Leviticus 25:49

49 both his father's brother, and the son of his father's brother, and his kinsman, and his ally. Else if also he shall be able, he shall again-buy himself, (or his father's brother, or the son of his father's brother, or another of his kin, should buy him back. Or if he is able, he should buy himself back,)

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 If the hand of a comeling or of a pilgrim waxeth strong at you, and thy brother is made poor, and selleth himself to that comeling, either to any of his kin, (And if a newcomer, or a foreigner who liveth with you, groweth rich, and thy brother is made poor, and selleth himself to that newcomer, or to any of his kin,)
48 he may be again-bought after the selling; he that will of his brethren, again-buy him; (he can be bought back after that he is sold; yea, he of his brothers who will do so, should buy him back;)
49 both his father's brother, and the son of his father's brother, and his kinsman, and his ally. Else if also he shall be able, he shall again-buy himself, (or his father's brother, or the son of his father's brother, or another of his kin, should buy him back. Or if he is able, he should buy himself back,)
50 while the years be reckoned only from the time of his (original) selling till into the year of jubilee; and while the money, for which he was sold, is reckoned by the number of years, and while the hire of an hired man is reckoned. (while the years be reckoned from the time when he first sold himself until the Jubilee Year; and while the price, for which he can be bought back, be reckoned by the wages for a hired man.)
51 If more years be that dwell till to the jubilee, by these years he shall yield also the price; (If there be more years that remain until the Jubilee Year, he shall pay the value of those years;)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.