Leviticus 25:23

25:23 The land must not be sold without reclaim ¹  because the land belongs to me, for you are foreigners and residents with me. ² 

Leviticus 25:40

25:40 He must be with you as a hired worker, as a resident foreigner; ³  he must serve with you until the year of jubilee,

Deuteronomy 15:17

15:17 you shall take an awl and pierce a hole through his ear to the door. ⁴  Then he will become your servant permanently (this applies to your female servant as well).

Deuteronomy 15:1

Release for Debt Slaves

15:1 At the end of every seven years you must declare a cancellation ⁵  of debts.

Deuteronomy 1:22

1:22 So all of you approached me and said, “Let’s send some men ahead of us to scout out the land and bring us back word as to how we should attack it and what the cities are like there.”

Deuteronomy 27:12

27:12 “The following tribes ⁶  must stand to bless the people on Mount Gerizim when you cross the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin.

Deuteronomy 28:2

28:2 All these blessings will come to you in abundance ⁷  if you obey the Lord your God:

Deuteronomy 28:1

The Covenant Blessings

28:1 “If you indeed ⁸  obey the Lord your God and are careful to observe all his commandments I am giving ⁹  you today, the Lord your God will elevate you above all the nations of the earth.

Deuteronomy 12:7

12:7 Both you and your families ¹⁰  must feast there before the Lord your God and rejoice in all the output of your labor with which he ¹¹  has blessed you.

¹ tn The term rendered “without reclaim” means that the land has been bought for the full price and is, therefore, not subject to reclaim under any circumstances. This was not to be done with land in ancient Israel (contrast the final full sale of houses in v. 30; see the evidence cited in B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 174).

² tn That is, the Israelites were strangers and residents who were attached to the Lord’s household. They did not own the land. Note the parallel to the “priest’s lodger” in Lev 22:10.

³ tn See the note on Lev 25:6 above.

⁴ sn When the bondslave’s ear was drilled through to the door, the door in question was that of the master’s house. In effect, the bondslave is declaring his undying and lifelong loyalty to his creditor. The scar (or even hole) in the earlobe would testify to the community that the slave had surrendered independence and personal rights. This may be what Paul had in mind when he said “I bear on my body the marks of Jesus” (Gal 6:17).

⁵ tn The Hebrew term שְׁמִטָּת (shÿmittat), a derivative of the verb שָׁמַט (shamat, “to release; to relinquish”), refers to the cancellation of the debt and even pledges for the debt of a borrower by his creditor. This could be a full and final remission or, more likely, one for the seventh year only. See R. Wakely, NIDOTTE 4:155-60. Here the words “of debts” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied. Cf. NAB “a relaxation of debts”; NASB, NRSV “a remission of debts.”

⁶ tn The word “tribes” has been supplied here and in the following verse in the translation for clarity.

⁷ tn Heb “come upon you and overtake you” (so NASB, NRSV); NIV “come upon you and accompany you.”

⁸ tn The Hebrew text uses the infinitive absolute for emphasis, which the translation indicates with “indeed.”

⁹ tn Heb “commanding”; NAB “which I enjoin on you today” (likewise in v. 15).

¹⁰ tn Heb “and your houses,” referring to entire households. The pronouns “you” and “your” are plural in the Hebrew text.

¹¹ tn Heb “the Lord your God.” See note on “he” in 12:5.