Focused Passage

Leviticus 25:39-43

Sabbath for the Land, Jubilee Release, and the LORD's Ownership of Israel

The LORD speaks to Moses at Mount Sinai and commands that the land itself must observe a Sabbath to the LORD every seventh year. After seven Sabbath years, the fiftieth year is consecrated as Jubilee, announced with the trumpet on the Day of Atonement. Property is returned, liberty is proclaimed, and economic transactions are governed by the number of harvest years remaining until Jubilee. The chapter then provides laws for trusting the LORD's provision during the Sabbath year, redeeming land, selling houses, protecting Levitical towns, helping poor Israelites, prohibiting interest exploitation, regulating Israelite servitude, and redeeming Israelites sold to resident foreigners. The chapter closes by grounding everything in the exodus: Israelites belong to the LORD as His servants.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

39If a countryman among you becomes destitute and sells himself to you, then you must not force him into slave labor.

40Let him stay with you as a hired worker or temporary resident; he is to work for you until the Year of Jubilee.

41Then he and his children are to be released, and he may return to his clan and to the property of his fathers.

42Because the Israelites are My servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt, they are not to be sold as slaves.

43You are not to rule over them harshly, but you shall fear your God.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 39

Cross-references

Exodus 21:2Classic cross-references Matthew 18:25Classic cross-references 1 Kings 9:22Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 15:12Classic cross-references Nehemiah 5:5Classic cross-references

Original words

Ifוְכִֽי־H3588Conjunctiona countrymanאָחִ֛יךָH251Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularamong youעִמָּ֖ךְH5973Preposition | second person feminine singularbecomes destituteיָמ֥וּךְH4134Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularand sells himselfוְנִמְכַּר־H4376Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularto youלָ֑ךְPreposition | second person feminine singularthen you must notלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particleforce himתַעֲבֹ֥דH5647Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularintoבּ֖וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularslaveעָֽבֶד׃H5650Noun - masculine singularlaborעֲבֹ֥דַתH5656Noun - feminine singular construct

Verse 40

Cross-references

Exodus 21:2Classic cross-references Exodus 21:6Classic cross-references

Original words

Let him stayיִהְיֶ֣הH1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularwith youעִמָּ֑ךְH5973Preposition | second person feminine singularas a hired workerכְּשָׂכִ֥ירH7916Preposition-k | Adjective - masculine singularor temporary residentכְּתוֹשָׁ֖בH8453Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singularhe is to workיַעֲבֹ֥דH5647Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularforעִמָּֽךְ׃H5973Preposition | second person feminine singularyou untilעַד־H5704Prepositionthe Yearשְׁנַ֥תH8141Noun - feminine singular constructof Jubileeהַיֹּבֵ֖לH3104Article | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 41

Cross-references

Leviticus 25:28Classic cross-references Exodus 21:3Classic cross-references

Original words

Then heה֖וּאH1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularand his childrenוּבָנָ֣יוH1121Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular. . .עִמּ֑וֹH5973Preposition | third person masculine singularare to be releasedוְיָצָא֙H3318Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular-מֵֽעִמָּ֔ךְH5973Preposition-m | second person feminine singularand he may returnוְשָׁב֙H7725Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionhis clanמִשְׁפַּחְתּ֔וֹH4940Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularand toוְאֶל־H413Conjunctive waw | Preposition. . .יָשֽׁוּב׃H7725Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularthe propertyאֲחֻזַּ֥תH272Noun - feminine singular constructof his fathersאֲבֹתָ֖יוH1Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular

Verse 42

Cross-references

1 Corinthians 7:23Classic cross-references Leviticus 25:55Classic cross-references Romans 6:22Classic cross-references Isaiah 41:8Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 7:21Classic cross-references

Original words

Becauseכִּֽי־H3588Conjunction[the Israelites are]הֵ֔םH1992Pronoun - third person masculine pluralMy servantsעֲבָדַ֣יH5650Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singularwhomאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeI broughtהוֹצֵ֥אתִיH3318Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular-אֹתָ֖םH853Direct object marker | third person masculine pluralout of the landמֵאֶ֣רֶץH776Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular constructof Egyptמִצְרָ֑יִםH4714Noun - proper - feminine singularthey are notלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particleto be soldיִמָּכְר֖וּH4376Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural. . .מִמְכֶּ֥רֶתH4466Noun - feminine singular constructas slavesעָֽבֶד׃H5650Noun - masculine singular

Verse 43

Cross-references

Genesis 42:18Classic cross-references Colossians 4:1Classic cross-references Leviticus 25:17Classic cross-references Exodus 1:13Classic cross-references Leviticus 25:46Classic cross-references

Original words

You are notלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particleto ruleתִרְדֶּ֥הH7287Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularover themב֖וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularharshlyבְּפָ֑רֶךְH6531Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singularbut you shall fearוְיָרֵ֖אתָH3372Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularyour Godמֵאֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃H430Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular

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