Leviticus 25:28-38

28 But if he shall not be able to restore [it] to him, then that which is sold shall remain in the hand of him that hath bought it until the year of jubilee: and in the jubilee it shall go out, and he shall return to his possession.

29 And if a man shall sell a dwelling-house in a walled city, then he may redeem it within a whole year after it is sold: [within] a full year may he redeem it.

30 And if it shall not be redeemed within the space of a full year, then the house that [is] in the walled city shall be established for ever to him that bought it, throughout his generations: it shall not go out in the jubilee,

31 But the houses of the villages which have no walls around them, shall be counted as the fields of the country: they may be redeemed, and they shall go out in the jubilee.

32 Notwithstanding the cities of the Levites, [and] the houses of the cities of their possession, may the Levites redeem at any time.

33 And if a man shall purchase of the Levites, then the house that was sold, and the city of his possession shall go out in the [year of] jubilee; for the houses of the cities of the Levites [are] their possession among the children of Israel.

34 But the field of the suburbs of their cities may not be sold, for it [is] their perpetual possession.

35 And if thy brother shall have become poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: [yea, though he] may [be] a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee.

36 Take thou no interest of him, or increase; but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee.

37 Thou shalt not give him thy money upon interest, nor lend him thy victuals for increase.

38 I [am] the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, [and] to be your God.

Leviticus 25:28-38 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.