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.
You may also buy slaves from the foreigners living among you and from their families who were born in your land, and they will become your property.
This verse allowed ancient Israelites to purchase slaves from foreign residents and their families living in Israel.
📚 Historical Context
In the historical context of ancient Israel, God provided laws through Moses in the book of Leviticus to guide the nation's social and economic practices, including regulations on slavery and servitude during a time when such institutions were common in the ancient Near East. This specific verse addresses the allowance for Israelites to purchase slaves from foreigners or their descendants living among them, as part of broader instructions on property and the Year of Jubilee, which aimed to prevent permanent enslavement of fellow Israelites while permitting it with outsiders. These laws reflected the cultural norms of the era but were intended to promote justice and protect the vulnerable within Israelite society.
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