ris3n's Apologetics Codex

Passage

Leviticus 25.39-41

Book: Leviticus · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

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ASV (ASV)

"37. Thou shalt not give him thy money upon interest, nor give him thy victuals for increase. 38. 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."

"39. And if thy brother be waxed poor with thee, and sell himself unto thee; thou shalt not make him to serve as a bond-servant. 40. As a hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee; he shall serve with thee unto the year of jubilee: 41. then shall he go out from thee, he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return."

"42. For they are my servants, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen. 43. Thou shalt not rule over him with rigor, but shalt fear thy God." (Leviticus 25:37-43, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"37. You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit. 38. I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God."

"39. “‘If your brother has grown poor among you, and sells himself to you; you shall not make him to serve as a slave. 40. As a hired servant, and as a temporary resident, he shall be with you; he shall serve with you until the Year of Jubilee: 41. then he shall go out from you, he and his children with him, and shall return to his own family, and to the possession of his fathers."

"42. For they are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. They shall not be sold as slaves. 43. You shall not rule over him with harshness, but shall fear your God." (Leviticus 25:37-43, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"37. Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase. 38. I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God."

"39. And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant: compel: Heb. serve thyself with him with the service, etc 40. But as an hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee unto the year of jubile: 41. And then shall he depart from thee, both he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return."

"42. For they are my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen. as: Heb. with the sale of a bondman 43. Thou shalt not rule over him with rigour; but shalt fear thy God." (Leviticus 25:37-43, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"37. thy money thou givest not to him in usury, and for increase thou givest not thy food; 38. I [am] Jehovah your God, who hath brought you out of the land of Egypt, to give to you the land of Canaan, to become your God."

"39. 'And when thy brother becometh poor with thee, and he hath been sold to thee, thou dost not lay on him servile service; 40. as an hireling, as a settler, he is with thee, till the year of the jubilee he doth serve with thee,, 41. then he hath gone out from thee, he and his sons with him, and hath turned back unto his family; even unto the possession of his fathers he doth turn back."

"42. 'For they [are] My servants, whom I have brought out from the land of Egypt: they are not sold [with] the sale of a servant; 43. thou rulest not over him with rigour, and thou hast been afraid of thy God." (Leviticus 25:37-43, YLT)

Setting

  • Speaker: Moses (traditional); LORD speaking to Moses (frequent direct discourse)
  • Audience: Israelite congregation; priestly tribe of Levi
  • Location: Sinai wilderness
  • Time period: events c. 1445 BC; composed c. 1446-1406 BC

Theological reading

Key words

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

  • ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
  • WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
  • KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
  • YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.