Leviticus 25:20-55
command <06680> [I will.]
As it is here graciously promised, that the sixth year was to bring forth fruits for three years, not merely for two, it is evident that both the sabbatical year and the year of jubilee were distinctly provided for. They were not to sow from the sixth to the eighth year, omitting two seed times; nor reap from the sixth to the ninth, omitting two harvests. No legislator, unless conscious of being divinely commissioned, would have committed himself by enacting such a law as this; nor would any people have submitted to receive it, except in consequence of the fullest conviction that a divine authority had dictated it. It therefore stands as a proof that Moses acted by the express direction of the Almighty, and that the people were fully persuaded of the reality of his divine mission by the miracles he wrought.
year .......... three years <08141 07969> [three years.]
eighth <08066> [eighth.]
produce old .......... produce ..... old <08393 03465> [old fruit.]
land .......... land <0776> [The land.]
without reclaim <06783> [for ever. or, to be quite cut off. Heb. for cutting off. for the land.]
foreigners <01616> [for ye are.]
right of redemption <01353> [redemption.]
prospers ... gains enough <01767 04672 03027> [himself be able to redeem it. Heb. his hand hath attained, and found sufficiency.]
jubilee ......... jubilee <03104> [and in the.]
refund ...... then ............................. return <07725> [he shall. See on]
A very proper difference is here made between houses in a city and houses in the country. The former might be redeemed any time in the course of a year; but after that time could not be redeemed, or go out with the Jubilee: the latter might be redeemed at any time; and if not redeemed must go out with the jubilee. The reason in both cases is sufficiently evident; the house in the city might be built merely for the purposes of trade or traffic--the house in the country was builded on, or attached to, the inheritance which God had divided to the respective families. It was therefore necessary that the same law should apply to the house as to the inheritance; which necessity did not exist with regard to the house in the city. And, as the house in the city might be purchased for the purpose of trade, it would be very inconvenient for the purchaser, when his business was established, to be obliged to remove.
right of redemption <01353> [they may be redeemed. Heb. redemption belongeth unto it.]
cities ......... cities <05892> [the cities.]
As the Levites had no inheritance in Israel, but only cities to dwell in; and consequently the houses in these cities were all they could call their own, therefore they could not be ultimately alienated.
Levites ... redeem ........................... Levites <03881 01350> [a man purchase of the Levites. or, one of the Levites redeem them. shall go.]
house ................ houses <01004> [for the houses.]
brother <0251> [thy brother.]
indebted to you <04131> [fallen in decay. Heb. his hand faileth. then.]
support <02388> [relieve. Heb. strengthen. a stranger.]
interest <05392> [usury.]
fear <03372> [fear.]
out <03318> [which.]
God ..................... God <0430> [and to be.]
sells <04376> [be sold.]
subject ..... service <05656 05647> [compel him to serve as. Heb. serve thyself with him with the service of, etc.]
go <03318> [then shall.]
return <07725> [shall return.]
servants .................. slave <05650> [my servants.]
sale <04466> [as bondsmen. Heb. with the sale of a bondman.]
rule <07287> [rule.]
fear <03372> [but shalt.]
inheritance <05157> [And ye shall.]
may enslave ... perpetually <05647 05769> [they shall be your bondmen for ever. Heb. ye shall serve yourselves with them.]
rule <07287> [ye shall not rule.]
resident foreigner ...... prospers .................. resident foreigner ............ foreigner's <08453 05381 01616> [sojourner or stranger wax rich. Heb. the hand of a stranger, etc. obtain, etc.]
prospers <05381> [or if he be.]
He ... calculate <02803> [reckon.]
cost .... sale <04465 03701> [price of his sale.]
This was a very equitable law, both to the sojourner to whom the man was sold, and to the Israelite who had been sold. The Israelite might redeem himself, or one of his kindred might redeem him; but this must not be done to the prejudice of his master. They were therefore to reckon the years he must have served, from that time till the jubilee; and then taking the current wages of a servant, per year, at that time, multiply the remaining years by that sum, and the aggregate was to be given to his master for his redemption. The Jews hold that the kindred of such a person were bound, if in their power, to redeem him, lest he should be swallowed up among the heathen; and we find (Ne 5:8) that this was done by the Jews on their return from the Babylonish captivity.
rate <03117> [according to the time.]
[jubilee.]
The jubilee was a wonderful institution, and of great service to the religion, freedom, and independence of the Hebrews. It was calculated to prevent the rich from oppressing the poor, and reducing them to perpetual slavery; and to hinder their obtaining possession of all the lands by purchase, mortgage, or usurpation. It was further intended, that debts should not be multiplied too much, lest the poor should be entirely ruined; that slaves should not always continue in servitude; that personal liberty, equality of property, and the regular order of families might, as much as possible, be preserved; and that the people might thus be strongly attached to their country, lands, and inheritances.
go free <03318> [in these years. or, by these means. then.]
servants ..... servants <05650> [my servants.]
