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.
LEVITICUS 25:46KJVWhat does Leviticus 25:46 mean?
Leviticus 25:46 states that Israelites could pass down foreign servants as an inheritance to their children, keeping them as permanent servants, but they were not to treat fellow Israelites harshly or rule over them with severity. The verse draws a clear line between how Israelites were to treat foreigners versus their own people in matters of servitude.
In this passage, God is speaking to the Israelites through Moses, giving instructions about the treatment of servants during the time when Israel was to live in the Promised Land. The context is the laws of the Jubilee year, which included rules about freeing Israelite servants but allowed foreign servants to be kept as property and passed down to descendants. The verse emphasizes a distinction in social status and treatment between Israelites and non-Israelites.
The Hebrew behind Leviticus 25:46
- "Inheritance" (נַחֲלָה, nachalah): This word means something received as a possession from a previous generation. Here, it highlights that foreign servants could be legally passed down like property.
- "Bondmen" (עֶבֶד, eved): This term refers to a servant or slave. The use here underlines the permanent status of these servants, in contrast to Israelite servants who were to be released.
- "Rigour" (פֶּרֶךְ, perek): This word means harshness or severity. The command not to rule over fellow Israelites with "rigour" stresses the importance of humane treatment among the people of Israel.
Why Leviticus 25:46 matters
- Leviticus 25:46 clarifies that the laws about servitude in ancient Israel made a distinction between Israelites and foreigners, which shaped social and economic relationships in that society.
- The verse highlights the value placed on kinship among Israelites, insisting on fair and gentle treatment of fellow countrymen, especially in contrast to the treatment of foreigners.
- Understanding this verse helps explain the broader context of the Jubilee laws, which were designed to prevent permanent poverty and oppression among Israelites, while still permitting a different standard for outsiders.