Leviticus 25 48

Leviticus 25:48 kjv

After that he is sold he may be redeemed again; one of his brethren may redeem him:

Leviticus 25:48 nkjv

after he is sold he may be redeemed again. One of his brothers may redeem him;

Leviticus 25:48 niv

they retain the right of redemption after they have sold themselves. One of their relatives may redeem them:

Leviticus 25:48 esv

then after he is sold he may be redeemed. One of his brothers may redeem him,

Leviticus 25:48 nlt

they still retain the right to be bought back, even after they have been purchased. They may be bought back by a brother,

Leviticus 25 verses

Leviticus 25 48 Meaning

Leviticus 25:48 explains that if an Israelite sells himself into servitude to a foreigner or resident alien due to poverty, he retains the inherent right to be redeemed. This means he can be bought back to freedom, and importantly, one of his close relatives has the duty or privilege to pay the price for his release. This provision ensured that no Israelite would remain perpetually bound, upholding the principle of temporary servitude and the ultimate ownership of all Israelites by the God of Israel.

Leviticus 25 48 Context

Leviticus chapter 25 details God's laws concerning the Sabbatical Year (every seventh year, land lies fallow, debts forgiven) and, uniquely, the Year of Jubilee (every fiftieth year, land returns to original families, all Israelites in servitude are set free). These laws underscore the foundational theological principle that the land and the people of Israel ultimately belong to the Lord (Lev 25:23, 25:55). The regulations in this chapter are designed to prevent the permanent impoverishment or enslavement of any Israelite, ensuring a system of economic and social recovery. Verse 48 specifically addresses the situation where an Israelite, facing severe economic hardship, is forced to sell himself into servitude, not to another Israelite (who would be released in the seventh year or Jubilee anyway), but to a foreign resident (ger or toshav), whose customs or laws might not align with Israel's principles of release. This provision guarantees that even under such circumstances, an Israelite's connection to their community and their ultimate freedom remains a paramount concern, reflecting God's unique covenant relationship with His people and countering the permanent enslavement practices of surrounding ancient Near Eastern cultures.

Leviticus 25 48 Word analysis

• after that he is sold:
  • Original: ki yimāḵer (כִּי־יִמָּכֵר) – "when he is sold."
  • Significance: This implies a voluntary act of selling oneself into servitude due to extreme poverty (cf. Lev 25:39). It's not permanent chattel slavery but temporary indentured service. The act of "selling" often means "being given into servitude." It underscores the economic desperation of the individual.
• he may be redeemed again;:
  • Original: ge'ullāh lo (גְּאֻלָּה לוֹ) – "redemption for him." The word ge'ullāh refers to the act of redemption, recovery, or purchase back.
  • Significance: This phrase highlights the inherent right of the individual. Even when "sold," their status as an Israelite, and thus as God's servant (Lev 25:55), ensures that their servitude is temporary and conditional, never permanent. "Redeemed" here means to buy back, often for a price.
• one of his brethren:
  • Original: me'eḥāyw (מֵאֶחָיו) – "from his brothers" or "from his kin."
  • Significance: This specifies who bears the responsibility or has the privilege of redemption. "Brethren" refers to close relatives within the same family or clan. This underscores the communal responsibility and the importance of family ties within Israelite society. It’s a mechanism for preventing any Israelite from being lost to their community.
• may redeem him,:
  • Original: yiḡ'āl (יִגְאַל) – "he shall redeem," or "he may redeem." This verb form is connected to go'el (גֹּאֵל), the kinsman-redeemer.
  • Significance: The go'el was a close family member (next of kin) who had certain obligations, including redeeming family land, avenging a family member's death, and here, redeeming a family member from servitude. This individual paid the required price to restore the enslaved person to freedom. This act of redemption is both a legal right and a communal duty, reflecting God's care for social justice and maintaining the integrity of the Israelite community.

Leviticus 25 48 Bonus section

The specific focus on an Israelite selling himself to a foreigner (not another Israelite) highlights a greater vulnerability. While an Israelite master was bound by the seven-year release laws and the Jubilee, a foreign master might not acknowledge these traditions for his Israelite servants, hence the crucial provision for familial redemption. The redemption price mentioned in the surrounding verses (Lev 25:50-52) was prorated based on the years remaining until the next Jubilee, affirming that ultimately, freedom for all Israelites would arrive with the Jubilee, regardless of whether a kinsman redeemed them earlier. This divine timetable further emphasized that Israel and its people belonged solely to the Lord and would not remain enslaved indefinitely.

Leviticus 25 48 Commentary

Leviticus 25:48 provides a vital legal safeguard, preventing the permanent loss of freedom for any Israelite who falls into servitude to a foreigner due to destitution. The core concept here is ge'ullah (redemption) carried out by a go'el (kinsman-redeemer). This system demonstrates God's profound commitment to His covenant people, ensuring their ultimate liberty and preventing assimilation into foreign societies. Even in extreme poverty, an Israelite retains the fundamental right to return to their familial land and social status. The requirement for a kinsman to initiate this redemption highlights the importance of communal and familial responsibility in supporting the vulnerable. This divine mandate also serves as a poignant shadow of a greater spiritual reality: humanity, once enslaved to sin, requires a Divine Kinsman-Redeemer, Jesus Christ, to pay the ultimate price for our redemption and restore us to freedom and sonship with God (as seen in the New Testament). It underscores that true freedom, both temporal and spiritual, always comes at a price, often paid by another.