King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
Thou shalt not rule over him with rigour; but shalt fear thy God.
Complete Jewish Bible:
Do not treat him harshly, but fear your God.
Berean Standard Bible:
You are not to rule over them harshly, but you shall fear your God.
American Standard Version:
Thou shalt not rule over him with rigor, but shalt fear thy God.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
Thou shalt not rule{H7287} over him with rigour{H6531}; but shalt fear{H3372} thy God{H430}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Colossians 4:1
- ¶ Masters, give unto [your] servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.
Leviticus 25:17
- Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I [am] the LORD your God.
Exodus 1:13
- And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour:
Exodus 1:14
- And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, [was] with rigour.
Leviticus 25:46
- And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit [them for] a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever: but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with rigour.
Ephesians 6:9
- And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.
Leviticus 25:53
- [And] as a yearly hired servant shall he be with him: [and the other] shall not rule with rigour over him in thy sight.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Leviticus 25:43
1. Themes:
- Compassionate Treatment: Leviticus 25:43 emphasizes the importance of treating servants or slaves with fairness and kindness, rather than with harshness or cruelty.
- Divine Accountability: The verse underscores the belief that one's actions towards others are observed by God, and that there is a moral and spiritual obligation to act justly because of this divine oversight.
- Social Responsibility: It reflects the idea that within the community, there is a responsibility to ensure that the vulnerable are protected and that power dynamics are regulated by ethical considerations.
2. Historical Context:
- The verse is part of the Holiness Code in the Book of Leviticus, which contains laws and moral instructions given to the Israelites after their Exodus from Egypt.
- The context is the Year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25), a sabbatical year that occurred every fifty years, in which slaves were to be freed, debts were to be forgiven, and land that had been sold was to be returned to its original owners.
- The laws were designed to prevent the development of a permanent underclass and to remind the Israelites of their own experience of oppression in Egypt, thus fostering a society marked by empathy and justice.
- The regulations were also meant to reflect the character of God, who delivered Israel from bondage and expected His people to treat others with mercy and fairness.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H7287
There are 25 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רָדָה
Transliteration: râdâh
Pronunciation: raw-daw'
Description: a primitive root; to tread down, i.e. subjugate; specifically, to crumble off; (come to, make to) have dominion, prevail against, reign, (bear, make to) rule,(-r, over), take. - Strong's Number: H6531
There are 6 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: פֶּרֶךְ
Transliteration: perek
Pronunciation: peh'-rek
Description: from an unused root meaning to break apart; fracture, i.e. severity; cruelty, rigour. - Strong's Number: H3372
There are 305 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָרֵא
Transliteration: yârêʼ
Pronunciation: yaw-ray'
Description: a primitive root; to fear; morally, to revere; caus. to frighten; affright, be (make) afraid, dread(-ful), (put in) fear(-ful, -fully, -ing), (be had in) reverence(-end), [idiom] see, terrible (act, -ness, thing). - Strong's Number: H430
There are 2334 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֱלֹהִים
Transliteration: ʼĕlôhîym
Pronunciation: el-o-heem'
Description: plural of אֱלוֹהַּ; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative; angels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.