And as a yearly hired servant shall he be with him: and the other shall not rule with rigour over him in thy sight.
He should be treated like a worker hired for a year at a time. The master must not treat him harshly while you are watching.
This verse is instructing that even servants should be treated with fairness and dignity, not harshly or cruelly.
📚 Historical Context
In ancient Israel, God gave laws through Moses to protect people who had to sell themselves into servitude due to poverty, ensuring they were not treated as permanent slaves but with dignity and limits on their service. These regulations were part of the broader instructions for the Year of Jubilee, a 50-year cycle designed to restore economic balance by freeing servants and returning land to original owners. This verse specifically addresses how an Israelite servant should be treated fairly by their master, emphasizing God's concern for justice in a society prone to exploitation.
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