The Sabbath Year for the Land
Study note
Just as people rested every seventh day, the land was to rest every seventh year. During the Sabbath year, the Israelites could not plant crops, prune vineyards, or harvest. Whatever grew on its own could be eaten by anyone: the owner, servants, hired workers, foreigners, livestock, and wild animals. This radical practice required enormous trust in God's provision. It also let the soil recover, which is a principle modern agriculture still recognizes.
1 While Moses was on Mount Sinai, the Lord told him, And the LORD spake unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying,
2 "Tell the people of Israel. You will settle in the land I give you. Then the land must rest. Give it a Sabbath rest for the Lord." Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the LORD.
3 "You may work the land for six years -- planting crops, trimming vines, and bringing in harvests." Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof;
4 "But every seventh year, the land must have a complete Sabbath rest dedicated to the Lord. Do not plant your fields or trim your vineyards." But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the LORD: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.
5 "Do not harvest whatever grows on its own after the previous harvest, and do not pick grapes from your untrimmed vines. The land deserves a full year of rest." That which groweth of its own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not reap, neither gather the grapes of thy vine undressed: for it is a year of rest unto the land.
6 "Whatever the land grows on its own during this rest year is food for everyone. It feeds you, your servants, your hired workers, and the foreigners among you." And the sabbath of the land shall be meat for you; for thee, and for thy servant, and for thy maid, and for thy hired servant, and for thy stranger that sojourneth with thee,
7 "It also feeds your livestock and the wild animals in your land. Everything the land produces on its own may be eaten." And for thy cattle, and for the beast that are in thy land, shall all the increase thereof be meat.
The Year of Jubilee
Study note
After seven cycles of seven years, the fiftieth year was the Jubilee. On the Day of Atonement, a trumpet was blown throughout the land announcing freedom and restoration. All land that had been sold returned to its original family. All Israelite slaves were set free. This meant that land sales were really just long-term leases, priced according to how many years remained until the next Jubilee. This prevented anyone from permanently losing their family inheritance and kept wealth from concentrating in the hands of a few.
8 "Count off seven sets of Sabbath years -- seven times seven years -- for a total of forty-nine years." And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years.
9 "Then on the tenth day of the seventh month, on the Day of Atonement, blow a loud trumpet throughout the entire land." Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.
10 "Set the fiftieth year apart as sacred. Announce freedom for everyone in the land. This is the Jubilee! Every person must be allowed to go back to their family's land and to their own relatives." And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.
11 "The fiftieth year is the Jubilee. Do not plant crops, do not harvest what grows on its own, and do not pick grapes from untrimmed vines." A jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed.
12 "The Jubilee is sacred. Eat only what the fields produce on their own that year." For it is the jubilee; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field.
13 "During this Jubilee year, everyone must go back to their family's first piece of land." In the year of this jubilee ye shall return every man unto his possession.
14 "When you buy land from a neighbor or sell land to a neighbor, be honest with each other." And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest ought of thy neighbour's hand, ye shall not oppress one another:
15 "The purchase price should be based on the number of years since the last Jubilee. The seller should price it based on how many harvests remain until the next Jubilee." According to the number of years after the jubilee thou shalt buy of thy neighbour, and according unto the number of years of the fruits he shall sell unto thee:
16 "If many years remain, the price goes up. If few years remain, the price goes down. What you are truly buying and selling is the number of harvests." According to the multitude of years thou shalt increase the price thereof, and according to the fewness of years thou shalt diminish the price of it: for according to the number of the years of the fruits doth he sell unto thee.
17 "Do not take advantage of one another. Have reverence for your God. I am the Lord your God." Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I am the LORD your God.
Trusting God for Provision
Study note
God anticipated the people's worry about what they would eat during the Sabbath year and Jubilee. He promised to send such a large harvest in the sixth year that it would last through the seventh, eighth, and into the ninth year when the new crop was ready. This promise required faith. Obedience to these laws demonstrated trust that God would take care of his people even when they could not take care of themselves.
18 "Follow my rules and obey my regulations, and you will live securely in the land." Wherefore ye shall do my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; and ye shall dwell in the land in safety.
