39 ' If a countryman of yours becomes so poor with regard to you that he sells himself to you, you shall not subject him to a slave's service . 40 'He shall be with you as a hired man , as if he were a sojourner ; he shall serve with you until the year of jubilee . 41 'He shall then go out from you, he and his sons with him, and shall go back to his family , that he may return to the property of his forefathers . 42 'For they are My servants whom I brought out from the land of Egypt ; they are not to be sold in a slave sale . 43 ' You shall not rule over him with severity , but are to revere your God . 44 'As for your male and female slaves e whom you may have -you may acquire male and female slaves e from the pagan nations that are around you. 45 'Then, too , it is out of the sons of the sojourners who live as aliens among you that you may gain acquisition , and out of their families who are with you, whom they will have produced in your land ; they also may become your possession . 46 'You may even bequeath them to your sons after you, to receive as a possession ; you can use them as permanent slaves . But in respect to your countrymen , the sons of Israel , you shall not rule with severity over one another . 47 'Now if the means of a stranger or of a sojourner with you becomes sufficient , and a countryman of yours becomes so poor with regard to him as to sell himself to a stranger who is sojourning with you, or to the descendants of a stranger's family , 48 then he shall have redemption right after he has been sold . One of his brothers may redeem him, 49 or his uncle , or his uncle's son , may redeem him, or one of his blood relatives from his family may redeem him; or if he prospers , he may redeem himself. 50 'He then with his purchaser shall calculate from the year when he sold himself to him up to the year of jubilee ; and the price of his sale shall correspond to the number of years . It is like the days of a hired man that he shall be with him. 51 'If there are still many years , he shall refund part of his purchase price in proportion to them for his own redemption ; 52 and if few years remain until the year of jubilee , he shall so calculate with him. In proportion to his years he is to refund the amount for his redemption . 53 'Like a man hired year by year he shall be with him; he shall not rule over him with severity in your sight . 54 'Even if he is not redeemed by these means, he shall still go out in the year of jubilee , he and his sons with him.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Leviticus 25:39-54
Commentary on Leviticus 25:39-55
(Read Leviticus 25:39-55)
A native Israelite, if sold for debt, or for a crime, was to serve but six years, and to go out the seventh. If he sold himself, through poverty, both his work and his usage must be such as were fitting for a son of Abraham. Masters are required to give to their servants that which is just and equal, John 8:32. We cannot ransom our fellow-sinners, but we may point out Christ to them; while by his grace our lives may adorn his gospel, express our love, show our gratitude, and glorify his holy name.