Justice and mercy. The equity of the Mosaic laws has striking illustrations in the words now under review. We see it— I. IN THE KINDNESS ENJOINED TOWARDS THE POOR . 1 . Their necessities are to be relieved. 2 . The reasons for mercy are edifying. II. IN THE KINDNESS ENJOINED TOWARDS THE SLAVE . 1 . The Hebrew must show it. 2 . The stranger must show it. III. IN THE DETERMINATION OF THE RANSOM PRICE . In this... read more
The law of personal servitude. I. GENERAL PRINCIPLE , love of our neighbour. Servitude admitted in that early stage of the world, but limited and modified, and its extinction provided for in that principle of love and compassion which was seized and exalted by the gospel. God's method to subdue and extinguish effects of man's fall by the vital force of higher motive. Distinction between strangers and fellow-Israelite preserved the covenant, therefore the religion which taught love... read more
Lend him thy victuals for increase - i. e. supply him with food for thy own profit. read more
Leviticus 25:36. Take no usury of him That is, of thy brother, whether he be Israelite or proselyte. Or increase All kinds of usury are in this case forbidden, whether of money, or of victuals, or of any thing that is commonly lent by one man to another upon usury, or upon condition of receiving the thing lent with advantage and overplus. If one borrow in his necessity, there can be no doubt this law is binding still. But it cannot be thought to bind where money is borrowed for purchase... read more
Sympathetic treatment of others (25:35-55)Because all Israel existed in a special relation to God, Israelites were not to take advantage of each other. They could lend money to those in need, but were not to charge interest (35-38). They could give employment to those who wished to work for them to repay debts, but they could not make such people permanent slaves as they could foreigners (39-46).When Israelites sold themselves as slaves to resident foreigners to repay debts, their relatives had... read more
usury (Hebrew. nashak), is a charge on money. increase (Hebrew. tarbith or marbith) is a charge on goods. See notes on Leviticus 25:7 with Leviticus 26:4 . These were the definitions of the authorities of the second temple. read more
Leviticus 25:36. Take thou no usury of him, &c.— This is explained by the next verse. See Exodus 22:25. That thy brother may live with thee, signifies that he may prosper and thrive, &c. for, to live, in the Scripture, frequently signifies to be comfortable; Deuteronomy 8:1. A stronger motive to induce the people to be free and disinterested in their benevolence could not well be urged, than the free and disinterested benevolence of God to them, Leviticus 25:38. REFLECTIONS.—God will... read more
F. Sanctification of the possession of land by the sabbatical and jubilee years ch. 25Chapter 25 concludes the laws God gave the Israelites on Mt. Sinai. It contains the only legislation on the subject of land ownership in the Pentateuch. These laws regarding the Promised Land correspond to the laws Moses previously gave regarding the people of Israel. God owned both the Israelites and the land He was giving them."The central theme of this last set of instructions is that of restoration.... read more
2. The year of jubilee 25:8-55"The Jubilee legislation found in Leviticus 25 presents a vision of social and economic reform unsurpassed in the ancient Near East." [Note: Robert Gnuse, "Jubilee Legislation in Leviticus: Israel’s Vision of Social Reform," Biblical Theology Bulletin 15:2 (April 1985):43.] The word "jubilee" probably comes from the Hebrew yabal, meaning "to bring [forth]," as in the bringing forth of produce. [Note: See Robert North, Sociology of the Biblical Jubilee, pp. 96-97.]... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 25:35-55
Bible. I. IN THE OLD TESTAMENT . It is accepted as a fact, not denounced or approved, but recognized and gradually ameliorated. 1 . Hebrew slaves are not to be treated with rigour ( Leviticus 25:43 , Leviticus 25:53 ), but as hired servants. How different from the state of slaves in the workshops of Greece and Rome! 2 . In the ease of Hebrew slaves, the duration of slavery was not to be perpetual. At the end of six years every slave was to be restored to liberty, and at... read more