Leviticus 25:51

KJV

If [there be] yet many years [behind], according unto them he shall give again the price of his redemption out of the money that he was bought for.

KJV (with Strong's)

If there be yet many {H7227} years {H8141} behind, according {H6310} unto them he shall give again {H7725} the price of his redemption {H1353} out of the money {H3701} that he was bought {H4736} for.

Complete Jewish Bible

If many years remain, according to them will he refund the amount for his redemption from the amount he was bought for.

Berean Standard Bible

If many years remain, he must pay for his redemption in proportion to his purchase price.

American Standard Version

If there be yet many years, according unto them he shall give back the price of his redemption out of the money that he was bought for.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Leviticus 25:51 details a critical provision within the Jubilee legislation, outlining the method for redeeming an Israelite who had sold himself into temporary servitude, particularly to a foreign resident. This verse specifies that the redemption price must be calculated proportionally based on the number of years remaining until the next Year of Jubilee, rather than the total years of service. This system ensured that the servant's labor was valued as that of a hired hand, preventing permanent enslavement and upholding the foundational principles of divine justice, human dignity, and the ultimate restoration inherent in God's covenant with Israel.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Leviticus 25:51 is an integral part of the comprehensive legal framework established in [Leviticus 25](/leviticus/25 "Leviticus 25 - Laws of the Sabbatical and Jubilee Years"), which details the Sabbatical Year and the Year of Jubilee. The chapter begins by asserting God's ultimate ownership of the land and His people, mandating a seven-year cycle of rest for the land and a fifty-year cycle (the Jubilee) for the return of all ancestral land to its original families and the liberation of all Israelite indentured servants. The immediate context for verse 51 starts in [Leviticus 25:47](/leviticus/25-47 "Leviticus 25:47 - Redemption of an Israelite Servant"), which addresses the unfortunate scenario of an Israelite becoming impoverished and having to sell himself to a foreign resident or sojourner. Verses 48-55 then elaborate on the provisions for his redemption, either by a kinsman-redeemer or by himself if he prospers. Verse 51 specifically provides the formula for calculating this redemption price when "many years" remain until the Jubilee, emphasizing a fair, proportional system based on the remaining period of service until the ultimate liberation of the Jubilee.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The laws of Jubilee and servitude in Leviticus were given to ancient Israel as they prepared to enter the Promised Land, establishing a unique socio-economic and theological system distinct from surrounding ancient Near Eastern cultures. While debt-slavery was common in the region, Israel's laws, particularly the Jubilee, provided crucial safeguards against perpetual bondage and the permanent loss of ancestral land. Unlike other nations where individuals could become permanent slaves, an Israelite could only be an indentured servant until the Jubilee, at which point they were automatically freed, and their land returned. This system profoundly reflected God's covenantal relationship with Israel, reminding them that they were His servants, whom He had redeemed from slavery in Egypt, as explicitly stated in [Leviticus 25:42](/leviticus/25-42 "Leviticus 25:42 - Israelites are God's Servants"). The specific provision for redemption from a foreign resident highlighted the potential vulnerability of Israelites to exploitation by those outside the covenant community, underscoring God's protective care for His people and ensuring that even in dire circumstances, a path to freedom and restoration remained open.
* **Key Themes:** This verse contributes significantly to several overarching themes within Leviticus and the broader Pentateuch. Foremost is the theme of **Redemption**, both economic and theological, mirroring God's redemptive act in delivering Israel from Egypt. It underscores God's ultimate **Sovereignty and Ownership** over the land and His people, asserting that all belong to Him, thus preventing permanent human ownership or dispossession. The emphasis on prorated payment highlights **Divine Justice and Equity**, ensuring fairness for both the master and the servant, and preventing exploitation of the vulnerable. Furthermore, the verse reinforces the theme of **Restoration**, a core principle of the Jubilee, by providing a mechanism for individuals to return to their families and land even before the general Jubilee release. This system also subtly emphasizes the **Temporary Nature of Human Suffering and Servitude** within God's covenant, always pointing towards a future of freedom and flourishing. The laws in [Leviticus 25](/leviticus/25 "Leviticus 25 - Laws of the Sabbatical and Jubilee Years") collectively paint a picture of a society structured around God's compassionate design for human dignity and communal well-being.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Redemption (Hebrew, _gᵉʼullâh'_):** This feminine passive participle, derived from the root "to redeem" (גָּאַל), refers to the act of "buying back" or "reclaiming" something or someone that was lost, forfeited, or enslaved. In the context of Leviticus 25, it specifically denotes the process by which an Israelite servant could regain their freedom and their family inheritance. The concept of _gᵉʼullâh_ is foundational to Israel's understanding of God's saving acts, particularly His redemption of them from Egyptian bondage (e.g., [Exodus 6:6](/exodus/6-6 "Exodus 6:6 - God's Redemption of Israel")). It implies a payment or a price to secure release, highlighting God's just and merciful character in providing a way out of servitude.
* **Money (Hebrew, _keçeph'_):** Derived from the root meaning "to be pale" (referring to silver's color), _keçeph_ primarily means "silver" but by implication refers to "money" or "price." In Leviticus 25:51, it denotes the currency or medium of exchange used to pay the redemption price. This highlights the economic reality of the transaction, where a tangible value is assigned to the remaining years of service, ensuring a fair exchange for the master while facilitating the servant's liberation. The use of "money" underscores that freedom, in this earthly context, comes at a cost.
* **Bought (Hebrew, _miqnâh'_):** This feminine noun signifies "a buying," "acquisition," or "a piece of property (land or living)," and also "the sum paid." In this verse, it refers to the original transaction by which the Israelite entered into servitude, indicating the initial "purchase price" or valuation of his labor for the entire period until the next Jubilee. This term emphasizes that the servant was not "owned" permanently like property but rather that his labor was acquired for a specified, temporary period, reinforcing the distinction between Israelite servitude and chattel slavery.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"If [there be] yet many years [behind]":** This clause sets the condition for the calculation of the redemption price. The KJV's "years behind" is better understood as "many years remaining" or "many years yet to come" until the next Year of Jubilee. This indicates that the redemption price is directly proportional to the time left; the more years remaining until the Jubilee, the higher the redemption price, as the master would be losing more potential years of service. It establishes the temporal framework for the financial transaction.
* **"according unto them he shall give again the price of his redemption":** This specifies the method of calculation. The phrase "according unto them" means in proportion to the number of years remaining until the Jubilee. The "price of his redemption" refers to the calculated sum required to secure the servant's freedom. This establishes a prorated system, ensuring that the cost of freedom is fair and reflects the economic value of the servant's unfulfilled term of service, rather than a fixed, arbitrary amount.
* **"out of the money that he was bought for":** This clarifies the baseline for the calculation. The original amount for which the servant was "bought" (i.e., the value of his labor for the entire period until the next Jubilee, had he served the full term) serves as the initial valuation. From this original sum, the redemption price is then calculated by subtracting the value of the years already served, leaving the cost for the remaining years. This ensures that the master receives fair compensation for the unfulfilled portion of the contract, while the servant or his redeemer pays only for the actual remaining time, maintaining equity in the transaction.

