LEV 25

Leviticus 25:50

WEB

He shall reckon with him who bought him from the year that he sold himself to him to the Year of Jubilee. The price of his sale shall be according to the number of years; he shall be with him according to the time of a hired servant.

BSB

He and his purchaser will then count the time from the year he sold himself up to the Year of Jubilee. The price of his sale will be determined by the number of years, based on the daily wages of a hired hand.

KJV

And he shall reckon with him that bought him from the year that he was sold to him unto the year of jubile: and the price of his sale shall be according unto the number of years, according to the time of an hired servant shall it be with him.

Matthew Henry

Verses 39–55

Leviticus 25:39–55

We have here the laws concerning servitude, designed to preserve the honour of the Jewish nation as a free people, and rescued by a divine power out of the house of bondage, into the glorious liberty of God's sons, his first-born. Now the law is,

I. That a native Israelite should never be made a bondman for perpetuity. If he was sold for debt, or for a crime, by the house of judgment, he was to serve but six years, and to go out the seventh; this was appointed, Exo 21:2. But if he sold himself through extreme poverty, having nothing at all left him to preserve his life, and if it was to one of his own nation that he sold himself, in such a case it is here provided, 1. That he should not serve as a bond-servant (Lev 25:39), nor be sold with the sale of a bondman (Lev 25:42); that is, "it must not be looked upon that his master that bought him had as absolute a property in him as in a captive taken in war, that might be used, sold, and bequeathed, at pleasure, as much as a man's cattle; no, he shall serve thee as a hired servant, whom the master has the use of only, but not a despotic power over." And the reason is, They are my servants, Lev 25:42. God does not make his servants slaves, and therefore their brethren must not. God had redeemed them out of Egypt, and therefore they must never be exposed to sale as bondmen. The apostle applies this spiritually (Co1 7:23), You are bought with a price, be not the servants of men, that is, "of the lusts of men, no, nor of your own lusts;" for, having become the servants of God, we must not let sin reign in our mortal bodies, Rom 6:12, Rom 6:22. 2. That while he did serve he should not be ruled with rigour, as the Israelites were in Egypt, Lev 25:43. Both his work and his usage must be such as were fitting for a son of Abraham. Masters are still required to give to their servants that which is just and equal, Col 4:1. They may be used, but must not be abused. Those masters that are always hectoring and domineering over their servants, taunting them and trampling upon them, that are unreasonable in exacting work and giving rebukes, and that rule them with a high hand, forget that their Master is in heaven; and what will they do when he rises up? as holy Job reasons with himself, Job 31:13, Job 31:14. 3. That at the year of jubilee he should go out free, he and his children, and should return to his own family, Lev 25:41. This typified our redemption from the service of sin and Satan by the grace of God in Christ, whose truth makes us free, Joh 7:32. The Jewish writers say that, for ten days before the jubilee-trumpet sounded, the servants that were to be discharged by it did express their great joy by feasting, and wearing garlands on their heads: it is therefore called the joyful sound, Psa 89:15. And we are thus to rejoice in the liberty we have by Christ.

II. That they might purchase bondmen of the heathen nations that were round about them, or of those strangers that sojourned among them (except of those seven nations that were to be destroyed); and might claim a dominion over them, and entail them upon their families as an inheritance, for the year of jubilee should give no discharge to them, Lev 25:44, Lev 25:46. Thus in our English plantations the negroes only are used as slaves; how much to the credit of Christianity I shall not say. Now, 1. This authority which they had over the bondmen whom they purchased from the neighbouring nations was in pursuance of the blessing of Jacob, Gen 27:29, Let people serve thee. 2. It prefigured the bringing in of the Gentiles to the service of Christ and his church. Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thy inheritance, Psa 2:8. And it is promised (Isa 61:5), Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your vine-dressers; see Rev 2:26, Rev 2:27. The upright shall have the dominion in the morning, Psa 49:14. 3. It intimates that none shall have the benefit of the gospel jubilee but those only that are Israelites indeed, and the children of Abraham by faith: as for those that continue heathenish, they continue bondmen. See this turned upon the unbelieving Jews themselves, Gal 4:25, where Jerusalem, when she had rejected Christ, is said to be in bondage with her children. Let me only add here that, though they are not forbidden to rule their bondmen with rigour, yet the Jewish doctors say, "It is the property of mercy, and way of wisdom, that a man should be compassionate, and not make his yoke heavy upon any servant that he has."