19 "The land will produce generous crops for you, and you will eat your fill and live in safety." And the land shall yield her fruit, and ye shall eat your fill, and dwell therein in safety.
20 "You might wonder, 'What are we going to eat during the seventh year if we are not allowed to plant or harvest?'" And if ye shall say, What shall we eat the seventh year? behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase:
21 "Here is my answer: I will pour out such a large blessing in the sixth year that the land will produce enough to last for three years." Then I will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years.
22 "When you finally plant again in the eighth year, you will still be eating from the surplus of the sixth year's harvest. You will keep eating from it until the new harvest comes in during the ninth year." And ye shall sow the eighth year, and eat yet of old fruit until the ninth year; until her fruits come in ye shall eat of the old store.
Buying Back Property
Study note
Since God was the true owner of the land, no land sale was permanent. If an Israelite became poor and had to sell land, a close relative could buy it back for them. If no relative could help, the original owner could buy it back when they had the money, paying a fair price based on years remaining until Jubilee. If it was not bought back, it returned automatically at Jubilee. Houses in walled cities had different rules and could be permanently sold after one year. But houses in unwalled villages followed the Jubilee rules. Levite property was permanently protected.
23 "Remember: land must never be sold permanently, because the land belongs to me. You are simply visitors and tenants living on my property." The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me.
24 "For every piece of land you hold, you must allow the right for it to be bought back." And in all the land of your possession ye shall grant a redemption for the land.
25 "If an Israelite falls on hard times and has to sell some land, the closest relative should step in and buy it back for them." If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold.
26 "If someone has no relative to help, but later earns enough money to buy back the land on their own," And if the man have none to redeem it, and himself be able to redeem it;
27 "they must count up the years since the sale and pay back the right amount to the buyer. Then they can return to their land." Then let him count the years of the sale thereof, and restore the overplus unto the man to whom he sold it; that he may return unto his possession.
28 "But if the person cannot come up with enough money to buy it back, the land stays with the buyer until the Jubilee year. At the Jubilee, it goes back to the first owner on its own." But if he be not able to restore it to him, then that which is sold shall remain in the hand of him that hath bought it until the year of jubilee: and in the jubilee it shall go out, and he shall return unto his possession.
29 "If someone sells a house inside a walled city, they have one full year to buy it back from the date of sale." And if a man sell a dwelling house in a walled city, then he may redeem it within a whole year after it is sold; within a full year may he redeem it.
30 "If it is not bought back within a complete year, the house in the walled city permanently belongs to the buyer and their descendants. It does not revert during the Jubilee." And if it be not redeemed within the space of a full year, then the house that is in the walled city shall be established for ever to him that bought it throughout his generations: it shall not go out in the jubilee.
31 "However, houses in unwalled villages are treated the same as open farmland. They can be bought back at any time and must be returned during the Jubilee." But the houses of the villages which have no wall round about them shall be counted as the fields of the country: they may be redeemed, and they shall go out in the jubilee.
32 "The Levites always have the right to buy back their houses in the towns assigned to them." Notwithstanding the cities of the Levites, and the houses of the cities of their possession, may the Levites redeem at any time.
33 "A Levite might sell a house in a Levite town. If no one buys it back, it must be returned at the Jubilee. Houses in Levite towns are their lasting share among the Israelites." And if a man purchase of the Levites, then the house that was sold, and the city of his possession, shall go out in the year of jubilee: for the houses of the cities of the Levites are their possession among the children of Israel.
34 "The pastureland around the Levite towns may never be sold. It is their property forever." But the field of the suburbs of their cities may not be sold; for it is their perpetual possession.
Helping the Poor
Study note
When a fellow Israelite became poor, the community was to help them, treating them as they would a foreigner or temporary resident. No interest was to be charged on money or food lent to them. This was revolutionary in the ancient world, where the poor were often exploited. God reminded them that he brought them out of Egypt to give them the land, so they should show the same generosity to others.
35 "If a fellow Israelite falls into poverty and can no longer support themselves, you must help them. Treat them just as you would help a foreigner or a temporary resident. Help them so they can keep living among you." And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee.
