Leviticus 25:23-25

25:23 The land must not be sold without reclaim ¹  because the land belongs to me, for you are foreigners and residents with me. ²  25:24 In all your landed property ³  you must provide for the right of redemption of the land. ⁴ 

25:25 “‘If your brother becomes impoverished and sells some of his property, his near redeemer is to come to you and redeem what his brother sold. ⁵ 

¹ tn The term rendered “without reclaim” means that the land has been bought for the full price and is, therefore, not subject to reclaim under any circumstances. This was not to be done with land in ancient Israel (contrast the final full sale of houses in v. 30; see the evidence cited in B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 174).

² tn That is, the Israelites were strangers and residents who were attached to the Lord’s household. They did not own the land. Note the parallel to the “priest’s lodger” in Lev 22:10.

³ tn Heb “And in all the land of your property.”

⁴ tn Heb “right of redemption you shall give to the land”; NAB “you must permit the land to be redeemed.”

⁵ tn Heb “the sale of his brother.”