Leviticus 25:47 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 25:47 mean?

Leviticus 25:47 describes a situation where an Israelite becomes poor and sells himself as a servant to a foreigner or a temporary resident who has become wealthy while living among the Israelites. The verse sets up the rules for what happens when an Israelite must work for someone outside his own people due to poverty.

In this part of Leviticus, God is giving instructions to Moses for the Israelites about how to treat each other, especially regarding poverty and servitude. The verse specifically addresses cases where a fellow Israelite ("thy brother") falls into hardship and must sell himself to a "sojourner" (a long-term resident foreigner) or "stranger" (a temporary outsider) who has prospered. This sets the stage for the following verses, which explain how the Israelite can be redeemed or bought back from this situation.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 25:47

• גֵּר (ger, H1616, "sojourner"): This word refers to a foreigner who lives among the Israelites, not just passing through but residing in the land. The use of "ger" highlights that even non-Israelites could become wealthy and have Israelites serve them.
• תּוֹשָׁב (toshav, H8453, "stranger"): This term is often understood as a temporary resident or someone who is not fully integrated into the community. The distinction between "ger" and "toshav" shows different kinds of outsiders.
• הֶחֱזִיק (hecheziq, H5381, "wax rich"): This verb means to become strong or gain wealth. It points out that outsiders could prosper economically among the Israelites, which was not always assumed.
• מָכַר (makhar, H4376, "sell"): This word means to sell oneself into servitude, not slavery as in permanent ownership, but as a way to pay debts or survive poverty.
• מִשְׁפַּחַת (mishpachat, H4940, "family"): This word means family or clan, so the verse covers not just the individual foreigner but also their household or extended group.

Why Leviticus 25:47 matters

• Leviticus 25:47 clarifies that Israelites could fall into such poverty that they might have to serve foreigners, not just fellow Israelites, which would have been a sensitive issue in ancient Israel.
• The verse sets up the laws of redemption that follow, showing that even when an Israelite serves a foreigner, there are protections and a path for restoration.
• By naming both "sojourner" and "stranger," the verse emphasizes that God's laws about compassion and fair treatment applied regardless of the outsider's status, highlighting the social realities and boundaries in ancient Israel.