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
Rather, And if thy brother (an Israelite) becomes poor and falls into decay with thee, thou shalt assist him and let him live with thee like a resident foreigner. He was not to be regarded as an outcast, but was to be treated with the same respect and consideration as a resident foreigner who, like him, could possess no land, but could accumulate property and live in comfort as a free man. See Leviticus 16:29 note. read more
Leviticus 25:34-35. The field of the suburbs (namely, of the cities of the Levites) may not be sold Not at all; partly, because it was of absolute necessity for them for the keeping of their cattle, and partly because these were no enclosures, but common fields, in which all the Levites that lived in such a city had an interest, and therefore no particular Levite could dispose of his part in it. A sojourner Understand it of proselytes only, for of other strangers they were permitted to... 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
fallen in decay = "his hands have become shaky" or become feeble. 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
"And if thy brother be waxed poor, and his hand fail with thee; then thou shalt uphold him: as a stranger and a sojourner shall he live with thee. Take thou no interest of him or increase, but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee. Thou shalt not give him thy money upon interest, nor give him thy victuals for increase. I am Jehovah your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God."This deals with special duties to a... 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