III. That if an Israelite sold himself for a servant to a wealthy proselyte that sojourned among them care should be taken that he should have the same advantages as if he had sold himself to an Israelite, and in some respects greater. 1. That he should not serve as a bondman, but as a hired servant, and not to be ruled with rigour (Lev 25:53), in thy sight, which intimated that the Jewish magistrates should particularly have an eye to him, and, if he were abused, should take cognizance of it, and redress his grievances, though the injured servant did not himself complain. Also he was to go free at the year of jubilee, Lev 25:54. Though the sons of strangers might serve them for ever, yet the sons of Israel might not serve strangers for ever; yet the servant here, having made himself a slave by his own act and deed, should not go out in the seventh year of release, but in the jubilee only. 2. That he should have this further advantage that he might be redeemed again before the year of jubilee, Lev 25:48, Lev 25:49. He that had sold himself to an Israelite might, if ever he was able, redeem himself, but his relations had no right to redeem him. "But if a man sold himself to a stranger," the Jews say, "his relations were urged to redeem him; if they did not, it was fit that he should be redeemed at the public charge," which we find done, Neh 5:8. The price of his ransom was to be computed according to the prospect of the year of jubilee (Lev 25:50-52), as in the redemption of land, Lev 25:15, Lev 25:16. The learned bishop Patrick quotes one of the Jewish rabbin for an evangelical exposition of that appointment (Lev 25:48), One of his brethren shall redeem him. "This Redeemer," says the rabbi, "is the Messiah, the Son of David." They expected this Messiah to be their Redeemer out of their captivity, and to restore them to their own land again; but we welcome him as the Redeemer who shall come to Zion, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob, for he shall save his people from their sins; and under this notion there were those that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

Cross-references: Exod 21:2 · Lev 25:39 · Lev 25:42 · 1Cor 7:23 · Rom 6:12 · Rom 6:22 · Lev 25:43 · Col 4:1 · Job 31:13 · Job 31:14 · Lev 25:41 · John 7:32 · Ps 89:15 · Lev 25:44 · Lev 25:46 · Gen 27:29 · Ps 2:8 · Isa 61:5 · Rev 2:26 · Rev 2:27 · Ps 49:14 · Gal 4:25 · Lev 25:53 · Lev 25:54 · Lev 25:48 · Lev 25:49 · Neh 5:8 · Lev 25:50 · Lev 25:15 · Lev 25:16

Hebrew interlinear

ל֔וֹloprep + suffix · pronominal · 3rd · masc · sing

H2803

חָשַׁבchâshab/khaw-shab'/

v — plait, interpenetrate, weave, fabricate, plot, contrive, think, regard, value, compute

Derivation: a primitive root;

properly, to plait or interpenetrate, i.e. (literally) to weave or (generally) to fabricate; figuratively, to plot or contrive (usually in a malicious sense); hence (from the mental effort) to think, regard, value, compute

KJV: (make) account (of), conceive, consider, count, cunning (man, work, workman), devise, esteem, find out, forecast, hold, imagine, impute, invent, be like, mean, purpose, reckon(-ing be made), regard, think.

חָשַׁב

vb — think

חָשַׁב vb. think, account

Qal

I. of man:

1. think, account

2. devise, plan, mean

3. charge, impute

4. esteem, value, regard

5. invent ingenious and artistic things

II. of God:

1. think

2. devise, plan, mean

3. inpute, reckon

4. esteem, value, regard

5. invent ingenious and artistic things

Niph.

1. be accounted, thought, esteemed

2. be computed, reckoned

3. be imputed to any one

Pi.

1. think upon, consider, be mindful of

2. think to do, devise, plan

3. count, reckon, the years since a sale of land

Hithp. among the nations it shall not reckon itself

H5973

עִםʻim/eem/

prep — with, equally with

Derivation: from 6004;

adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then usually unrepresented in English)

KJV: accompanying, against, and, as (× long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from (among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-) to, with(-al).

מֵעִם

from with

מֵעִם 72 from with or beside

עִם

prep — with

עִם prep. with

1. of fellowship and companionship

a. of aid

b. Of actions done jointly with another

c. If the common action be of the nature of a contest or combat, with in the sense of against

d. Of dealing with a person, or of the relation in which one stands with, or towards, another

e. Of a common lot together with the wicked

f. Of equality or resemblance generally aid

g. Of time, as long as

2. Of a locality, close to, beside

3. Of persons, עִם is spec.

a. in the house or family or service of

b. In possession of

c. In the custody or care of

d. Beside = except

e. With = friendly with

4. Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one

5. Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding

H7069

קָנָהqânâh/kaw-naw'/

v — erect, create, procure, sell, own

Derivation: a primitive root;

to erect, i.e. create; by extension, to procure, especially by purchase (causatively, sell); by implication to own

KJV: attain, buy(-er), teach to keep cattle, get, provoke to jealousy, possess(-or), purchase, recover, redeem, × surely, × verily.

קָנָה

vb — get

קָנָה 84 vb. get, acquire

Qal 81

1. get, acquire (all poet.)

2. elsewhere buy

Niph. be bought

Hiph. caused (one) to purchase me, i.e. made me a bondman

H8141

שָׁנֶהshâneh/shaw-neh'/

n-f — year, revolution

Derivation: (in plural or (feminine) שָׁנָה; from 8138;

a year (as a revolution of time)

KJV: whole age, × long, old, year(× -ly).

