INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 25 In this chapter the Israelites are directed, when come into the land of Canaan, to observe every seventh year as a sabbatical year, in which there was to be no tillage of the land, and yet there would be a sufficiency for man and beast, Leviticus 25:1; and every fiftiet... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES IN MOUNT SINAI,.... Not when Moses was with the Lord on that mount forty days, but after he came down from thence, even after the tabernacle was set up, while the children of Israel where encamped about that mountain, and before they took their journey from thence; for... [ Continue Reading ]
SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND SAY UNTO THEM,.... What follows, being what the whole body of the people would be under obligation to observe, and therefore must be delivered to them all, at least to the heads and elders of the people, and by them to the rest: WHEN YE COME INTO THE LAND WHIC... [ Continue Reading ]
SIX YEARS THOU SHALT SOW THY FIELD,.... Under which is comprehended everything relating to agriculture, both before and after sowing, as dunging the land, ploughing and harrowing it, treading the corn, reaping and gathering it in; see Exodus 23:10; AND SIX YEARS THOU SHALL PRUNE THY VINEYARD, AND G... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IN THE SEVENTH YEAR SHALL BE A SABBATH OF REST UNTO THE LAND,.... From all tillage of it, from planting and cultivating any sort of trees in it; and even from digging pits, ditches; and caves, as say the Jewish writers m: and this was typical of that rest which believers enter into under the Gos... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT WHICH GROWETH OF ITS OWN ACCORD OF THY HARVEST THOU SHALT NOT REAP,.... That which sprung up of itself from grains of corn, shed in the harvest of the preceding year, without any ploughing or sowing; he might reap it, but not as at other times, the whole of it, and gather it as his own property... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SABBATH OF THE LAND SHALL BE MEAT FOR YOU,...., That is, that which grew up of itself but of the land, or on trees, vines, olives, c. undressed, should be the meat or food on which they should live that year: and this comprehends everything that is fit for food, and also for drink, and for a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND FOR THY CATTLE, AND FOR THE BEASTS THAT [ARE] IN THY LAND,.... The former signifies tame cattle, such as were kept at home, or in fields, or were used in service, and the latter the wild beasts of the field: SHALL ALL THE INCREASE THEREOF BE MEAT; for the one, and for the other; Jarchi remarks,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU SHALT NUMBER SEVEN SABBATHS OF YEARS UNTO THEE,.... Or weeks of years; and there being seven days in a week, and a day being put for a year, seven weeks of years made forty nine years; the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, and Jarchi, interpret it seven "shemittas", or sabbatical years; and... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SHALL THOU CAUSE THE TRUMPET OF THE JUBILEE TO SOUND,.... At the end of forty nine years, or at the beginning of the fiftieth; or "the trumpet of a loud sound"; for here the word "jubilee" is not, which, according to some, was so called from the peculiar sound of the trumpet on this day, differ... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YE SHALL HALLOW THE FIFTIETH YEAR,.... The year following the seven sabbaths of years, or forty nine years; and which they were to sanctify by separating it from all others, and devoting it to the uses it was to be put to, and the services done on it, and by abstaining from the tillage of the la... [ Continue Reading ]
A JUBILEE SHALL THAT FIFTIETH YEAR BE UNTO YOU,.... Which, clearly shows, that not the forty ninth year was the year of jubilee, as many learned men have asserted, chiefly induced by this reason, because two years would come together in which were no sowing reaping; but that God, that could cause th... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IT IS THE JUBILEE, IT SHALL BE HOLY,.... Men being restored to their liberty, possessions, and families, it must be matter of joy to them, and therefore this year was to be separated from all others, and devoted to the ends and uses before mentioned; and men were to live upon the spontaneous pro... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE YEAR OF THIS JUBILEE,.... In the beginning of it, as Aben Ezra, though not on the first day of Tisri, but the tenth day, the day of atonement, when the trumpet was blown: YE SHALL RETURN EVERY MAN UNTO HIS POSSESSION; which is repeated from Leviticus 25:10; the reason of which, the Jews say... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF THOU SELL OUGHT UNTO THY NEIGHBOUR,.... Any estate or possession, house or land, at any time before the year of jubilee: OR BUYEST [OUGHT] OF THY NEIGHBOUR'S HAND; of movable goods, as the Targum of Jonathan interprets it; and so other Jewish writers z restrain this to goods which are bought... [ Continue Reading ]
ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER OF YEARS AFTER THE JUBILEE THOU SHALT BUY OF THY NEIGHBOUR,.... That is, reckoning how many years had past since the last jubilee, and how many there were to come to the next, and so give as many years' purchase as were yet to come: [AND] ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER OF YEARS OF... [ Continue Reading ]
ACCORDING TO THE MULTITUDE OF YEARS THOU SHALT INCREASE THE PRICE THEREOF,.... More was to be asked and required, and should be given for an estate, when, for instance, there were thirty years to the year of jubilee, than when there were but twenty; AND ACCORDING TO THE FEWNESS OF YEARS THOU SHALT... [ Continue Reading ]
YE SHALL NOT THEREFORE OPPRESS ONE ANOTHER,.... By over or underrating estates: BUT THOU SHALT FEAR THY GOD; and the fear of God being before their eyes, and on their hearts, would preserve both buyer and seller from doing an ill thing, when it was in the power of either, through the necessity of t... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE YE SHALL DO MY STATUTES, AND KEEP MY JUDGMENTS, AND DO THEM,.... These and all others he enjoined; by which tenure, even obedience to all his commands, moral, ritual, and judicial, they were to hold the land of Canaan, and their possessions in it, which is intended in the next clause: AND... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LAND SHALL YIELD HER FRUIT,.... That is, continually, and even in the seventh year, the sabbath of rest; for the land, though not manured, ploughed, and sowed, nor the vines, olives, and fig trees pruned, yet shall yield fruit as in other years, the Israelites observing the statutes and judg... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YE SHALL SAY, WHAT SHALL YE EAT THE SEVENTH YEAR?.... Such as are of little faith, disbelieve the promise, and distrust the providence of God, and take thought for tomorrow, and indulge an anxiety of mind how they shall be provided with food in the sabbatical year ordered to be observed, in whic... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN I WILL COMMAND MY BLESSING UPON YOU IN THE SIXTH YEAR,.... Upon their fields, vineyards, and oliveyards, and make them exceeding fruitful, more than in other years; all fruitfulness at any time depends upon the blessing of God, and follows upon it, but is more visible and observable when there... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YE SHALL SOW THE EIGHTH YEAR,.... Sow the land in the eighth year, and likewise dress their vines, olives, c. AND EAT [YET] OF THE OLD FRUIT even in the eighth year, of the old fruit of the sixth year, as the Targum of Jonathan adds: UNTIL THE NINTH YEAR; that is, as Jarchi explains it, until... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LAND SHALL NOT BE SOLD FOR EVER,.... That is, the land of Israel; the meaning is, any part of it, for that the whole might be sold or disposed of at once is not to be supposed, but anyone part of it, which was the property of a single man, or belonged to a family; though it might be sold in case... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IN ALL THE LAND OF YOUR POSSESSION,.... Which they should possess in the land of Canaan, whatever part of it any of them should enjoy: YE SHALL GRANT A REDEMPTION FOR THE LAND; that is, whenever any estate in it was sold through necessity, the buyer was obliged to grant a liberty to the seller... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THY BROTHER BE WAXEN POOR,.... Is brought very low, greatly reduced, and is in mean circumstances; hence Jarchi says, we learn, that no man may sell his field, unless his distress presses him and forces him to it; for, as Maimonides c observes, a man might not sell his estate to put money into hi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF THE MAN HAVE NONE TO REDEEM IT,.... That is, none of kin that was able or willing to redeem it; otherwise no doubt there were persons in the land able to do it at any time, but none he was in connection with, or from whom he could expect such a favour: AND HIMSELF BE ABLE TO REDEEM IT; or if... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN LET HIM COUNT THE YEARS OF THE SALE THEREOF,.... How many years had passed since it was sold, how many it had been in the hands of the purchaser, and how many were yet to come to the year of the jubilee, by which means the price of redemption might easily be settled; thus, for instance, if the... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF HE BE NOT ABLE TO RESTORE IT TO HIM,.... The overplus, or give him what is in proportion to the time he has had it, and yet to come: THEN THAT WHICH IS SOLD SHALL REMAIN IN THE HAND OF HIM THAT BOUGHT IT UNTIL THE YEAR OF THE JUBILEE; continue in his possession, and he shall enjoy all the be... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF A MAN SELL A DWELLING HOUSE IN A WALLED CITY,.... Which was so from the days of Joshua the son of Nun, as Jarchi: THEN HE MAY REDEEM IT WITHIN A WHOLE YEAR AFTER IT IS SOLD: any time within the year he pleased, either he or any near of kin to him; and if they would, on the day it was sold, o... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF IT BE NOT REDEEMED WITHIN THE SPACE OF A FULL YEAR,.... Either by the seller or any man of kin to him: THEN THE HOUSE THAT [IS] IN THE WALLED CITY SHALL BE ESTABLISHED FOR EVER TO HIM THAT BOUGHT IT, THROUGHOUT HIS GENERATION; after twelve months were elapsed it was not redeemable by any, bu... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE HOUSES OF THE VILLAGES, WHICH HAVE NO WALLS ROUND ABOUT THEM,.... As there were many in the days of Joshua, the Scripture speaks of: the Jews suppose that such are meant, even though they were afterwards walled: SHALL BE COUNTED AS THE FIELDS OF THE COUNTRY; and subject to the same law as t... [ Continue Reading ]
NOTWITHSTANDING, THE CITIES OF THE LEVITES,.... The six cities of refuge, and forty two others; these and the houses in them are excepted from the above law, and only they; not such as they might purchase elsewhere; wherefore it follows, [AND] THE HOUSES OF THE CITIES OF THEIR POSSESSION; which wer... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF A MAN PURCHASE OF THE LEVITES,.... An house or city, as Jarchi, and which the following clause confirms, that is, if a common Israelite made such a purchase, then it was redeemable, but if a Levite purchased of a Levite, then, as the same writer observes, it was absolutely irredeemable: THEN... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE FIELD OF THE SUBURBS OF THEIR CITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD,.... The suburbs to the cities of the Levites reached two thousand cubits on every side of their cities, Numbers 35:5; in which they had fields to keep their cattle in, and these belonged to them in common; every Levite had not a particula... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF THY BROTHER BE WAXEN POOR,.... An Israelite, as Aben Ezra, be reduced to a low estate, through afflictions in body, or in family, or through losses in trade, or want of business, or through one providence or another: AND FALLEN IN DECAY WITH THEE; in his worldly substance: or "his hand waver... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE THOU NO USURY OF HIM, OR INCREASE,.... Not only give him somewhat for his present relief, but lend him money to put him in a way of business, to get his living for the future, without requiring any interest for it; Exodus 22:25; BUT FEAR THY GOD; who has given this command, and expects to be o... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT NOT GIVE HIM THY MONEY UPON USURY,.... Lend him money, expecting and insisting upon a large interest for it; this is to be understood of persons in poor and necessitous circumstances, of which the text only speaks; otherwise, if persons borrow money to gain by it, to carry on a greater tr... [ Continue Reading ]
I [AM] THE LORD YOUR GOD, WHICH BROUGHT YOU OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT,.... Where they had been strangers and sojourners, and therefore should be kind to such in necessitous circumstances, and relieve them, and especially their brethren; and where God had given them favour in the eyes of the Egyptians... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF THY BROTHER [THAT DWELLETH] BY THEE BE WAXEN POOR,.... The above laws and instructions seem designed to prevent such extreme poverty as obliged to what follows, namely, a brother being sold either to an Israelite or to a stranger, by relieving his wants or lending him money; but when these we... [ Continue Reading ]
[BUT] AS AN HIRED SERVANT,.... Who is hired by the day, or month, or year; and, when his time is up, receives his wages and goes where he pleases, and while a servant is not under such despotic power and government as a slave is: [AND] AS A SOJOURNER; an inmate, one that dwells in part of a man's h... [ Continue Reading ]
