ris3n's Apologetics Codex

Leviticus 25.44

type: passage created: 2026-05-06 updated: 2026-05-06 book: Leviticus chapter: 25 verses: "44" translation_default: ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT tags: [scripture] citation_count: 2 enriched: false

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Leviticus 25.44

Book: Leviticus · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"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."

"44. And as for thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, whom thou shalt have; of the nations that are round about you, of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids."

"45. Moreover of the children of the strangers that sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and of their families that are with you, which they have begotten in your land: and they shall be your possession. 46. And ye shall make them an inheritance for your children after you, to hold for a possession; of them shall ye take your bondmen for ever: but over your brethren the children of Israel ye shall not rule, one over another, with rigor." (Leviticus 25:42-46, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"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."

"44. “‘As for your male and your female slaves, whom you may have; of the nations that are around you, from them you may buy male and female slaves."

"45. Moreover of the children of the aliens who live among you, of them you may buy, and of their families who are with you, which they have conceived in your land; and they will be your property. 46. You may make them an inheritance for your children after you, to hold for a possession; of them may you take your slaves forever; but over your brothers the children of Israel you shall not rule, one over another, with harshness." (Leviticus 25:42-46, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"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."

"44. Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids."

"45. Moreover of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and of their families that are with you, which they begat in your land: and they shall be your possession. 46. And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever: but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with rigour. they: Heb. ye shall serve yourselves with them" (Leviticus 25:42-46, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"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."

"44. 'And thy man-servant and thy handmaid whom thou hast [are] of the nations who [are] round about you; of them ye buy man-servant and handmaid,"

"45. and also of the sons of the settlers who are sojourning with you, of them ye buy, and of their families who [are] with you, which they have begotten in your land, and they have been to you for a possession; 46. and ye have taken them for inheritance to your sons after you, to occupy [for] a possession; to the age ye lay service upon them, but upon your brethren, the sons of Israel, one with another, thou dost not rule over him with rigour." (Leviticus 25:42-46, 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.