Focused Passage

Leviticus 25:47-55

Sabbath for the Land, Jubilee Release, and the LORD's Ownership of Israel

The LORD speaks to Moses at Mount Sinai and commands that the land itself must observe a Sabbath to the LORD every seventh year. After seven Sabbath years, the fiftieth year is consecrated as Jubilee, announced with the trumpet on the Day of Atonement. Property is returned, liberty is proclaimed, and economic transactions are governed by the number of harvest years remaining until Jubilee. The chapter then provides laws for trusting the LORD's provision during the Sabbath year, redeeming land, selling houses, protecting Levitical towns, helping poor Israelites, prohibiting interest exploitation, regulating Israelite servitude, and redeeming Israelites sold to resident foreigners. The chapter closes by grounding everything in the exodus: Israelites belong to the LORD as His servants.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

47If a foreigner residing among you prospers, but your countryman dwelling near him becomes destitute and sells himself to the foreigner or to a member of his clan,

48he retains the right of redemption after he has sold himself. One of his brothers may redeem him:

49either his uncle or cousin or any close relative from his clan may redeem him. Or if he prospers, he may redeem himself.

50He and his purchaser will then count the time from the year he sold himself up to the Year of Jubilee. The price of his sale will be determined by the number of years, based on the daily wages of a hired hand.

51If many years remain, he must pay for his redemption in proportion to his purchase price.

52If only a few years remain until the Year of Jubilee, he is to calculate and pay his redemption according to his remaining years.

53He shall be treated like a man hired from year to year, but a foreign owner must not rule over him harshly in your sight.

54Even if he is not redeemed in any of these ways, he and his children shall be released in the Year of Jubilee.

55For the Israelites are My servants. They are My servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 47

Original words

Ifוְכִ֣יH3588Conjunctiona foreignerגֵּ֤רH1616Noun - masculine singularresidingוְתוֹשָׁב֙H8453Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularamong youעִמָּ֔ךְH5973Preposition | second person feminine singularprospersתַשִּׂ֗יגH5381Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person feminine singular. . .יַ֣דH3027Noun - feminine singular constructbut your countrymanאָחִ֖יךָH251Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singulardwelling near himעִמּ֑וֹH5973Preposition | third person masculine singularbecomes destituteוּמָ֥ךְH4134Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularand sells himselfוְנִמְכַּ֗רH4376Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularto the foreignerלְגֵ֤רH1616Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular-תּוֹשָׁב֙H8453Noun - masculine singular-עִמָּ֔ךְH5973Preposition | second person feminine singularorא֥וֹH176Conjunctionto a memberלְעֵ֖קֶרH6133Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructof [his]גֵּֽר׃H1616Noun - masculine singularclanמִשְׁפַּ֥חַתH4940Noun - feminine singular construct
Verse 48

Original words

he retainsתִּהְיֶה־H1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singularthe right of redemptionגְּאֻלָּ֖הH1353Noun - feminine singularafterאַחֲרֵ֣יH310Prepositionhe has sold himselfנִמְכַּ֔רH4376Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singularOneאֶחָ֥דH259Number - masculine singularof his brothersמֵאֶחָ֖יוH251Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularmay redeem himיִגְאָלֶֽנּוּ׃H1350Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Verse 49

Original words

eitherאוֹ־H176Conjunctionhis uncleדֹד֞וֹH1730Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularorא֤וֹH176Conjunctioncousinבֶן־H1121Noun - masculine singular construct. . .דֹּדוֹ֙H1730Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular-יִגְאָלֶ֔נּוּH1350Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singularorאֽוֹ־H176Conjunctionany close relativeמִשְּׁאֵ֧רH7607Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct. . .בְּשָׂר֛וֹH1320Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularfrom his clanמִמִּשְׁפַּחְתּ֖וֹH4940Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularmay redeem himיִגְאָלֶ֑נּוּH1350Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singularOr ifאֽוֹ־H176Conjunctionhe prospersהִשִּׂ֥יגָהH5381Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person feminine singular. . .יָד֖וֹH3027Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularhe may redeem himselfוְנִגְאָֽל׃H1350Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 50

