What Does Leviticus 25:55 Mean?
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.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
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.THE KEY
The exodus is not an escape into ownerlessness; it changes whose service defines the freed life.
THE MEANING
Your release from Mitzrayim (מִצְרַיִם, Mitzrayim, the two narrows) does not leave you ownerless; it changes whose claim holds you. The verse calls Israel the LORD’s servants because he is the one who brings them out, then names the relationship plainly: “I am the LORD your God.” Freedom here is movement out of constriction into service under the one who brings you out.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
Freedom means no one has any claim on me.
THE ROOT
עֲבָדִים
ʿavadim
GROWS FROM
עבד
to work, serve
The Hebrew word for servants comes from עבד, a root that also names the work or service itself. The verse joins identity and service, grounding Israel’s service in the act of being brought out by the one they serve.
ALSO GROWS
ʿeved: servant
עֶבֶד
This singular form shows the same root naming the person whose belonging the verse describes.
ʿavodah: work, service
עֲבֹדָה
This branch makes visible the root’s link between being a servant and the act of serving.
הוֹצֵאתִי
hotzeiti
GROWS FROM
יצא
to go out, come forth
The verb means “I brought out,” while its root carries the motion of going out. The verse places service after that movement: Israel is brought out of Mitzrayim before being named as the LORD’s servants.
ALSO GROWS
yatsa: to go out, come forth
יָצָא
This basic form makes the movement inside “brought forth” plain.
yetsi’ah: going out, departure
יְצִיאָה
This noun keeps the emphasis on exit, the movement by which the verse describes release from Egypt.
THE PATTERN
Being brought out of constriction ends one power’s claim and gives service a new source.
I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you, but to stand in awe of the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your living soul,But now, unbound from falling short and made bound servants of God, you have your fruit unto being set apart, and the end, the life of the ages.THE THREAD
For they are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold in a servant's sale.Both verses use עבד (ʿavad), meaning serve, for Israel’s belonging to the LORD. Verse 42 spells out a consequence: those brought out of Egypt are not to be sold as bondmen to another human owner.
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