Bible Commentaries

Exodus 19:1, Numbers 1:1, 10:11,12, Galatians 4:24,25

When ye

14:34, Deuteronomy 32:8,49, 34:4, Psalms 24:1,2, 115:16, Isaiah 8:8, Jeremiah 27:5

keep

Heb. rest.

23:32; *marg:

a sabbath

26:34,35, Exodus 23:10, 2 Chronicles 36:21

20-23, 26:34,35,43, Exodus 23:10,11, 2 Chronicles 36:21

groweth

2 Kings 19:29, Isaiah 37:30

thy vine undressed

Heb. the separation.

Exodus 23:11, Acts 2:44, 4:32,34,35

23:15, Genesis 2:2

of the jubilee to sound

Heb. loud of sound.

Numbers 10:10, Psalms 89:15, Acts 13:38,39, Romans 10:18, 15:19, 2 Corinthians 5:19-21, 1 Thessalonians 1:8

jubilee

10-12, 27:17,24, Numbers 36:4

the day

16:20,30, 23:24,27

proclaim

Exodus 20:2, Ezra 1:3, Psalms 146:7, Isaiah 49:9,24,25, 61:1-3, 63:4, Jeremiah 34:8,13-17, Zechariah 9:11,12, Luke 1:74, 4:16-21, John 8:32-36, Romans 6:17,18, 2 Corinthians 3:17, Galatians 4:25-31, 5:1,13, 1 Peter 2:16, 2 Peter 2:19,20

every man

13,26-28,33,34, 27:17-24

ye shall return

Numbers 36:2-9

A jubilee

Respecting the literal meaning of the word [ywbl] yobel, or yovel, critics are not agreed. The most natural derivation of the word seems to be from [hwbyl] hovil, the Hiphil form of [ybl] yaval, to recall, restore, or bring back, because this year restored all slaves to their liberty, and brought back all alienated estates to their primitive owners. Accordingly the LXX. render it here [aphesis] a "remission"; and Josephus says it signifies [eleutherian] liberty.

27:17

ye shall

6,7

10, 27:17-24, Numbers 36:4

17, 19:13, Deuteronomy 16:19,20, Judges 4:3, 1 Samuel 12:3,4, 2 Chronicles 16:10, Nehemiah 9:36,37, Job 20:19,20, Psalms 10:18, Proverbs 14:31, 21:13, 22:16, 28:3,8,16, Ecclesiastes 5:8, Isaiah 1:17, 3:12-15, 5:7, 33:15, 58:6, Jeremiah 22:17, Ezekiel 22:7,12,13, Amos 5:11,12, 8:4-7, Micah 2:2,3, 6:10-12, 7:3, Luke 3:14, 1 Corinthians 6:8, James 5:1-5

27:18-23, Philippians 4:5

shall not

fear

43, 19:14,32, Genesis 20:11, 22:12, 39:9, 42:18, Exodus 20:20, Deuteronomy 25:18, 1 Samuel 12:24, 2 Chronicles 19:7, Nehemiah 5:9,15, Psalms 19:9, Proverbs 1:7, Jeremiah 22:16, Malachi 3:5, Luke 12:5, Acts 9:31, 10:2,35, Romans 3:18, 11:20

Wherefore

19:37, Psalms 103:18

and ye

26:3-12, Deuteronomy 12:10, 28:1-14, 33:12,28, Psalms 4:8, Proverbs 1:33, Jeremiah 7:3-7, Jeremiah 23:6, 25:5, 33:16, Ezekiel 33:24-26,29, 34:25-28, 36:24-28

26:5, Psalms 67:6, 85:12, Isaiah 30:23, 65:21,22, Ezekiel 34:25-28, 36:30, Joel 2:24,26

Numbers 11:4,13, 2 Kings 6:15-17, 7:2, 2 Chronicles 25:9, Psalms 78:19,20, Isaiah 1:2, Matthew 6:25-34, 8:26, Luke 12:29, Philippians 4:6, Hebrews 13:5,6

I will

As it is here graciously promised, that the sixth year was to bring forth fruits for three years, not merely for two, it is evident that both the sabbatical year and the year of jubilee were distinctly provided for. They were not to sow from the sixth to the eighth year, omitting two seed times; nor reap from the sixth to the ninth, omitting two harvests. No legislator, unless conscious of being divinely commissioned, would have committed himself by enacting such a law as this; nor would any people have submitted to receive it, except in consequence of the fullest conviction that a divine authority had dictated it. It therefore stands as a proof that Moses acted by the express direction of the Almighty, and that the people were fully persuaded of the reality of his divine mission by the miracles he wrought.

Genesis 26:12, 41:47, Exodus 16:29, Deuteronomy 28:3,8, Psalms 133:3, Proverbs 10:22, 2 Corinthians 9:10

three years

4,8-11

eighth

2 Kings 19:29, Isaiah 37:30

old fruit

Joshua 5:11,12

The land

10, 1 Kings 21:3, Ezekiel 48:14

for ever

or, to be quite cut off. Heb. for cutting off. for the land.

Deuteronomy 32:43, 2 Chronicles 7:20, Psalms 24:1, 85:1, Isaiah 8:8, Hosea 9:3, Joel 2:18, 3:2

for ye are

Genesis 47:9, 1 Chronicles 29:15, Psalms 39:12, 119:19, Hebrews 11:9-13, 1 Peter 2:11

redemption

27,31,51-53, Romans 8:23, 1 Corinthians 1:30, Ephesians 1:7,14, 4:30

Ruth 2:20, 3:2,9,12, 4:4-6, Jeremiah 32:7,8, 2 Corinthians 8:9, Hebrews 2:13,14, Revelation 5:9

himself be able to redeem it

Heb. his hand hath attained, and found sufficiency.

