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If your brother has grown poor with you, and sell himself to you; you shall not make him to serve as a bond-servant.
Verse Takeaways
1
Dignity in Desperation
Commentators emphasize that when an Israelite sold himself due to poverty, he was not to be treated like a foreign slave. He was still a 'brother' and was to be spared degrading tasks, such as attending his master at the bath or undoing his sandals. This law protected the inherent dignity of the person even in a state of servitude.
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Book Overview
Leviticus
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5
18th Century
Presbyterian
The law here appears harmoniously to supplement the earlier one in Exodus 21:1-6. It was another check applied periodically to the tyranny of the r…
19th Century
Anglican
And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor. — Better, And if your brother becomes poor near you, that is, after suppo…
16th Century
Protestant
And if thy brother. He now proceeds further, that is, that one who has bought his brother should treat him with humanity, and not otherwis…
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17th Century
Reformed Baptist
And if your brother [that dwells] by you become poor The above laws and instructions seem designed to prevent such extrem…
A native Israelite, if sold for debt or for a crime, was to serve only six years and to go out free in the seventh. If he sold himself because of p…
