The Meaning of Leviticus 25:38 Explained

Leviticus 25:38

KJV: I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.

YLT: I am Jehovah your God, who hath brought you out of the land of Egypt, to give to you the land of Canaan, to become your God.

Darby: I am Jehovah your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, to be your God.

ASV: I am Jehovah your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

I [am] the LORD  your God,  which brought you forth  out of the land  of Egypt,  to give  you the land  of Canaan,  [and] to be your God. 

What does Leviticus 25:38 Mean?

Context Summary

Leviticus 25:35-55 - Freedom In The Year Of Jubilee
If a man, through misfortune, were forced to sell himself into serfdom to meet his debts, he could not be legally retained after the trumpet had sounded; but was free to return to his home and family. His rich neighbor, during the time of his distress, was not to exact usury on any loan that he might make, but must give him food, lodging, and help, without charge. The poor man was to be treated not as a slave, but as a hired servant and fellow-citizen whose engagement was of a temporary character, and who might be redeemed at any time before the jubilee, through friendly interposition of a relative.
Nothing in modern legislation equals the jubilee in the interests of religion, social order, and liberty. Is it to be believed that when we, in our various distresses, go to our Heavenly Father, we shall fare any worse than the poor peasant did at the hands of his rich neighbor? And in Jesus have we not one nigh of kin who will redeem us at all costs? [source]

Chapter Summary: Leviticus 25

1  the Sabbath of the seventh year
8  The jubilee in the fiftieth year
14  Of oppression
18  A blessing of obedience
23  The redemption of land
29  Of houses
35  Compassion to the poor
39  The usage of bondmen
47  The redemption of servants

What do the individual words in Leviticus 25:38 mean?

I [am] Yahweh your God who brought you - out of the land of Egypt to give you - the land of Canaan [and] to be your God -
אֲנִ֗י יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹ֣הֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־ הוֹצֵ֥אתִי אֶתְכֶ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם לָתֵ֤ת לָכֶם֙ אֶת־ אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן לִהְי֥וֹת לָכֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִֽים ס

יְהוָה֙  [am]  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹ֣הֵיכֶ֔ם  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
הוֹצֵ֥אתִי  brought  you 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
אֶתְכֶ֖ם  - 
Parse: Direct object marker, second person masculine plural
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מֵאֶ֣רֶץ  out  of  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
מִצְרָ֑יִם  of  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
לָתֵ֤ת  to  give 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֶ֣רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
כְּנַ֔עַן  of  Canaan 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: כְּנַעַן 
Sense: the 4th son of Ham and the progenitor of the Phoenicians and of the various nations who peopled the seacoast of Palestine.
לִהְי֥וֹת  [and]  to  be 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לָכֶ֖ם  your 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
לֵאלֹהִֽים  God 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation