TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Leviticus 25:23–38. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Here is, I. A law concerning the real estates of the Israelites in the land of Canaan, and the transferring of them. 1. No land should be sold for ever from the family to whose lot it fell in the division of the land. And the reason given is, The land is mine, and you are strangers and sojourners with me, Lev 25:23. (1.) God having a particular propriety in this land, he would by this restraint keep them sensible of it. The possessions of good people, who, having given up themselves to God, have therewith given up all they have to him, are in a particular manner at his disposal, and his disposal of them must be submitted to. (2.) They being strangers and sojourners with him in that land, and having his tabernacle among them, to alienate their part of that land would be in effect to cut themselves off from their fellowship and communion with God, of which that was a token and symbol, for which reason Naboth would rather incur the wrath of a king than part with the inheritance of his fathers, Kg1 21:3. 2. If a man was constrained through poverty to sell his land for the subsistence of his family, yet, if afterwards he was able, he might redeem it before the year of jubilee (Lev 25:24, Lev 25:26, Lev 25:27), and the price must be settled according to the number of years since the sale and before the jubilee. 3. If the person himself was not able to redeem it, his next kinsman might (Lev 25:25): The redeemer thereof, he that is near unto him, shall come and shall redeem, so it might be read. The kinsman is called Goel, the redeemer (Num 5:8; Rut 3:9), to whom belonged the right of redeeming the land. And this typified Christ, who assumed our nature, that he might be our kinsman, bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh, and, being the only kinsman we have that is able to do it, to him belonged the right of redemption. As for all our other kinsmen, their shoe must be plucked off (Rut 4:6, Rut 4:7); they cannot redeem. But Christ can and hath redeemed the inheritance which we by sin had forfeited and alienated, and made a new settlement of it upon all that by faith become allied to him. We know that this Redeemer liveth, Job 19:25. And some make this duty of the kinsman to signify the brotherly love that should be among Christians, inclining them to recover those that are fallen, and to restore them with the spirit of meekness. 4. If the land was not redeemed before the year of jubilee, then it should return of course to him that had sold or mortgaged it: In the jubilee it shall go out, Lev 25:28. This was a figure of the free grace of God towards us in Christ, by which, and not by any price or merit of our own, we are restored to the favour of God, and become entitled to paradise, from which our first parents, and we in them, were expelled for disobedience. 5. A difference was made between houses in walled cities, and lands in the country, or houses in country villages. Houses in walled cities were more the fruits of their own industry than land in the country, which was the immediate gift of God's bounty; and therefore, if a man sold a house in a city, he might redeem it any time within a year after the sale, but otherwise it was confirmed to the purchaser for ever, and should not return, no, not at the year of the jubilee, Lev 25:29, Lev 25:30. This provision was made to encourage strangers and proselytes to come and settle among them. Though they could not purchase land in Canaan to them and their heirs, yet they might purchase houses in walled cities, which would be most convenient for those who were supposed to live by trade. But country houses could be disposed of no otherwise than as lands might. 6. A clause is added in favour of the Levites, by way of exception from these rules. (1.) Dwelling houses in the cities of the Levites might be redeemed at any time, and, if not redeemed, should revert in the year of jubilee (Lev 25:32, Lev 25:33), because the Levites had no other possessions than cities and their suburbs, and God would show that the Levites were his peculiar care; and it was for the interest of the public that they should not be impoverished, or wormed out of their inheritances. (2.) The fields adjoining to their cities (Num 35:4, Num 35:5) might not be sold at any time, for they belonged, not to particular Levites, but to the city of the Levites, as a corporation, who could not alienate without a wrong to their tribe; therefore, if any of those fields were sold, the bargain was void, Lev 25:34. Even the Egyptians took care to preserve the land of the priests, Gen 47:22. And there is no less reason for the taking of the maintenance of the gospel ministry under the special protection of Christian governments.
II.A law for the relief of the poor, and the tender usage of poor debtors, and these are of more general and perpetual obligation than the former.
1.The poor must be relieved, Lev 25:35. Here is,
(1.)Our brother's poverty and distress supposed: If thy brother be waxen poor; not only thy brother by nation as a Jew, but thy brother by nature as a man, for it follows, though he be a stranger or a sojourner. All men are to be looked upon and treated as brethren, for we have all one Father, Mal 2:10. Though he is poor, yet still he is thy brother, and is to be loved and owned as a brother. Poverty does not destroy the relation. Though a son of Abraham, yet he may wax poor and fall into decay. Note, Poverty and decay are great grievances, and very common: The poor you have always with you.
