Leviticus 25:16-26

16 The more years left, the more money; you can raise the price. But the fewer years left, the less money; decrease the price. What you are buying and selling in fact is the number of crops you're going to harvest.

17 Don't cheat each other. Fear your God. I am God, your God.

18 "Keep my decrees and observe my laws and you will live secure in the land.

19 The land will yield its fruit; you will have all you can eat and will live safe and secure.

20 Do I hear you ask, 'What are we going to eat in the seventh year if we don't plant or harvest?'

21 I assure you, I will send such a blessing in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years.

22 While you plant in the eighth year, you will eat from the old crop and continue until the harvest of the ninth year comes in.

23 "The land cannot be sold permanently because the land is mine and you are foreigners - you're my tenants.

24 You must provide for the right of redemption for any of the land that you own.

25 "If one of your brothers becomes poor and has to sell any of his land, his nearest relative is to come and buy back what his brother sold.

26 If a man has no one to redeem it but he later prospers and earns enough for its redemption,

Leviticus 25:16-26 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.