5:7; *marg:

Leviticus 25:50-53

and in the

he shall

See on

Isaiah 35:9,10, Jeremiah 32:15, 1 Corinthians 15:52-54, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 1 Peter 1:4,5

A very proper difference is here made between houses in a city and houses in the country. The former might be redeemed any time in the course of a year; but after that time could not be redeemed, or go out with the Jubileethe latter might be redeemed at any time; and if not redeemed must go out with the jubilee. The reason in both cases is sufficiently evident; the house in the city might be built merely for the purposes of trade or traffic - the house in the country was builded on, or attached to, the inheritance which God had divided to the respective families. It was therefore necessary that the same law should apply to the house as to the inheritance; which necessity did not exist with regard to the house in the city. And, as the house in the city might be purchased for the purpose of trade, it would be very inconvenient for the purchaser, when his business was established, to be obliged to remove.

they may be redeemed

Heb. redemption belongeth unto it.

Psalms 49:7,8

the cities

As the Levites had no inheritance in Israel, but only cities to dwell in; and consequently the houses in these cities were all they could call their own, therefore they could not be ultimately alienated.

Numbers 35:2-8, Joshua 21:1-45

a man purchase of the Levites

or, one of the Levites redeem them. shall go.

for the houses

Numbers 18:20-24, Deuteronomy 18:1,2

23, Acts 4:36,37

thy brother

25, Deuteronomy 15:7,8, Proverbs 14:20,21, 17:5, 19:17, Mark 14:7, John 12:8, 2 Corinthians 8:9, James 2:5,6

fallen in decay

Heb. his hand faileth. then.

Psalms 37:26, 41:1, 112:5,9, Proverbs 14:31, Luke 6:35, Acts 11:29, Romans 12:13,18,20, 2 Corinthians 9:1,12-15, Galatians 2:10, 1 John 3:17

relieve

Heb. strengthen. a stranger.

19:34, Exodus 23:9, Deuteronomy 10:18,19, Matthew 25:35, Hebrews 13:2

usury

Exodus 22:25, Deuteronomy 23:19,20, Nehemiah 5:7-10, Psalms 15:5, Proverbs 28:8, Ezekiel 18:8,13,17, Ezekiel 22:12

fear

17, Nehemiah 5:9,15

which

Exodus 20:2

and to be

11:45, 22:32,33, Numbers 15:41, Jeremiah 31:1,33, 32:38, Hebrews 11:16

be sold

Exodus 21:2, 22:3, Deuteronomy 15:12, 1 Kings 9:22, 2 Kings 4:1, Nehemiah 5:5, Jeremiah 34:14

compel him to serve as

Heb. serve thyself with him with the service of, etc.

46; *marg:; Exodus 1:14, Jeremiah 25:14, 27:7, 30:8

Exodus 21:2,3

then shall

Exodus 21:3, John 8:32, Romans 6:14, Titus 2:14

shall return

10,28

my servants

55, Romans 6:22, 1 Corinthians 7:21-23

as bondsmen

Heb. with the sale of a bondman.

rule

46,53, Exodus 1:13,14, 2:23, 3:7,9, 5:14, Isaiah 47:6, 58:3, Ephesians 6:9, Colossians 4:1

but shalt

17, Exodus 1:17,21, Deuteronomy 25:18, Malachi 3:5

Exodus 12:44, Psalms 2:8,9, Isaiah 14:1,2, Revelation 2:26,27

Isaiah 56:3-6

And ye shall

Isaiah 14:2

they shall be your bondmen for ever

Heb. ye shall serve yourselves with them.

ye shall not rule

sojourner or stranger wax rich

Heb. the hand of a stranger, etc. obtain, etc.

26, 1 Samuel 2:7,8, James 2:5

25,35, Nehemiah 5:5,8, Galatians 4:4,5, Hebrews 2:11-13

or if he be

reckon

price of his sale

This was a very equitable law, both to the sojourner to whom the man was sold, and to the Israelite who had been sold. The Israelite might redeem himself, or one of his kindred might redeem him; but this must not be done to the prejudice of his master. They were therefore to reckon the years he must have served, from that time till the jubilee; and then taking the current wages of a servant, per year, at that time, multiply the remaining years by that sum, and the aggregate was to be given to his master for his redemption. The Jews hold that the kindred of such a person were bound, if in their power, to redeem him, lest he should be swallowed up among the heathen; and we find (Ne 5:8) that this was done by the Jews on their return from the Babylonish captivity.

according to the time

40,53, Deuteronomy 15:18, Job 7:1,2, 14:6, Isaiah 16:14, 21:16

jubilee

The jubilee was a wonderful institution, and of great service to the religion, freedom, and independence of the Hebrews. It was calculated to prevent the rich from oppressing the poor, and reducing them to perpetual slavery; and to hinder their obtaining possession of all the lands by purchase, mortgage, or usurpation. It was further intended, that debts should not be multiplied too much, lest the poor should be entirely ruined; that slaves should not always continue in servitude; that personal liberty, equality of property, and the regular order of families might, as much as possible, be preserved; and that the people might thus be strongly attached to their country, lands, and inheritances.

Leviticus 25:43

in these years

or, by these means. then.

40,41, Exodus 21:2,3, Isaiah 49:9,25, 52:3

my servants

42, Exodus 13:3, 20:2, Psalms 116:16, Isaiah 43:3, Luke 1:74,75, Romans 6:14,17,18, Romans 6:22, 1 Corinthians 7:22,23, 9:19,21, Galatians 5:13