Leviticus 25:13-23

13 In the year of Jubilee you each must go back to your own property.

14 "'If you sell your land to your neighbor, or if you buy land from your neighbor, don't cheat each other.

15 If you want to buy your neighbor's land, count the number of years since the last Jubilee, and use that number to decide the right price. If your neighbor sells the land to you, count the number of years left for harvesting crops, and use that number to decide the right price.

16 If there are many years, the price will be high. But if there are only a few years, lower the price, because your neighbor is really selling only a few crops to you.

17 You must not cheat each other, but you must respect your God. I am the Lord your God.

18 "'Remember my laws and rules, and obey them so that you will live safely in the land.

19 The land will give good crops to you, and you will eat as much as you want and live safely in the land.

20 "'But you might ask, "If we don't plant seeds or gather crops, what will we eat the seventh year?"

21 I will send you such a great blessing during the sixth year that the land will produce enough crops for three years.

22 When you plant in the eighth year, you will still be eating from the old crop; you will eat the old crop until the harvest of the ninth year.

23 "'The land really belongs to me, so you can't sell it for all time. You are only foreigners and travelers living for a while on my land.

Leviticus 25:13-23 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.