36 "Do not charge them any interest or try to profit from their situation. Have reverence for your God, and make sure your fellow Israelite can survive among you." Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee.
37 "Do not lend them money at interest or sell them food at an inflated price to make a profit." Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase.
38 "I am the Lord your God, the one who brought you out of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to serve as your God." I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.
Rules About Israelite Servants
Study note
If an Israelite became so poor that they had to sell themselves into service, they were not to be treated as slaves. They were to be treated as hired workers and serve until the Year of Jubilee, when they and their children would go free and return to their family's property. Israelites could buy foreign slaves, who could be owned permanently, but no Israelite was to be enslaved by another Israelite. God's reason was clear: the Israelites were his servants, whom he freed from Egypt.
39 "If a fellow Israelite becomes so poor that they have to sell themselves to you, do not force them to work as a slave." And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant:
40 "Treat them like a hired worker or a temporary resident among you. They will serve you only until the Jubilee year." But as an hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee unto the year of jubilee:
41 "At that point, they and their children must be set free. They will return to their own family and to the land their ancestors owned." And then shall he depart from thee, both he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return.
42 "The Israelites are my servants -- I personally brought them out of Egypt. They must never be sold like slaves." For they are my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen.
43 "Do not treat them harshly. Have reverence for your God." Thou shalt not rule over him with rigour; but shalt fear thy God.
44 "If you want slaves, you may acquire them from the surrounding nations." Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids.
45 "You may also purchase the children of foreigners who live among you, as well as members of their families who were born in your land. They may become your property." Moreover of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and of their families that are with you, which they begat in your land: and they shall be your possession.
46 "You may pass them down to your children as inherited property and have them serve permanently. But you must never treat your fellow Israelites harshly." And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever: but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with rigour.
Buying Back an Israelite from a Foreigner
Study note
If an Israelite sold themselves to a foreigner living in the land, their relatives could buy them back at any time. The price was calculated based on the years remaining until Jubilee, using the daily rate of a hired worker. If no one could buy them back, they would still go free at the Year of Jubilee. God's concern for his people's freedom was absolute: no Israelite was to remain permanently enslaved.
47 "A foreigner among you might become wealthy. At the same time, an Israelite might fall into deep need. That Israelite might sell himself to the foreigner. Or to someone in the foreigner's family." And if a sojourner or stranger wax rich by thee, and thy brother that dwelleth by him wax poor, and sell himself unto the stranger or sojourner by thee, or to the stock of the stranger's family:
48 "Even after the sale, the Israelite retains the right to be bought back. A relative may step in and purchase their freedom." After that he is sold he may be redeemed again; one of his brethren may redeem him:
49 "An uncle, a cousin, or any other close family member may buy them back. Or if they manage to become prosperous enough, they may purchase their own freedom." Either his uncle, or his uncle's son, may redeem him, or any that is nigh of kin unto him of his family may redeem him; or if he be able, he may redeem himself.
50 "The Israelite and the buyer must calculate the years from the date of sale until the next Jubilee. The buyback price will be based on a hired worker's daily rate multiplied by the number of years remaining." And he shall reckon with him that bought him from the year that he was sold to him unto the year of jubilee: and the price of his sale shall be according unto the number of years, according to the time of an hired servant shall it be with him.
51 "If many years are left before the Jubilee, the buyback price will be higher. It will be based on a bigger share of the original price paid." If there be yet many years behind, according unto them he shall give again the price of his redemption out of the money that he was bought for.
52 "Only a few years might remain before the Jubilee. Then the buyback price will be lower. It is based on those remaining years." And if there remain but few years unto the year of jubilee, then he shall count with him, and according unto his years shall he give him again the price of his redemption.
53 "While in service, the Israelite must be treated like a worker hired on a yearly basis. Make sure the foreign owner does not treat them harshly." And as a yearly hired servant shall he be with him: and the other shall not rule with rigour over him in thy sight.
54 "Even if no one buys them back through any of these methods, they and their children must still be released at the Jubilee." And if he be not redeemed in these years, then he shall go out in the year of jubilee, both he, and his children with him.
55 "The Israelites belong to me as my servants. I brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God." For unto me the children of Israel are servants; they are my servants whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.