Leviticus 25:42

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

For they [are] my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen.

Complete Jewish Bible:

For they are my slaves, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; therefore they are not to be sold as slaves.

Berean Standard Bible:

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

American Standard Version:

For they are my servants, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

For they are my servants^{H5650}, which I brought forth^{H3318} out of the land^{H776} of Egypt^{H4714}: they shall not be sold^{H4376} as^{H4466} bondmen^{H5650}.

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Commentary for Leviticus 25:42

Leviticus 25:42 is part of a larger section in the book of Leviticus that deals with the Year of Jubilee, a sacred time every fifty years when debts were to be forgiven, and land and people that had been sold returned to their original ownership and freedom. The verse specifically addresses the status of the Israelites as servants of God, emphasizing that they are not to be treated as ordinary slaves or bondmen because God had delivered them from slavery in Egypt. This reflects the broader theme of redemption and freedom that is central to the identity of the Israelites as a people chosen and liberated by God.

The historical context of this verse is the covenantal law given to the Israelites after their exodus from Egypt. The laws in Leviticus were designed to shape the social, religious, and economic life of the Israelite community, ensuring that they lived in a way that was distinct from the surrounding nations. By forbidding the permanent sale of fellow Israelites into bondage, this verse underscores the inherent dignity of every Israelite and the community's responsibility to reflect God's justice and compassion in their social structures. It also served to prevent the development of a permanent underclass within Israelite society, reinforcing the idea that all members were part of a holy nation, bound by their shared liberation and covenant with God.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H5650
   There are 714 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עֶבֶד
   Transliteration: ʻebed
   Pronunciation: eh'-bed
   Description: from עָבַד; a servant; [idiom] bondage, bondman, (bond-) servant, (man-) servant.
   
2. Strong's Number: H3318
   There are 992 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יָצָא
   Transliteration: yâtsâʼ
   Pronunciation: yaw-tsaw'
   Description: a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.; [idiom] after, appear, [idiom] assuredly, bear out, [idiom] begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), [phrase] be condemned, depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence, out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out), going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out, lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, [idiom] scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring out, stand out, [idiom] still, [idiom] surely, take forth (out), at any time, [idiom] to (and fro), utter.
   
3. Strong's Number: H776
   There are 2739 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אֶרֶץ
   Transliteration: ʼerets
   Pronunciation: eh'-rets
   Description: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land); [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.
   
4. Strong's Number: H4714
   There are 602 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מִצְרַיִם
   Transliteration: Mitsrayim
   Pronunciation: mits-rah'-yim
   Description: dual of מָצוֹר; Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt; Egypt, Egyptians, Mizraim.
   
5. Strong's Number: H4376
   There are 74 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מָכַר
   Transliteration: mâkar
   Pronunciation: maw-kar'
   Description: a primitive root; to sell, literally (as merchandise, a daughter in marriage, into slavery), or figuratively (to surrender); [idiom] at all, sell (away, -er, self).
   
6. Strong's Number: H4466
   There are 1 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מִמְכֶּרֶת
   Transliteration: mimkereth
   Pronunciation: mim-keh'-reth
   Description: feminine of מִמְכָּר; a sale; [phrase] sold as.