(2.)Our duty enjoined: Thou shalt relieve him. By sympathy, pitying the poor; by service, doing for them; and by supply, giving to them according to their necessity and thy ability.
2.Poor debtors must not be oppressed: If thy brother be waxen poor, and have occasion to borrow money of thee for the necessary support of his family, take thou no usury of him, either for money or victuals, Lev 25:36, Lev 25:37. And thus far this law binds still, but could never be thought binding where money is borrowed for purchase of lands, trade, or other improvements; for there it is reasonable that the lender share with the borrower in the profit. The law here is plainly intended for the relief of the poor, to whom it is sometimes as great a charity to lend freely as to give. Observe the arguments here used against extortion. (1.) God patronizes the poor: "Fear thy God, who will reckon with thee for all injuries done to the poor: thou fearest not them, but fear him." (2.) Relieve the poor, that they may live with thee, and some way or other they may be serviceable to thee. The rich can as ill spare the hands of the poor as the poor can the purses of the rich. (3.) The same argument is used to enforce this precept that prefaces all the ten commandments: I am the Lord your God which brought you out of Egypt, Lev 25:38. Note, It becomes those that have received mercy to show mercy. If God has been gracious to us, we ought not to be rigorous with our brethren.
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Summary
Leviticus 25:23 establishes a foundational principle for land ownership in ancient Israel: the land ultimately belongs to God, not to humans. This verse, situated within the comprehensive laws of the Sabbatical and Jubilee years, prohibits the permanent sale of land, asserting that the Israelites are merely temporary residents—strangers and sojourners—under God's supreme authority. It profoundly underscores divine sovereignty over all creation and humanity's role as stewards, fostering economic justice, preventing perpetual poverty, and continually reminding Israel of their dependent, covenantal relationship with their divine Landlord.
Context
Literary Context
Leviticus 25:23 serves as the theological bedrock for the intricate land laws detailed in Leviticus 25. These laws govern the Sabbatical Year (every seventh year) and the Jubilee Year (every fiftieth year), both designed to prevent the permanent accumulation of land by a few, ensure social and economic equity, and continually remind the Israelites of God's absolute sovereignty over their inheritance. The Sabbatical year mandated that the land lie fallow, allowing it to rest and debts to be released, as outlined in Deuteronomy 15:1-2. The Jubilee year, occurring every 50th year, commanded the return of all ancestral land to its original families and the release of all Israelite slaves, as powerfully declared in Leviticus 25:10. Verse 23 provides the ultimate divine rationale for these radical economic and social provisions: since the land belongs to God, human transactions involving it can only be temporary leases, not permanent sales. This divine ownership ensures that the land, given as a covenant inheritance, would always revert to its original tribal and family allotments, preventing the disenfranchisement of future generations and preserving the social fabric of Israel.
Historical & Cultural Context
In the ancient Near East, land was the primary source of wealth, status, and security. Permanent land ownership was a deeply ingrained concept, and its loss often meant perpetual servitude or destitution. However, Israel's land tenure system, as outlined in Leviticus, radically diverged from this norm. The Promised Land was not acquired through conquest alone but was a divine gift, an inheritance (nachalah) from Yahweh to each tribe and family, meticulously allotted as described in Numbers 26:52-56. This meant that land was not merely property but a sacred trust, intrinsically linked to their covenant identity and relationship with God. The laws of Jubilee and Sabbatical years, therefore, served as a theological and practical safeguard against the concentration of wealth and power, ensuring that no Israelite family could be permanently dispossessed of their ancestral inheritance. By declaring the Israelites "strangers and sojourners," God was redefining their status not as absolute owners, but as tenants in His land, utterly dependent on Him for their sustenance and security, much like the patriarchs who lived as sojourners in the land before its full inheritance, as seen with Abraham in Genesis 23:4. This unique system promoted social stability, prevented the formation of a permanently landless class, and underscored a profound theological truth: God is the ultimate Landlord, and humanity lives by His grace and provision.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several major theological and narrative themes found throughout Leviticus and the broader Pentateuch. Foremost is the theme of Divine Sovereignty and Ownership, asserting God's absolute dominion over all creation, particularly the Promised Land. This directly challenges human claims of ultimate ownership, reframing them as temporary stewardship. Secondly, it reinforces the theme of Covenant Faithfulness and Obedience, as Israel's continued enjoyment of the land was conditional upon their adherence to God's laws, including these economic statutes, as emphasized in Leviticus 26:3-5. Thirdly, the verse undergirds the theme of Economic and Social Justice, providing a unique system to prevent the permanent disenfranchisement of families and ensure a more equitable distribution of wealth, reflecting God's compassionate character and concern for the vulnerable within His community. Finally, it highlights the theme of Israel's Identity as God's People, reminding them that their true security and identity are rooted in their relationship with Yahweh, not in their earthly possessions or status, echoing the transient nature of their forefathers' lives in the land before the Exodus, as described in Genesis 12:1-3.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
The verb mâkar means "to sell," encompassing transactions from merchandise to persons into slavery. The adverbial noun tsᵉmîythuth signifies "excision," "destruction," or "perpetually," used here with a prepositional prefix to mean "to extinction." Combined, "sold for ever" (לַצְּמִיתֻת) signifies an irreversible, absolute alienation or permanent cutting off of the land from its original owner. The law explicitly forbids such a transaction, emphasizing that no human sale can sever the land from its divine owner or its designated family inheritance. This term highlights the radical nature of God's prohibition, ensuring that the land's original allocation remains fundamentally intact, even if temporarily transferred.