Original words

He andעִם־H5973Prepositionhis purchaserקֹנֵ֔הוּH7069Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularwill then count the timeוְחִשַּׁב֙H2803Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularfrom the yearמִשְּׁנַת֙H8141Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular constructhe soldהִמָּ֣כְרוֹH4376Verb - Nifal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singularhimselfל֔וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularup toעַ֖דH5704Prepositionthe Yearשְׁנַ֣תH8141Noun - feminine singular constructof Jubileeהַיֹּבֵ֑לH3104Article | Noun - masculine singularThe priceכֶּ֤סֶףH3701Noun - masculine singular constructof his saleמִמְכָּרוֹ֙H4465Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularwill beוְהָיָ֞הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singulardetermined by the numberבְּמִסְפַּ֣רH4557Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructof yearsשָׁנִ֔יםH8141Noun - feminine pluralbased onיִהְיֶ֥הH1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular-עִמּֽוֹ׃H5973Preposition | third person masculine singularthe dailyכִּימֵ֥יH3117Preposition-k | Noun - masculine plural constructwages of a hired handשָׂכִ֖ירH7916Adjective - masculine singular
Verse 51

Original words

Ifאִם־H518Conjunctionmanyרַבּ֖וֹתH7227Adjective - feminine pluralyearsבַּשָּׁנִ֑יםH8141Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine pluralremainע֥וֹדH5750Adverbhe must payיָשִׁ֣יבH7725Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularfor his redemptionגְּאֻלָּת֔וֹH1353Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularin proportion toלְפִיהֶן֙H6310Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine pluralhis purchaseמִקְנָתֽוֹ׃H4736Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularpriceמִכֶּ֖סֶףH3701Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Verse 52

Original words

Ifוְאִם־H518Conjunctiononly a fewמְעַ֞טH4592Adjective - masculine singularyearsבַּשָּׁנִ֛יםH8141Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine pluralremainנִשְׁאַ֧רH7604Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singularuntilעַד־H5704Prepositionthe Yearשְׁנַ֥תH8141Noun - feminine singular constructof Jubileeהַיֹּבֵ֖לH3104Article | Noun - masculine singularhe is to calculateוְחִשַּׁב־H2803Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular. . .ל֑וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularand payיָשִׁ֖יבH7725Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerhis redemptionגְּאֻלָּתֽוֹ׃H1353Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularaccording toכְּפִ֣יH6310Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular constructhis remaining yearsשָׁנָ֔יוH8141Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 53

Original words

He shall be treatedיִהְיֶ֣הH1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .עִמּ֑וֹH5973Preposition | third person masculine singularlike a man hiredכִּשְׂכִ֥ירH7916Preposition-k | Adjective - masculine singular constructfrom yearשָׁנָ֛הH8141Noun - feminine singularto yearבְּשָׁנָ֖הH8141Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singularbut [a foreign owner] must notלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlerule over himיִרְדֶּ֥נּֽוּH7287Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singularharshlyבְּפֶ֖רֶךְH6531Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singularin your sightלְעֵינֶֽיךָ׃H5869Preposition-l | Noun - cdc | second person masculine singular
Verse 54

Original words

Even ifוְאִם־H518Conjunctionhe is notלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particleredeemedיִגָּאֵ֖לH1350Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularin any of these waysבְּאֵ֑לֶּהH428Preposition-b | Pronoun - common pluralheה֖וּאH1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularand his childrenוּבָנָ֥יוH1121Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular. . .עִמּֽוֹ׃H5973Preposition | third person masculine singularshall be releasedוְיָצָא֙H3318Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularin the Yearבִּשְׁנַ֣תH8141Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular constructof Jubileeהַיֹּבֵ֔לH3104Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 55

Original words

Forכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionthe Israelitesבְנֵֽי־H1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .יִשְׂרָאֵל֙H3478Noun - proper - masculine singularare Myלִ֤יPreposition | first person common singularservantsעֲבָדִ֔יםH5650Noun - masculine pluralTheyהֵ֔םH1992Pronoun - third person masculine pluralare My servantsעֲבָדַ֣יH5650Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singularwhomאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeI broughtהוֹצֵ֥אתִיH3318Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular-אוֹתָ֖םH853Direct object marker | third person masculine pluralout of the landמֵאֶ֣רֶץH776Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular constructof Egyptמִצְרָ֑יִםH4714Noun - proper - feminine singularIאֲנִ֖יH589Pronoun - first person common singularam the LORDיְהוָ֥הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃H430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.