Leviticus 25
DOYLY— thou shalt neither sow thy field.] The sabbath day was a rest from the labours, laid upon man for sin. The sabbath year was a rest for the ground, which for man’s sin God had cursed. Bibloth. Bibl.
Leviticus 25:4
- — in the seventh year shall be a sabbath &c.] There are some particulars commanded in the law of Moses which it is evident that Moses, at the time when he enjoined them, knew might be fatal to the welfare of the people, if God did not interpose, and by an especial Providence preserve them from the evils, which obedience to those commands might bring upon them. Among these, is the command not to sow or till their lands every seventh year. This must, ordinarily speaking, have brought upon them many inconveniences, as it required them to lose at once a whole year’s produce of their country. But, to prevent these inconveniences, a most extraordinary produce was promised all over the land, ver. 21, on the year before they were to begin their neglect of harvest and tillage. How can any one imagine that Moses would ever have thought of obliging the Israelites by such a law as this, if God had not really given a particular command respecting it? or that the Israelites would have been so weak as to obey such pernicious instructions, if they had not sufficient evidence that the command came from God? Or, if they had been so romantick as to obey such an institution, without an especial Providence to protect and preserve them from the consequences which would naturally arise from it; would not a few years’ trial have given them a dear-bought experience of so great folly? If any proof can be wanting of the Divine
Before CHRIST 1491. h Exod. 23. 10. Divers laws and ordinances. Before CHRIST 1491. sabbath for the LORD: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard. thy operations.
Leviticus 25:6
- — the sabbath of the land shall be meat for you.] By sabbath is here meant the produce that grew of itself in the sabbatical year. Bp. Patrick.
Leviticus 25:10
- — it shall be a jubile unto you.] The word “jubilee” is derived from a Hebrew word, which signifies the blast of a trumpet: the year of jubilee being proclaimed by a trumpet, ver. 9. Parkhurst. The proclamation took place on the day of atonement, ver. 9; a fit time of shewing mercy to others, when they received pardon from God. Bp. Kidder. On this occasion, liberty was proclaimed to “all the inhabitants.” Every man, who from poverty had sold his house or field, “returned unto his possession,” and every man, who had become a servant or slave, returned in freedom to his family. Bp. Patrick. The design of the law respecting the jubilee was partly political, and partly typical. It was political, inasmuch as it tended to prevent the too great oppression of the poor, as well as to save them from perpetual slavery: also to prevent the too great accumulation of land among the rich, and to preserve the distinction of tribes, in respect both to their families and possessions. The typical use of the jubilee is pointed out by the Prophet Isaiah at chap. lxi. 1, 2; in which passage “the acceptable year of the Lord,” when “liberty was proclaimed to the captives,” and “the opening of the prison to them that are bound,” evidently refers to the jubilee; but, in the prophetick sense, means the Gospel state and dispensation, which proclaims spiritual liberty from the bondage of sin and Satan, and the liberty of returning to our own possession, even the heavenly inheritance, to which, having incurred a forfeiture by sin, we had lost all right and claim. Dr. Jennings. When Isaiah describes the office of the promised Mesthe trumpet sound throughout all your land.
Leviticus 25:13
- — ye shall return every man unto his possession.] By appointing that, on the year of jubilee, the owner of estates which had been sold, should return to his possession, and that every Israelitish slave should be at perfect liberty to return to his family, God wisely provided for the suppression of luxury, cruelty, and ambition, for the preservation of a perfect distinction of tribes, families, and genealogies, and chiefly for ascertaining the descent of the future Messiah, whose more eminent deliverance wrought for all mankind, was shadowed out by the privileges bestowed upon the Israelites in the year of jubilee. Pyle. The uses of this provision were, 1st, to prevent the confusion of the tribes by the alienation of their lands: 2ndly, to prevent the rich from swallowing the inheritance of their poor brethren: 3dly, to make them still look upon themselves as sojourners, and their land to be God’s. Dr. S. Clarke. By this law of jubilee, which prescribed that every one, who could justify his pedigree, should be reinstated in the possessions of his ancestors every fifty years, God obliged the Divers laws and ordinances. Before CHRIST 1491. years after the jubile thou shalt buy of thy neighbour, and according unto the number of years of the fruits he shall sell unto thee:
Leviticus 25:17
- — but thou shalt fear thy God: ] This sentence plainly implies that it is from the want of “the fear of God,” that men oppress one another. Bp. Sanderson.
Leviticus 25:23
- — shall not be sold for ever: ] The Hebrew expression means literally, “shall not be sold so as to be quite cut off,” that is, from the original possessors. For, (says God,) “the land is mine, &c.” I am to be deemed proprietor and lord in chief, and ye are tenants, to hold the land as I think fit. Dr. Wells.
Leviticus 25:24
- — ye shall grant a redemption ] Ye shall allow to the first owner, or to his kinsman, the power of redeeming the land before the year of jubilee, if he be rich enough to effect the redemption. Bp. Patrick.
Leviticus 25:30
- — it shall not go out ] The reason of this exception seems to be, either that cities might be better filled with inhabitants, who were invited thither when they had hopes of a settlement, or that proselytes, who were not of the Hebrew nation, and could have no fields or vineyards, might yet have something of their own, stable and certain, and not be forced always to want a perpetual possession. Lewis. One part of the regulation, respecting the release in the year of jubilee, deserves our notice: it did not extend to houses in cities; these, if not redeemed within one year after they were sold, were alienated for ever. This circumstance must have given property in the country a decided preference over property in cities; and induced every Jew to reside on and improve his land, and employ his time in the care of flocks and agriculture: which, as they had been the occupation of those revered Patriarchs, from whom the Jews descended, were with them the most honourable of all employments. Dr. Graves. Divers laws and ordinances. Before CHRIST 1491. years unto the year of jubile, then he shall count with him, and according unto his years shall he give him again the price of his redemption.
Leviticus 25:54
- — If he be not redeemed in these years.] Or, “by these means,” as in the margin; that is, if he be not redeemed by his own money, or by that of his kinsman. Bp. Kidder. — he shall go out in the year of jubile.] For it would have been an unequal proceeding, if the Hebrews, sold to proselytes, had been discharged from their service so soon, when the children of proselytes, sold to Hebrews, were to be their inheritance for ever. It was more reasonable that the Hebrews sold to proselytes should not be free till the year of jubilee, unless redeemed: by which law also they were made more careful not to sell themselves to strangers. Selden. Chap. XXVI. ver. 1. — no idole &c.] The Hebrew means literally, “things of nought”—mere empty vanities. By “standing image” seems meant properly “a pillar” for religious worship; and by “image of stone,” carved or figured stone; “a stone of picture,” according to the literal Hebrew. Bp. Patrick.