This versatile term refers to "the earth (at large, or partitively a land)," "country," or "ground." In this context, it specifically denotes the Promised Land, the territory God covenanted to give to Israel. The repeated use of "the land" emphasizes its central role in Israel's identity and covenant relationship with God. By declaring "the land is mine," God asserts His ultimate proprietary rights over this specific territory, establishing the theological basis for all subsequent land laws and for Israel's unique relationship to their inheritance.
These two terms together define Israel's status in the land. A gêr is properly a "guest" or "foreigner" who has settled in the land, often dependent on the hospitality and protection of the native inhabitants. A tôwshâb is a "dweller" or "resident alien" who resides in a place for a limited time, without permanent rights or full citizenship, distinguished from a native citizen. By applying these terms to Israel, God defines their relationship to the land not as absolute owners but as temporary residents, guests in His house. This status fosters humility, prevents arrogance, and reminds them that their true security and identity are rooted in their relationship with God, not in their earthly possessions.
Verse Breakdown
"The land shall not be sold for ever"
This clause issues a direct legal prohibition against the permanent alienation of land. It mandates that any transaction involving land is to be understood as a temporary lease for a specified period, not an outright, irreversible sale. The purpose is to ensure that the land, which was allotted to families as an inheritance from God, would eventually revert to its original owners in the Jubilee year, thus preventing the accumulation of vast estates by a few and the perpetual impoverishment of others. This provision was a cornerstone of Israel's unique economic and social justice system.
"for the land [is] mine"
This is the profound theological justification for the preceding prohibition. God declares His absolute, ultimate, and inherent ownership of the land. This statement establishes that human claims to ownership are always subordinate to God's supreme dominion. Since God is the true Landlord and Creator, He has the sovereign right to dictate the terms of its use and transfer, which includes the Jubilee system of reversion. This principle highlights God's supreme sovereignty over all creation and His covenant relationship with Israel, emphasizing that the land is a gift, not an entitlement.
"for ye [are] strangers and sojourners with me"
This clause further explains the nature of Israel's relationship to the land, reinforcing the idea of divine ownership and their dependent status. By calling them "strangers and sojourners," God defines their status as temporary residents or tenants in His land, guests in His divine household. This perspective fosters a deep sense of stewardship rather than absolute possession, reminding the Israelites that their tenure is conditional and their true home, security, and identity are found in God Himself, not in earthly property. It also implies a responsibility to care for the land and its inhabitants in a way that reflects God's character and generosity.
