Charles Ellicott Commentary Leviticus 25:39

"And if thy brother be waxed poor with thee, and sell himself unto thee; thou shalt not make him to serve as a bond-servant." — Leviticus 25:39 (ASV)

And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor. — Better, And if your brother becomes poor near you, that is, after supporting his tottering hand, as prescribed in Leviticus 25:35-38, and making all the charitable efforts to help him, they fail, and he still finds himself in extreme poverty, and unable to obtain a livelihood.

And be sold unto thee. — An Israelite could only bring about the voluntary disposal of his own liberty for money due to the duress of poverty.

Thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant. — Under these circumstances he is not to be treated like Gentile slaves who are either purchased or captured, and made to do the menial service which these Gentile slaves have to perform. The authorities during the Second Temple period cite the following as degrading work which an Israelite bondservant should not be made to do: He must not attend his master at his bath, nor tie up or undo the straps of his sandals, etc.