מִמְכֶּ֫רֶת (mim.ke.ret)
mim.ke.ret
sale
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun mimke-reth refers simply to a sale or the act of selling. It appears only once in the Old Testament, found in Leviticus 25:42. In this specific context, the word describes the transaction involved in the release of Hebrew slaves, framing their freedom not as a gift but as a redeemed property right.
Its root relates to the verb "to sell," placing the focus on the commercial exchange itself rather than the people involved. The text uses this term to establish that those who served due to poverty had a legal standing to buy back their status, treating their service as a temporary sale rather than permanent ownership.
This single usage highlights how biblical law regulated economic relationships with strict boundaries. By defining the situation as a "sale," the law granted the enslaved person a clear path to restoration, ensuring that human dignity remained tied to property rights even in times of severe financial distress.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word for sale in Leviticus 25 carries a heavy weight. It describes a transaction, yet it is used to define freedom. When the text speaks of a sale, it is not reducing a person to an object. Instead, it establishes a legal boundary. Even in the deepest poverty, human dignity remains intact because the relationship is temporary.
This distinction matters for your faith today. It reminds us that our worth is not defined by our economic status or our struggles. God’s law protects the vulnerable by ensuring that hardship does not become permanent ownership. We are called to honor this boundary in how we treat others, recognizing that every person retains their inherent value.
Consider the promise that no one is bound forever by their circumstances. This ancient regulation points to a deeper truth: restoration is always possible. Your life holds infinite worth, far beyond any measure of exchange. May you find peace in knowing that your identity is secure in God’s eyes.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a sale of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מִמְכֶּ֥רֶת1×
Key Verses
-
Leviticus 25:42
For they are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. They shall not be sold as slaves.
This verse uses the term to establish that Hebrew servants are not permanent property, but individuals whose service is a temporary arrangement subject to redemption.