Literary Devices
Leviticus 25:23 masterfully employs several literary techniques to convey its profound theological and legal message. The opening phrase, "The land shall not be sold for ever," is a clear example of Legal Language, characteristic of the Mosaic Law, establishing an unequivocal prohibition that governs human conduct regarding property. This is immediately followed by a powerful Divine Assertion: "for the land is mine." This declarative statement functions as the ultimate theological rationale, grounding the entire legal system concerning land in God's supreme authority and ownership. The subsequent description of Israel as "strangers and sojourners with me" utilizes a profound Metaphor to define their relationship to both God and the land, casting God as the ultimate Landlord and Israel as His temporary tenants or guests. This metaphor reinforces the concepts of stewardship, humility, and dependence, creating a rich theological framework for economic and social justice within the covenant community.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Leviticus 25:23 articulates a profound theological truth: God's ultimate sovereignty over all creation, particularly the Promised Land, and by extension, over all human possessions and endeavors. This principle challenges any notion of absolute human ownership, reframing it as temporary stewardship under the divine Landlord. It underscores that all we possess is a gift from God, entrusted to us for a season, to be managed according to His will and for His glory. This perspective cultivates humility, dependence on God, and an eternal mindset, reminding us that our true security and identity are found in Him, not in earthly wealth or possessions. The verse also lays the groundwork for radical economic justice, ensuring that no family would be permanently dispossessed, reflecting God's heart for equity and the care of the vulnerable within His covenant community, echoing the broader biblical call to care for the poor and marginalized.
Reflection and Application
Leviticus 25:23 offers timeless wisdom for how we view and manage our resources in the modern world. In a culture often driven by accumulation, consumerism, and the pursuit of permanent ownership, this verse calls us to a radical reorientation: everything we have—our homes, finances, talents, time, and even our very lives—is ultimately God's. We are merely stewards, entrusted with these gifts for a season, to be used for His purposes and glory. This understanding fosters profound humility and liberates us from the anxiety of clinging to possessions. It encourages radical generosity, reminding us that since God is the ultimate provider, we can freely share what He has given us, participating in His heart for justice and compassion, especially towards the marginalized and those in need. Furthermore, recognizing our status as "strangers and sojourners" on earth shifts our focus from building earthly empires to investing in eternal values and seeking our true citizenship in heaven, living with an eternal perspective that shapes our daily choices and priorities and cultivates a deep trust in God's provision.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "the land shall not be sold for ever" mean in a practical sense for ancient Israel?
In a practical sense, this meant that while a piece of land could be "sold," it was actually more akin to a long-term lease. The price of the land would be calculated based on the number of years remaining until the next Jubilee year, when all land would revert to its original family ownership (Leviticus 25:15-16). This prevented families from being permanently dispossessed of their ancestral inheritance and ensured that the tribal allotments, established when Israel entered the Promised Land, would be maintained. It was a divine safeguard against the concentration of wealth and the creation of a permanently landless class, promoting social equity, economic stability, and the preservation of family legacies within the covenant community.
How can we apply the concept of being "strangers and sojourners" today when we own homes and property?
While we may legally own homes and property in modern society, the spiritual principle of being "strangers and sojourners" still applies profoundly to believers. It means recognizing that our ultimate citizenship is not of this world but is in heaven (Philippians 3:20), and our time on earth, along with all our possessions, is temporary and provisional. This perspective encourages us to hold earthly possessions lightly, understanding that they are gifts from God to be stewarded for His glory and purposes, not ends in themselves. It fosters a detachment from materialism and a greater focus on eternal values, reminding us that our true security and inheritance are found in Christ, not in what we own (Hebrews 11:13-16). This mindset shapes our priorities, encourages generosity, and cultivates a longing for our true, eternal home.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Leviticus 25:23 finds its ultimate and profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who embodies the truth that "the land is mine." This declaration points to Christ as the very Creator and Sustainer of all things, the one through whom and for whom all things were made, and in whom all things hold together (Colossians 1:16-17). He is the true and ultimate Landlord, and His dominion extends not just over a physical land but over all creation and all humanity, for all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him (Matthew 28:18). Furthermore, the concept of Israel as "strangers and sojourners" in God's land powerfully foreshadows the New Testament believer's identity as a "sojourner and pilgrim" in this world, whose true citizenship is in heaven (1 Peter 2:11 and Philippians 3:20). We are no longer merely temporary residents in a physical land, but spiritual sojourners awaiting our eternal inheritance in the new heavens and new earth, which Christ secures for us through His redemptive work (2 Peter 3:13 and Revelation 21:1-4). The Jubilee's promise of land returning to its original family and the release of debts finds its spiritual reality in Christ, who proclaims true liberty to the captives, releases us from the crushing debt of sin, and restores us to our true spiritual inheritance as children of God and co-heirs with Him (Luke 4:18-19 and Galatians 4:7). In Him, our ultimate and eternal "land" is secured, not through temporary leases, but through an everlasting covenant established by His blood, guaranteeing an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for us (1 Peter 1:3-4).