Leviticus 25 53

Leviticus 25:53 kjv

And as a yearly hired servant shall he be with him: and the other shall not rule with rigor over him in thy sight.

Leviticus 25:53 nkjv

He shall be with him as a yearly hired servant, and he shall not rule with rigor over him in your sight.

Leviticus 25:53 niv

They are to be treated as workers hired from year to year; you must see to it that those to whom they owe service do not rule over them ruthlessly.

Leviticus 25:53 esv

He shall treat him as a worker hired year by year. He shall not rule ruthlessly over him in your sight.

Leviticus 25:53 nlt

The foreigner must treat them as workers hired on a yearly basis. You must not allow a foreigner to treat any of your fellow Israelites harshly.

Leviticus 25 verses

Leviticus 25 53 Meaning

Leviticus 25:53 specifies the proper treatment of an Israelite who has fallen into debt and become an indentured servant. It mandates that such a person must be treated like a yearly hired worker, implying a temporary and compensated employment relationship, not chattel slavery. Furthermore, the master is strictly prohibited from ruling over them with harshness or oppression, especially not openly, reflecting a standard of humane conduct rooted in God's law and Israel's own history of bondage.

Leviticus 25 53 Context

Leviticus chapter 25 provides an elaborate set of laws governing the Sabbath year and the Jubilee year, emphasizing God's ownership of the land and the people of Israel. These laws are foundational to Israel's social and economic justice system, designed to prevent perpetual poverty, land accumulation, and the emergence of a permanent slave class among Israelites. Verses 39-55 specifically address the redemption of fellow Israelites who have become impoverished and sold themselves into temporary servitude to another Israelite, or even to a foreign resident. This verse (53) reiterates the humane principles guiding such servitude: it must resemble paid, temporary employment, not harsh oppression. The entire framework aims to prevent Israel from forgetting their own past as slaves in Egypt and to uphold the dignity of every member of God's covenant people, always pointing to ultimate freedom in the Jubilee.

Leviticus 25 53 Word analysis

• Like a yearly hired servant (כשׂכיר שנה - kiśkhîr šānâ)

  • כשׂכיר (kiśkhîr): Combines the prefix ki- (like, as) with śākîr (hired worker, mercenary, wage-earner). This highlights a relationship of contract or temporary employment, distinguishing it sharply from chattel slavery where a person is owned as property. It suggests that service is for a specified duration and for a wage, though in this debt-servitude context, the 'wage' might be the principal amount of the debt itself, or daily upkeep.
  • שנה (šānâ): Year. Specifies the duration—a yearly basis or for a fixed period measured in years (leading up to Jubilee), unlike perpetual servitude. It signifies an endpoint to the arrangement.
  • Significance: This phrasing protects the servant's human dignity and prevents indefinite exploitation. It mandates that their labor should be accounted for as valuable, time-limited work, rather than an owning relationship.

• shall he be with him (יהיה עמו - yihyeh 'immō)

  • יהיה (yihyeh): From hāyâ, meaning 'to be,' 'to exist.' A simple statement of being or relationship.
  • עמו ('immō): With him. This preposition indicates companionship or presence, rather than total subjugation or mere possession. It suggests the servant is still a member of the community, associating with the master, rather than an utterly degraded possession.
  • Significance: Emphasizes a social interaction, maintaining a relational aspect rather than an objectifying one. It implies recognition of their personhood.

• and he shall not rule with rigor over him (לא ירדנו בפרך - lō'-yirdehennû bəferekh)

  • לא (lō'): Not. A direct and absolute prohibition.
  • ירדנו (yirdehennû): From rāḏâ, meaning 'to rule,' 'to have dominion over,' 'to subjugate.' While it can describe legitimate dominion (Gen 1:28), when coupled with bəferekh, it carries the strong negative connotation of oppressive and harsh rule.
  • בפרך (bəferekh): With rigor, with harshness, severely, brutally, cruelly. This is the very word used in Exodus 1:13-14 to describe the Egyptians' brutal and oppressive treatment of the Israelites during their bondage.
  • Significance: This is a direct biblical injunction against inhumane treatment, directly referencing Israel's own historical trauma. It ensures that no Israelite should impose the very cruelty upon their brother that their ancestors suffered. It safeguards against abuse of power.

• in your sight (לעיניך - lə'ênekā)

  • לעיניך (lə'ênekā): From la-'ayin, meaning 'in the eyes of,' 'before the eyes of,' 'in the presence of.' The suffix -kā indicates 'your.'
  • Significance: This phrase carries several layers of meaning. It means "visibly" or "openly," prohibiting public acts of abuse and implying accountability before the community. The master's conduct is to be observed. It also can imply "in your own judgment" or "in your own view," challenging the master's personal morality and the values they hold. Given the previous prohibition against oppression, it most directly refers to the public scrutiny of humane conduct. The community and ultimately God, see.

Leviticus 25 53 Bonus section

• The underlying theological principle for these laws on humane treatment of servants is often found in the phrase "fear your God" (Lev 25:43). This elevates the issue beyond mere social ethics to a matter of reverence and obedience to God Himself, who observes all actions.
• The Israelite "slavery" described here (indentured servitude) was not race-based or permanent like later forms of chattel slavery, nor was it hereditary. It was a welfare system and a means of debt resolution, always with the prospect of release and restoration of land and freedom through the Sabbath year, the Jubilee, or a kinsman's redemption.
• The concept of redemption (the go'el) pervasive in Leviticus 25 foreshadows the ultimate redemptive work of Christ. Just as a relative could buy back a person from servitude, Jesus Christ, our divine Kinsman-Redeemer, redeems us from the slavery of sin.
• The emphasis on fair treatment of laborers, as seen here and in Deut 24:14-15 (timely payment), aligns with God's broader concern for economic justice and protection of the vulnerable throughout the Old Testament and resonates with New Testament teachings on equitable relationships between masters and servants.

Leviticus 25 53 Commentary

Leviticus 25:53 is a pivotal verse within the Jubilee laws, showcasing the distinct nature of Israelite indentured servitude compared to pagan slavery. It underscores a fundamental principle: fellow Israelites, even when in debt-servitude, retained their inherent dignity as covenant people of God. They were never to be reduced to mere property. The command to treat them "like a yearly hired servant" sets a fixed term and implicitly acknowledges their right to eventually regain full economic independence. The strong prohibition against ruling "with rigor" directly harks back to Israel's bitter experience of Egyptian bondage, serving as a powerful moral injunction against inflicting similar cruelty upon others. The added phrase "in your sight" makes the treatment a matter of public accountability and personal conscience, deterring any hidden or overt cruelty. This law ultimately reflects God's justice, mercy, and ownership of His people, dictating humane treatment born out of love for neighbor and reverence for the Most High.