Bible Strands

Leviticus 25:44

Your menservants and maidservants shall come from the nations around you, from whom you may purchase them.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Moses addresses Israel in the wilderness, detailing land and economic regulations before they enter Canaan.

The words — The Hebrew terms עַבְדְּךָ ('avdecha, your male slave) and אֲמָתְךָ ('amatecha, your female slave) paired with הַגּוֹיִם סְבִיבֹתֵיכֶם (ha-goyim sevivoteikha, the nations around you) specify the permitted source of domestic labor.

The thread — This provision intersects with Exodus 12:44 regarding purchased slaves partaking in covenant meals and Leviticus 25:45 which extends the permission to include foreigners residing among the Israelites.

Why it lands — The text establishes a legal boundary for acquiring labor from neighboring populations while the surrounding verses mandate humane treatment and reverence for God.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְעַבְדְּךָ֥ve./'av.de./Khaand/ [male] slave/ yourוַאֲמָתְךָ֖va./'a.ma.te./Khaand/ female slave/ yourאֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sherwhoיִהְיוּ־yih.yu-they will belongלָ֑ךְLa/khto <the>/ youמֵאֵ֣תme./'Etfrom/ withהַגּוֹיִ֗םha./go.Yimthe/ nationsאֲשֶׁר֙'a.Sherwhichסְבִיבֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔םse.vi.Vo.tei./Khem[are] around/ youמֵהֶ֥םme./Hemfrom <the>/ themתִּקְנ֖וּtik.Nuyou will buyעֶ֥בֶד'E.veda [male] slaveוְאָמָֽה׃ve./'a.Mahand/ a female slave

King James Version

Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids.

Cross-references