For unto me the children of Israel are servants; they are my servants whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
Parallel translations
- WEB For to me the children of Israel are servants; they are my servants whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.
- BSB For the Israelites are My servants. They are My servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.
- NKJV For the children of Israel are servants to Me; they are My servants whom I brought out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.
- NASB For 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.
- NLT For the people of Israel belong to me. They are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Israel could not be permanently enslaved because they already belong to God, who redeemed them from Egypt. Their true Master is the LORD.
Overview
This gives the theological foundation for the whole law of servitude: the Israelites are God's servants, freed from Egypt to serve Him alone. No human owner can claim final title over those who belong to Yahweh. This anticipates the believer's identity as one bought by Christ and now His glad bondservant rather than sin's slave.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Lev 25:42For they are my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen.
- Gal 5:13For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
- 1 Cor 9:21To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
- Ps 116:16O LORD, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds.
- Exod 13:3And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.
- 1 Cor 9:19For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
- Rom 6:17–18But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
- Rom 6:14For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
- Isa 43:3For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.
- Rom 6:22But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
- 1 Cor 7:22–23For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant.
- Exod 20:2I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
- Luke 1:74–75That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Every sacrifice, every priest, and every day of atonement points beyond itself to the one perfect offering and the great High Priest who, by his own blood, makes the unclean holy once for all.
How Leviticus 25:55 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.