AND [THEN] SHALL HE DEPART FROM THEE, [BOTH] HE AND HIS CHILDREN WITH HIM,.... His sons and daughters, and his wife also, who is included in himself: if a man had a wife and children when he sold himself, or married afterwards, with his master's consent, he was obliged to maintain them t; though the... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THEY [ARE] MY SERVANTS, WHICH I BROUGHT FORTH OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT,.... The Lord redeemed them out of Egypt, made a purchase of them, and had a prior right unto them, and being his servants first, they cannot be the servants of others; his right unto them as such antecedes and prevents any o... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT NOT RULE OVER HIM WITH RIGOUR,.... As the Egyptians ruled over the Israelites, and made them to serve, Exodus 1:13; where the same word is used as here, and seems designed to put them in mind of it, that so they might abstain from such usage of their brethren, which they had met with from... [ Continue Reading ]
BOTH THY BONDMEN, AND THY BONDMAIDS, WHICH THOU SHALT HAVE,.... Such it seems were allowed them, if they had need of them; but if they had them, they were to be not of the nation of Israel, but of other nations; this is an anticipation of an objection, as Jarchi observes; if so, who shall I have to... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER, OF THE CHILDREN OF THE STRANGERS, THAT DO SOJOURN AMONG YOU,.... The uncircumcised sojourners as they are called in the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, proselytes of the gate, such of the nations round about who came and sojourned among them, being subject to the precepts given to the son... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YE SHALL TAKE THEM AS AN INHERITANCE FOR YOUR CHILDREN AFTER YOU,.... Which they might leave them at their death to inherit, as they did their estates and lands; for such servants are, with the Jews y, said to be like immovable goods, as fields, vineyards, TO INHERIT [THEM FOR] A POSSESSION; as... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF A SOJOURNER OR STRANGER WAX RICH BY THEE,.... An uncircumcised one, as the Targums, a proselyte of the gate, who by living among and trading with the Israelites, might grow rich and wealthy in money, at least so as to be able to purchase an Hebrew servant, though not his lands, which he might... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER THAT HE IS SOLD HE MAY BE REDEEMED AGAIN,.... Though an Heathen, sold to an Israelite, was to be a bondman for ever, and could not be released by the year of jubilee, yet an Israelite sold to an Heathen might be redeemed before, and if not, he was freed then. The Jewish writers understand this... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SHALL RECKON WITH HIM THAT BOUGHT HIM,.... That is, either the man himself should reckon with him, or whoever undertook to redeem him: FROM THE YEAR THAT HE WAS SOLD TO HIM UNTO THE YEAR OF JUBILEE; and so count how many years he had served, and how many were yet to come; and by this it appe... [ Continue Reading ]
IF [THERE BE] YET MANY YEARS BEHIND,.... To the year of jubilee, and more than he had served: ACCORDING UNTO THEM HE SHALL GIVE AGAIN THE PRICE OF HIS REDEMPTION, OUT OF THE MONEY THAT HE WAS BOUGHT FOR; suppose, for instance, when a man sold himself, there were twenty years to the year of jubilee,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF THERE REMAIN BUT FEW YEARS UNTO THE YEAR OF JUBILEE,.... Fewer than what he has served, then the less is given for his redemption: thus, for instance, in the above supposed case, if he has served fifteen years, and there remain but five to the year of jubilee: THEN HE SHALL COUNT WITH HIM, ... [ Continue Reading ]
[AND] AS A YEARLY HIRED SERVANT SHALL HE BE WITH HIM,.... Being redeemable every year, and upon his redemption might quit his master's service, as an hireling may; and the price of his redemption to be valued according to the years he served, and as if he had been hired for so much a year; as well a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF HE BE NOT REDEEMED IN THESE [YEARS],.... The Targum of Jonathan supplies the text as we do, in any of the years from the time of his sale to the year of jubilee; and so Aben Ezra interprets it, in the years that remain to the jubilee; but he observes there are others that say, by the means of... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR UNTO ME THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL [ARE] SERVANTS,.... And therefore not to be perpetual servants to men, as those who are bought and redeemed by the blood of Christ should not be, 1 Corinthians 7:23; The Targum of Jonathan is, servants to my law; see Romans 7:25; those that are redeemed by Christ a... [ Continue Reading ]