Leviticus 25:46

New Living Translation

passing them on to your children as a permanent inheritance. You may treat them as slaves, but you must never treat your fellow Israelites this way.

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
You shall make them an inheritance for your children after you, to hold for a possession; of them shall you take your bondservants forever: but over your brothers the children of Yisra'el you shall not rule, one over another, with rigor.

King James Version
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.

Lexham English Bible
And you may pass them on as an inheritance to your sons after you to take possession of as property for all time—you may let them work. But as for your countrymen, the Israelites, you shall not rule with ruthlessness over one another.

New Century Version
and you may even pass them on to your children after you die; you can make them slaves forever. But you must not rule cruelly over your own people, the Israelites.

New English Translation
You may give them as inheritance to your children after you to possess as property. You may enslave them perpetually. However, as for your brothers the Israelites, no man may rule over his brother harshly.

Amplified Bible
'You may even bequeath them as an inheritance to your children after you, to receive as a possession; you can use them as permanent slaves. But in respect to your fellow countrymen, the children of Israel, you shall not rule over one another with harshness (severity, oppression).

New American Standard Bible
'You may also pass them on as an inheritance 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.

Geneva Bible (1587)
So ye shall take them as inheritance for your children after you, to possesse them by inheritance, ye shall vse their labours for euer: but ouer your brethren the children of Israel ye shall not rule one ouer another with crueltie.

Legacy Standard Bible
You may even give them as an inheritance to your sons after you, to receive as a possession; you can use them as permanent slaves. But in respect to your brothers, the sons of Israel, you shall not have dominion over one another with brutality.

Contemporary English Version
You can own them, and even leave them to your children when you die, but do not make slaves of your own people or be cruel to them.

Complete Jewish Bible
You may also bequeath them to your children to own; from these groups you may take your slaves forever. But as far as your brothers the people of Isra'el are concerned, you are not to treat each other harshly.

Darby Translation
And ye shall leave them as an inheritance to your children after you, to inherit them as a possession: these may ye make your bondmen for ever; but as for your brethren, the children of Israel, ye shall not rule over one another with rigour.

Easy-to-Read Version
You may even pass these foreign slaves on to your children after you die so that they will belong to them. They will be your slaves forever. You may make slaves of these foreigners. But you must not be a cruel master over your own brothers, the Israelites.

English Standard Version
You may bequeath them to your sons after you to inherit as a possession forever. You may make slaves of them, but over your brothers the people of Israel you shall not rule, one over another ruthlessly.

George Lamsa Translation
And you shall bequeath them to your children after you, to inherit them as a possession; you may make slaves of them for ever; but as for your brethren the children of Israel, you shall not compel them to do hard work.

Good News Translation
and you may leave them as an inheritance to your children, whom they must serve as long as they live. But you must not treat any Israelites harshly.

Christian Standard Bible®
You may leave them to your sons after you to inherit as property; you can make them slaves for life. But concerning your brothers, the Israelites, you must not rule over one another harshly.

Literal Translation
And you shall take them for inheritance to your sons after you, to hold for a possession; you may lay service on them forever. But on your brothers, the sons of Israel, one over another, you shall not rule over him with severity.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
& shal possesse them, & youre children after you for an euerlastinge possession, these shalbe yor bondmen. But ouer youre brethren the children of Israel, there shall none of you raigne ouer another with crueltie.

American Standard Version
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.

Bible in Basic English
And they will be your children's heritage after you, to keep as their property; they will be your servants for ever; but you may not be hard masters to your countrymen, the children of Israel.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And ye shall take them as inheritauce for your children after yon, to possesse them for an inheritaunce, they shalbe your bondmen for euer: but ouer your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one ouer another cruelly.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And ye may make them an inheritance for your children after you, to hold for a possession: of them may ye take your bondmen for ever; but over your brethren the children of Israel ye shall not rule, one over another, with rigour.

King James Version (1611)
And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherite them for a possession, they shal bee your bondmen for euer: but ouer your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one ouer another with rigour.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And ye shall distribute them to your children after you, and they shall be to you permanent possessions for ever: but of your brethren the children of Israel, one shall not oppress his brother in labours.

English Revised Version
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 rigour.

Berean Standard Bible
You may leave them to your sons after you to inherit as property; you can make them slaves for life. But as for your brothers, the Israelites, no man may rule harshly over his brother.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and bi riyt of eritage ye schulen `sende ouer to aftir comeris, and ye schulen welde with outen ende; sothely oppresse ye not bi power youre britheren, the sones of Israel.

Young's Literal Translation
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.

Update Bible Version
And you shall make them an inheritance for your sons after you, to hold for a possession; of them you shall take your slaves forever: but over your brothers the sons of Israel you shall not rule, one over another, with rigor.

