Leviticus 25:30-40

30 'But if it is not bought back for him within the space of a full year, then the house that is in the walled city passes permanently to its purchaser throughout his generations; it does not revert in the jubilee.
31 'The houses of the villages, however, which have no surrounding wall shall be considered as open fields; they have redemption rights and revert in the jubilee.
32 'As for 1cities of the Levites, the Levites have a permanent right of redemption for the houses of the cities which are their possession.
33 'What, therefore, belongs to the Levites may be redeemed and a house sale in the city of this possession reverts in the jubilee, for the houses of the cities of the Levites are their possession among the sons of Israel.
34 '2But pasture fields of their cities shall not be sold, for that is their perpetual possession.

Of Poor Countrymen

35 '3Now in case a countryman of yours becomes poor and his means with regard to you falter, then you are to sustain him, like a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with you.
36 '4Do not take usurious interest from him, but revere your God, that your countryman may live with you.
37 'You shall not give him your silver at interest, nor your food for gain.
38 '5I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and 6to be your God.
39 '7If a countryman of yours becomes so poor with regard to you that he sells himself to you, you shall not subject him to a slave's service.
40 'He shall be with you as a hired man, as 8if he were a sojourner; he shall serve with you until the year of jubilee.

Leviticus 25:30-40 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 25

In this chapter the Israelites are directed, when come into the land of Canaan, to observe every seventh year as a sabbatical year, in which there was to be no tillage of the land, and yet there would be a sufficiency for man and beast, Le 25:1-7; and every fiftieth year as a year of jubilee, in which also there was to be no tillage of the land, and every man was to return to his possession or estate, which had been sold to another any time before this, Le 25:8-17; and a promise of safety and plenty in the seventh year is made to encourage the observance of it, Le 25:18-22; and several laws and rules are delivered out concerning the sale of lands, the redemption of them, and their return to their original owner in the year of jubilee, Le 25:23-28; and the sale of houses, and the redemption of them, and the difference between those in walled cities and those in villages, with respect thereunto, Le 25:29-31; and also concerning the houses of the cities of the Levites, and the fields of the suburbs of them, Le 25:32-34; to which are added some instructions about relieving decayed, persons, and lending and giving to them, without taking usury of them, Le 25:34-38; and other laws concerning the release of such Israelites as had sold themselves for servants to the Israelites, in the year of jubilee, since none but Heathens were to be bondmen and bondmaids for ever, Le 25:39-46; and of such who were sold to proselytes, Le 25:47-55.

Cross References 8

  • 1. Numbers 35:1-8; Joshua 21:2
  • 2. Numbers 35:2-5
  • 3. Deuteronomy 15:7-11; Deuteronomy 24:14, 15
  • 4. Exodus 22:25; Deuteronomy 23:19, 20
  • 5. Leviticus 11:45
  • 6. Genesis 17:7
  • 7. Exodus 21:2-6; Deuteronomy 15:12-18; 1 Kings 9:22
  • 8. Exodus 21:2

Footnotes 11

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