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

47 If 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,

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

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

50 He 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.

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

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

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

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

55 For 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

If וְכִ֣י H3588 Conjunction a foreigner גֵּ֤ר H1616 Noun - masculine singular residing וְתוֹשָׁב֙ H8453 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular among you עִמָּ֔ךְ H5973 Preposition | second person feminine singular prospers תַשִּׂ֗יג H5381 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person feminine singular . . . יַ֣ד H3027 Noun - feminine singular construct but your countryman אָחִ֖יךָ H251 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular dwelling near him עִמּ֑וֹ H5973 Preposition | third person masculine singular becomes destitute וּמָ֥ךְ H4134 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular and sells himself וְנִמְכַּ֗ר H4376 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular to the foreigner לְגֵ֤ר H1616 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular - תּוֹשָׁב֙ H8453 Noun - masculine singular - עִמָּ֔ךְ H5973 Preposition | second person feminine singular or א֥וֹ H176 Conjunction to a member לְעֵ֖קֶר H6133 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct of [his] גֵּֽר׃ H1616 Noun - masculine singular clan מִשְׁפַּ֥חַת H4940 Noun - feminine singular construct
Verse 48

Original words

he retains תִּהְיֶה־ H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular the right of redemption גְּאֻלָּ֖ה H1353 Noun - feminine singular after אַחֲרֵ֣י H310 Preposition he has sold himself נִמְכַּ֔ר H4376 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular One אֶחָ֥ד H259 Number - masculine singular of his brothers מֵאֶחָ֖יו H251 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular may redeem him יִגְאָלֶֽנּוּ׃ H1350 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Verse 49

Original words

either אוֹ־ H176 Conjunction his uncle דֹד֞וֹ H1730 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular or א֤וֹ H176 Conjunction cousin בֶן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct . . . דֹּדוֹ֙ H1730 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular - יִגְאָלֶ֔נּוּ H1350 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular or אֽוֹ־ H176 Conjunction any close relative מִשְּׁאֵ֧ר H7607 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct . . . בְּשָׂר֛וֹ H1320 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular from his clan מִמִּשְׁפַּחְתּ֖וֹ H4940 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular may redeem him יִגְאָלֶ֑נּוּ H1350 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular Or if אֽוֹ־ H176 Conjunction he prospers הִשִּׂ֥יגָה H5381 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person feminine singular . . . יָד֖וֹ H3027 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular he may redeem himself וְנִגְאָֽל׃ H1350 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 50

Original words

He and עִם־ H5973 Preposition his purchaser קֹנֵ֔הוּ H7069 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular will then count the time וְחִשַּׁב֙ H2803 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular from the year מִשְּׁנַת֙ H8141 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct he sold הִמָּ֣כְרוֹ H4376 Verb - Nifal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular himself ל֔וֹ Preposition | third person masculine singular up to עַ֖ד H5704 Preposition the Year שְׁנַ֣ת H8141 Noun - feminine singular construct of Jubilee הַיֹּבֵ֑ל H3104 Article | Noun - masculine singular The price כֶּ֤סֶף H3701 Noun - masculine singular construct of his sale מִמְכָּרוֹ֙ H4465 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular will be וְהָיָ֞ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular determined by the number בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר H4557 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct of years שָׁנִ֔ים H8141 Noun - feminine plural based on יִהְיֶ֥ה H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular - עִמּֽוֹ׃ H5973 Preposition | third person masculine singular the daily כִּימֵ֥י H3117 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine plural construct wages of a hired hand שָׂכִ֖יר H7916 Adjective - masculine singular
Verse 51

Original words

If אִם־ H518 Conjunction many רַבּ֖וֹת H7227 Adjective - feminine plural years בַּשָּׁנִ֑ים H8141 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine plural remain ע֥וֹד H5750 Adverb he must pay יָשִׁ֣יב H7725 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular for his redemption גְּאֻלָּת֔וֹ H1353 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular in proportion to לְפִיהֶן֙ H6310 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine plural his purchase מִקְנָתֽוֹ׃ H4736 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular price מִכֶּ֖סֶף H3701 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Verse 52

Original words

If וְאִם־ H518 Conjunction only a few מְעַ֞ט H4592 Adjective - masculine singular years בַּשָּׁנִ֛ים H8141 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine plural remain נִשְׁאַ֧ר H7604 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular until עַד־ H5704 Preposition the Year שְׁנַ֥ת H8141 Noun - feminine singular construct of Jubilee הַיֹּבֵ֖ל H3104 Article | Noun - masculine singular he is to calculate וְחִשַּׁב־ H2803 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular . . . ל֑וֹ Preposition | third person masculine singular and pay יָשִׁ֖יב H7725 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker his redemption גְּאֻלָּתֽוֹ׃ H1353 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular according to כְּפִ֣י H6310 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct his remaining years שָׁנָ֔יו H8141 Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 53

Original words

He shall be treated יִהְיֶ֣ה H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . עִמּ֑וֹ H5973 Preposition | third person masculine singular like a man hired כִּשְׂכִ֥יר H7916 Preposition-k | Adjective - masculine singular construct from year שָׁנָ֛ה H8141 Noun - feminine singular to year בְּשָׁנָ֖ה H8141 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular but [a foreign owner] must not לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle rule over him יִרְדֶּ֥נּֽוּ H7287 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular harshly בְּפֶ֖רֶךְ H6531 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular in your sight לְעֵינֶֽיךָ׃ H5869 Preposition-l | Noun - cdc | second person masculine singular
Verse 54

Original words

Even if וְאִם־ H518 Conjunction he is not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle redeemed יִגָּאֵ֖ל H1350 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular in any of these ways בְּאֵ֑לֶּה H428 Preposition-b | Pronoun - common plural he ה֖וּא H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular and his children וּבָנָ֥יו H1121 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular . . . עִמּֽוֹ׃ H5973 Preposition | third person masculine singular shall be released וְיָצָא֙ H3318 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular in the Year בִּשְׁנַ֣ת H8141 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct of Jubilee הַיֹּבֵ֔ל H3104 Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 55

Original words

For כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction the Israelites בְנֵֽי־ H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct . . . יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular are My לִ֤י Preposition | first person common singular servants עֲבָדִ֔ים H5650 Noun - masculine plural They הֵ֔ם H1992 Pronoun - third person masculine plural are My servants עֲבָדַ֣י H5650 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular whom אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative I brought הוֹצֵ֥אתִי H3318 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular - אוֹתָ֖ם H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine plural out of the land מֵאֶ֣רֶץ H776 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct of Egypt מִצְרָ֑יִם H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular I אֲנִ֖י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular am the LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ H430 Noun - 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.