying" suggests a legal transaction, contrasting with forcible enslavement.
• "...and these may be your possession.": This is the culminating statement, explicitly declaring that these acquired foreigners could be held as a permanent asset or inheritance, distinct from any form of temporary servitude within the Mosaic Law. It underscores the perpetual nature of their service within the Israelite household, forming part of the family's 'holdings' that could be passed down through generations.

Leviticus 25 45 Bonus section

The distinction between the "stranger who sojourns among you" (ger toshav) and a passing foreigner (nochri) is important. The ger toshav was a resident alien, committed to living within Israelite society, usually observing some basic ethical and moral codes of the land, though not necessarily becoming a proselyte. This distinct category indicates that their permanent servitude was part of Israel's strategy for managing its diverse population, providing a structured place for these foreigners within the socio-economic framework, distinct from fully-covenanted Israelites.

The "perpetual possession" aspect, while sounding harsh, ensured stability for the household and for the bondservant. They became a fixed part of the extended family unit, likely cared for in old age or infirmity, not merely discarded when unproductive, as often happened with other forms of forced labor. This framework, imperfect from a post-Christ perspective, provided a regulated context for the social reality of servitude prevalent in the ancient world, mitigating the worst abuses seen elsewhere.

Leviticus 25 45 Commentary

Leviticus 25:45 outlines a distinct legal provision within Israel's social structure for managing foreign residents and their labor. This verse, read alongside 25:39-43, highlights God's particular covenant relationship with Israel by establishing a differentiated status for Israelites and non-Israelites regarding terms of servitude. While Israelites who became impoverished could only sell themselves into temporary service until the Jubilee or a maximum of six years, foreigners could be acquired as "perpetual bondservants" and be considered part of an Israelite household's permanent "possession" (like land or other assets).

This provision reflects the ancient Near Eastern context where various forms of servitude were commonplace, often for debt or poverty. However, Israel's laws were unique in regulating and significantly limiting the conditions, especially for their own people, and also placing protective measures on foreign bondservants (e.g., Exod 21:20-21 protecting against fatal abuse, Deut 23:15-16 regarding runaway bondservants). The term "possession" should be understood as ownership of service and labor, not as the complete dehumanization or chattel status associated with later forms of racial slavery. These individuals, though in perpetual servitude, were still part of a household, with opportunities for religious integration and some legal protections.

The ethical tension from a modern perspective is profound. It's crucial to understand this law within the trajectory of God's redemptive plan. The Mosaic Law regulated sin and mitigated its consequences in a fallen world, establishing an ordered society for God's chosen people, not necessarily providing universal moral absolutes for all time. The New Testament, culminating in Christ, elevates human dignity, promotes radical love (Gal 3:28), and encourages transforming master-servant relationships into brotherly ones (Philem 1:16). While the Bible records and regulates this institution, it also plants seeds for its eventual ethical abolition as societies embrace the gospel's full implications of equality in Christ. This verse reminds us that the Lord is the ultimate owner of all (Ps 24:1) and His perfect freedom comes through relationship with Him, which eventually impacts earthly relationships and systems.