שָׁנָה

n.f — year

שָׁנָה 877 n.f. year (etym. v. √[v.ek.aa])

H4376

מָכַרmâkar/maw-kar'/

v — sell, surrender

Derivation: a primitive root;

to sell, literally (as merchandise, a daughter in marriage, into slavery), or figuratively (to surrender)

KJV: × at all, sell (away, -er, self).

מָכַר

vb — sell

מָכַר vb. sell

Qal sell

Niph. be sold

Hithp. sell oneself as slave

H5704

עַדʻad/ad/

prep — as far, long, much, as, even unto, during, while, until, equally with

Derivation: properly, the same as 5703 (used as a preposition, adverb or conjunction; especially with a preposition);

as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)

KJV: against, and, as, at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as), (hither-) to, how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that, till, toward, until, when, while, ( as) yet.

עַד

prep — as far as

עַד, in poetry עֲדֵי prep. as far as, even to, up to, until, while

I. prep.

1. of space

2. Of time

3. Of degree

II. conj.

1. until

2. While

3. Of degree, to the point that, so that even (rare)

III. עַד לְ, a strengthened form for עַד. Thus

1. of space

2. Of time

3. Of degree

H3104

יוֹבֵלyôwbêl/yo-bale'/

n-m — blast, continuous, signal

Derivation: or יֹבֵל; apparently from 2986;

the blast of a horn (from its continuous sound); specifically, the signal of the silver trumpets; hence, the instrument itself and the festival thus introduced

KJV: jubile, ram's horn, trumpet.

יוֹבֵל

n.m — ram

יוֹבֵל, יֹבֵל n.m. ram, ram's horn, cornet

H1961

הָיָהhâyâh/haw-yaw/

v — exist, be, become, come to pass

Derivation: a primitive root (compare 1933);

to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

KJV: beacon, × altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, follow, happen, × have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, × use.

הָיָה

vb — fall out

הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be

Qal

I.

1.

a. Fall out, happen

b. occur, take place, come about, come to pass

2. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass

a.

(1). וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

(2). rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

b. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

II. Come into being, become

1.

a. abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

b. sq. prep.

2. become

a. sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

b. sq. pred. adj.

c. become like

d. sq. pred. לְ pers.

e. sq. לְ pred.

f. oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

g. with עַל and לְ

h. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

III. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

1. exist, be in existence

2. abide, remain, continue

3. with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie

4. as copula, joining subj. & pred.

5. periphrastic conjug.

Niph.

1. either be done, be brought about, or occur, come to pass

2. be done, finished, gone

H3701

כֶּסֶףkeçeph/keh'-sef/

n-m — silver, pale, money

Derivation: from 3700;

silver (from its pale color); by implication, money

KJV: money, price, silver(-ling).

כֶּ֫סֶף

n.m — silver

כֶּ֫סֶף 402 n.m. silver, money

1. = silver ore, raw silver

2. silver as bright, shining

3. silver, as wealth

4. silver as spoil of war

5. silver as merchandise

6. silver as costly gift

7. silver as material

8. silver as measure of weight and value

9. among vbs. and phr.

H4465

מִמְכָּרmimkâr/mim-kawr'/

n-m — merchandise, selling

Derivation: from 4376;

merchandise; abstractly, a selling

KJV: × ought, (that which cometh of) sale, that which...sold, ware.

מִמְכָּר

n.m — sale

מִמְכָּר n.m. sale, ware

H4557

מִסְפָּרmiçpâr/mis-pawr'/

n-m — number, innumerable, few, narration

Derivation: from 5608;

a number, definite (arithmetical) or indefinite (large, innumerable; small, a few); also (abstractly) narration

KJV: abundance, account, × all, × few, (in-) finite, (certain) number(-ed), tale, telling, time.

מִסְפָּר

n.m — number

מִסְפָּר 133 n.m. number, tale

H3117

יוֹםyôwm/yome/

n-m — day

Derivation: from an unused root meaning to be hot;

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)

KJV: age, always, chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), elder, × end, evening, (for) ever(-lasting, -more), × full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, old, outlived, perpetually, presently, remaineth, × required, season, × since, space, then, (process of) time, as at other times, in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), × whole ( age), (full) year(-ly), younger.

יוֹם

n.m — day

יוֹם 2285 n.m. day

1. day, opp. night

2. Day as division of time

3. יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous

4. Pl. days of anyone

5. Days

6. יוֹם = time

7. Phrases

H7916

שָׂכִירsâkîyr/saw-keer'/

a — at wages

Derivation: from 7936;

a man at wages by the day or year

KJV: hired (man, servant), hireling.

שָׂכִיר

adj — hired

שָׂכִיר adj. hired

1. hired, of beast

2. usu. as subst. hireling, hired labourer

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