Webster's Bible Translation
And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit [them for] a possession, they shall be your bond-men for ever: but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with rigor.

World English Bible
You shall make them an inheritance for your children after you, to hold for a possession; of them shall you take your bondservants forever: but over your brothers the children of Israel you shall not rule, one over another, with rigor.

New King James Version
And you may take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them as a possession; they shall be your permanent slaves. But regarding your brethren, the children of Israel, you shall not rule over one another with rigor.

New Life Bible
You may give them to your children after you, to receive as their own. You can have them as servants forever. But do not make it hard for your brothers, the people of Israel.

New Revised Standard
You may keep them as a possession for your children after you, for them to inherit as property. These you may treat as slaves, but as for your fellow Israelites, no one shall rule over the other with harshness.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and ye may take them as an inheritance for your sons after you to inherit as a possession, unto times age-abiding, of them, may ye take to be bondmen, - but, over your brethren the sons of Israel - a man over his brother, ye shall not rule, over him with rigour.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And by right of inheritance shall leave them to your posterity, and shall possess them for ever. But oppress not your brethren the children of Israel by might.

Revised Standard Version
You may bequeath them to your sons after you, to inherit as a possession for ever; you may make slaves of them, but over your brethren the people of Israel you shall not rule, one over another, with harshness.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
'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.

Contextual Overview

³⁹ "If one of your fellow Israelites falls into poverty and is forced to sell himself to you, do not treat him as a slave. ⁴⁰ Treat him instead as a hired worker or as a temporary resident who lives with you, and he will serve you only until the Year of Jubilee. ⁴¹ At that time he and his children will no longer be obligated to you, and they will return to their clans and go back to the land originally allotted to their ancestors. ⁴² The people of Israel are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt, so they must never be sold as slaves. ⁴³ Show your fear of God by not treating them harshly. ⁴⁴ "However, you may purchase male and female slaves from among the nations around you. ⁴⁵ You may also purchase the children of temporary residents who live among you, including those who have been born in your land. You may treat them as your property, ⁴⁶ passing them on to your children as a permanent inheritance. You may treat them as slaves, but you must never treat your fellow Israelites this way. ⁴⁷ "Suppose a foreigner or temporary resident becomes rich while living among you. If any of your fellow Israelites fall into poverty and are forced to sell themselves to such a foreigner or to a member of his family, ⁴⁸ they still retain the right to be bought back, even after they have been purchased. They may be bought back by a brother,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

And ye shall: Isaiah 14:2

they shall be your bondmen for ever: Heb. ye shall serve yourselves with them, Leviticus 25:39

ye shall not rule: Leviticus 25:43

Reciprocal: Genesis 24:60 - thy seed Exodus 1:14 - was with rigour Exodus 21:21 - General Job 31:13 - the cause

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you,.... Which they might leave them at their death to inherit, as they did their estates and lands; for such servants are, with the Jews y, said to be like immovable goods, as fields, vineyards,

to inherit [them for] a possession; as their property, as anything else that was bequeathed to hem, as negroes now are in our plantations abroad:

thy shall be your bondmen for ever; and not be released at the year jubilee, nor before nor after; unless they obtained their liberty, either by purchase, which they might make themselves, or by the means of others, or else by a writing under their master's hand dismissing them from his service z; or in case they were maimed by him, then he was obliged to let them go free, Exodus 21:26;

but over your brethren, the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with rigour; which repeated for the confirmation of it, and for the fuller explanation and description of the person not to be ruled over with rigour; and that it might be the more taken notice of, and to make them the more careful in the observance of it and though this peculiarly respects masters' treatment of their servants, yet Jarchi thinks it comprehends a prince over his people, and a king over his ministers, whom he may not rule with rigour.

y Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Kiddushin, c. 1. sect. 3. z Misn. Kiddushin, ib.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Property in foreign slaves is here distinctly permitted. It was a patriarchal custom Genesis 17:12. Such slaves might be captives taken in war (Numbers 31:6 following; Deuteronomy 20:14), or those consigned to slavery for their crimes, or those purchased of foreign slave-dealers. The price of a slave is supposed to have varied from thirty to fifty shekels. See Leviticus 27:3-4, note; Exodus 21:32, note; Zechariah 11:12-13, note; Matthew 26:15, note. It was the object of Moses, not at once to do away with slavery, but to discourage and to mitigate it. The Law would not suffer it to be forgotten that the slave was a man, and protected him in every way that was possible at the time against the injustice or cruelty of his master. See the notes at Exodus 21:0.

Leviticus 25:46

Your bondmen forever - i. e. they were not necessarily to be released in the sabbatical year nor at the Jubilee.