Leviticus 25:25-55

25‘1If a fellow countryman of yours becomes so poor that he sells part of his property, then his closest 2redeemer is to come and buy back what his relative has sold. 26Or in case someone has no redeemer, but 3recovers to find sufficient means for its redemption, 274then he shall calculate the years since its sale and refund the balance to the man to whom he sold it, and so return to his property. 28But if 5he has not found sufficient means to get it back for himself, then what he has sold shall remain in the hands of its purchaser until the year of jubilee; but at the jubilee it shall 6revert, so that 7he may return to his property.

29‘Likewise, if a man sells a dwelling house in a walled city, then his redemption right remains valid until a full year after its sale; his right of redemption lasts a full year. 30But if it is not bought back for him within the space of a full year, then the house that is in the walled city passes permanently to its purchaser throughout his generations; it does not 8revert in the jubilee. 31The houses of the villages, however, which have no surrounding wall, shall be regarded 9as open fields; they have redemption rights and 10revert in the jubilee. 32As for the 11cities of the Levites, the Levites have a permanent right of redemption for the houses of the cities which are their possession. 33What, therefore, 12belongs to the Levites may be redeemed, and a house sale 13in the city of this possession 14reverts in the jubilee, because the houses of the cities of the Levites are their possession among the sons of Israel. 3415But pasture fields of their cities shall not be sold, for that is their permanent possession.

35‘16Now in case a countryman of yours becomes poor and his 17means among you falter, then you are to sustain him, like a stranger or a resident, so that he may live with you. 3618Do not take 19any kind of interest from him, but 20fear your God, so that your countryman may live with you. 37You shall not give him your silver at interest, nor your food 21for profit. 3822I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan, and 23to be your God.

39‘Now 24if a countryman of yours becomes so poor with regard to you that he sells himself to you, you shall not subject him to a slave’s service. 40He shall be with you as a hired worker, 25as if he were a foreign resident; he shall serve with you up to the year of jubilee. 41He shall then leave you, he and his sons with him, and shall go back to his family, so that he may return to the property of his forefathers. 42For they are My servants whom I brought out from the land of Egypt; they are not to be sold in a slave sale. 4326You shall not rule over him with 27severity, but are to revere your God. 44As for your male and female slaves whom you may have--you may acquire male and female slaves from the pagan nations that are around you. 45You may also acquire them from the sons of the foreign residents who reside among you, and from their families who are with you, whom they will have produced in your land; they also may become your possession. 46You 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. 28But in respect to your countrymen, the sons of Israel, you shall not rule with 29severity over one another.

47‘Now if the 30means of a stranger or of a foreign resident with you becomes sufficient, and a countryman of yours becomes poor in relation to him and sells himself to a stranger who is residing with you, or to the descendants of a stranger’s family, 48then he shall have redemption right after he has been sold. One of his brothers may redeem him, 49or his uncle, or his uncle’s son may redeem him, or one of his blood relatives from his family may redeem him; or 3132if he prospers, he may redeem himself. 50He then, with his purchaser, shall calculate from the year when he sold himself to him up to the year of jubilee; and the price of his sale shall correspond to the number of years calculated. It is like the days of a hired worker that he will be with him. 51If there are still many years remaining, 33he shall refund part of his purchase price in proportion to them for his own redemption; 52but if few years remain until the year of jubilee, he shall so calculate with him. In proportion to his years he is to refund the amount for his redemption. 53He shall be with him like a worker hired year by year; 34he shall not rule over him with 35severity in your sight. 54Even if he is not redeemed by 36these means, 37he shall still leave in the year of jubilee, he and his sons with him. 55For the sons of Israel are My servants; they are My servants whom I brought out from the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.