Leviticus 25:49

49 A brother of his father, or a son of his father's brother shall redeem him; or let one of his near kin of his tribe redeem him, and if he should be rich and redeem himself,

Leviticus 25:49 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 25:49

Either his uncle, or his uncle's son, may redeem him
it is father's brother or his father's brother's son, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan: or [any] that is nigh kin unto him of his family may redeem him;
from whence it appears, that it must be a near kinsman that has to be the redeemer, as in another case, the redemption of inheritances; hence the same word "goel" signifies both a redeemer and a near kinsman: or if he be able he may redeem himself;
who either has found something lost, or inherits the substance of anyone deceased, of his family, as Aben Ezra observes; that is, since he sold himself, which puts him into a capacity to redeem himself; the Targum of Jonathan adds,

``or the land of the congregation;''
for such a redemption was sometimes made at the expense of the public; see ( Nehemiah 5:8 ) . Baal Hatturim observes, that the words "Ben Dodo", translated "his uncle's son", wanting the letter "tau" as usual, as the same letters with Ben David, which is a known name of the Messiah with the Jews, and which that author seems to have in view; and another Jewish writer F6 expressly says,
``this Redeemer is the Messiah, the son of David, of the tribe of Judah:''
and indeed the whole of this case is applicable to the spiritual and eternal redemption of the people of God by Christ: they through the fall, and in a state of nature, are become poor and helpless, and in a spiritual sense have neither bread to eat, nor clothes to wear, nor money to buy either; and are in debt, owe ten thousand talents, and have nothing to pay, and so are brought into bondage to sin, Satan, and the law; nor can they redeem themselves from these by power or price; nor can a brother, or the nearest relation redeem them, or give to God a ransom for them; none but Christ could do this for them, who through his incarnation, whereby he became of the same nature, of the same flesh and blood with them, and in all things like unto them, is their "goel", and so their Redeemer, and has obtained eternal redemption for them, not with silver and gold, but by his own precious blood.
FOOTNOTES:

F6 R. Bechai apud Patrick in loc.

Leviticus 25:49 In-Context

47 And if a stranger or sojourner with thee wax rich, and thy brother in distress be sold to the stranger or the sojourner that is with thee, or to a proselyte by extraction;
48 after he is sold to him there shall be redemption for him, one of his brethren shall redeem him.
49 A brother of his father, or a son of his father's brother shall redeem him; or let one of his near kin of his tribe redeem him, and if he should be rich and redeem himself,
50 then shall he calculate with his purchaser from the year that he sold himself to him until the year of release: and the money of his purchase shall be as that of a hireling, he shall be with him from year to year.
51 And if any have a greater number of years , according to these he shall pay his ransom out of his purchase-money.

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.