(The Lord speaking is red text)
According to the number of 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:
Rather, you are to take into account the number of years after the yovel when you buy land from your neighbor, and he is to sell to you according to the number of years crops will be raised.
You are to buy from your neighbor according to the number of years since the last Jubilee; he is to sell to you according to the number of harvest years remaining.
According to the number of years after the jubilee thou shalt buy of thy neighbor, and according unto the number of years of the crops he shall sell unto thee.
According to the number{H4557} of years{H8141} after{H310} the jubile{H3104} thou shalt buy{H7069} of thy neighbour{H5997}, and according unto the number{H4557} of years{H8141} of the fruits{H8393} he shall sell{H4376} unto thee:
Leviticus 25:15 is part of a larger section in the book of Leviticus that deals with the Year of Jubilee, an ancient Israelite institution with economic, social, and theological implications. The verse specifically addresses the regulation of property sales within the context of the Jubilee cycle.
**Themes:**
1. **Economic Justice:** The verse emphasizes fairness in property transactions, ensuring that the price reflects the number of years until the next Jubilee, thus preventing the exploitation of the poor.
2. **The Year of Jubilee:** Every 50th year was to be a Jubilee year, a time of restoration. Land that had been sold reverted to its original owners, and Israelite slaves were to be set free. This practice was meant to prevent the permanent accumulation of land and wealth by a few, maintaining an equitable distribution of resources among the tribes.
3. **Theology of Land Ownership:** The underlying principle is that the land ultimately belongs to God, and the Israelites are merely tenants. This idea is rooted in the belief that God's provision is to be shared equitably among His people.
4. **Sabbatical Years:** The Jubilee is closely related to the Sabbatical year, which occurred every seventh year. In the Sabbatical year, the land was to lie fallow, and debts were to be released. The Jubilee extended these principles of rest and release.
**Historical Context:**
The book of Leviticus is traditionally attributed to Moses and is part of the Pentateuch, which contains the law given to the Israelites after their exodus from Egypt. Leviticus 25 is situated within the Holiness Code (Leviticus 17-26), which outlines various laws and rituals to maintain the sanctity and well-being of the Israelite community.
The laws pertaining to the Year of Jubilee reflect an agrarian society where land was the primary means of economic stability. These laws were designed to ensure that no family would be permanently dispossessed of their land or reduced to irreversible poverty.
While there is debate among scholars about the extent to which the Jubilee was practiced historically, the concept reflects the values of social justice and economic fairness that were central to ancient Israelite society as envisioned by the Torah.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)