Kindness for Poor Brothers

35 “If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, (A)you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you. 36 (B)Take no interest from him or profit, but (C)fear your God, that your brother may live beside you. 37 (D)You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit. 38 (E)I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.

39 (F)“If your brother becomes poor beside you and sells himself to you, you shall not make him serve as a slave: 40 he shall be with you as a hired worker and as a sojourner. He shall serve with you until the year of the jubilee. 41 (G)Then he shall go out from you, (H)he and his children with him, and go back to his own clan and return (I)to the possession of his fathers. 42 For they are (J)my servants,[a] whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as slaves. 43 (K)You shall not rule over him (L)ruthlessly but (M)shall fear your God.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 25:42 Hebrew slaves

35 “‘If any of your fellow Israelites become poor(A) and are unable to support themselves among you, help them(B) as you would a foreigner and stranger, so they can continue to live among you. 36 Do not take interest(C) or any profit from them, but fear your God,(D) so that they may continue to live among you. 37 You must not lend them money at interest(E) or sell them food at a profit. 38 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan(F) and to be your God.(G)

39 “‘If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and sell themselves to you, do not make them work as slaves.(H) 40 They are to be treated as hired workers(I) or temporary residents among you; they are to work for you until the Year of Jubilee. 41 Then they and their children are to be released, and they will go back to their own clans and to the property(J) of their ancestors.(K) 42 Because the Israelites are my servants, whom I brought out of Egypt,(L) they must not be sold as slaves. 43 Do not rule over them ruthlessly,(M) but fear your God.(N)

Read full chapter