Leviticus 25:42
“For they are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. They shall not be sold as slaves.”
What does Leviticus 25:42 mean?
God reminds the Israelites that their own people belong to him first, not to other masters. Because he freed them from Egyptian slavery, they can't be permanently enslaved to one another, even as a debt repayment or punishment. This protected Israelites from losing their freedom indefinitely within their own community, though it's important to note this law applied specifically to fellow Israelites, not to all people in that ancient context. The deeper principle is that freedom and human dignity matter to God, and those who have experienced his liberation should extend that same protection to their own community.