#### Literary Devices
Leviticus 25:51 employs several literary devices to convey its precise legal and profound theological principles. The primary device is **Legal Language**, characterized by its conditional structure ("If... then...") and precise, formulaic phrasing. This structured articulation ensures clarity, leaves no ambiguity regarding the calculation, and reflects the divine authority and meticulousness of God's law. Another prominent device is **Proportionality**, which is central to the verse's mechanism. The redemption price is directly proportional to the remaining years of service, demonstrating a balanced and equitable system. This proportionality is not merely economic; it reflects a theological principle of divine justice, ensuring fairness for both the master and the servant. Furthermore, there is an element of **Anticipation** within the broader Jubilee laws, which this verse serves. The entire system anticipates the ultimate freedom of the Jubilee, making all servitude temporary and all land sales reversible. This verse, by providing a mechanism for early release, reinforces the temporary nature of the servant's status and points towards the ultimate restoration that the Jubilee embodies.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Leviticus 25:51 profoundly illustrates God's unwavering commitment to justice, mercy, and the restoration of His people within the covenant. It underscores the foundational principle that human beings, particularly Israelites, are ultimately God's property, redeemed by Him from Egyptian bondage, and therefore cannot be permanently enslaved or dispossessed by other humans. The prorated redemption system prevents exploitation, ensures social mobility, and maintains the integrity of family inheritances, reflecting God's compassionate concern for the poor and vulnerable. This earthly mechanism of redemption serves as a powerful type, foreshadowing the greater spiritual redemption that God would provide for all humanity.

* [Psalm 49:7-8](/psalm/49-7 "No One Can Redeem a Brother")
* [Isaiah 61:1-2](/isaiah/61-1 "The Year of the Lord's Favor")
* [Galatians 3:13](/galatians/3-13 "Christ Redeemed Us from the Curse")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Leviticus 25:51, while a specific legal provision for ancient Israel, offers enduring principles for contemporary life, challenging us to consider how our economic and social systems reflect divine justice and compassion. It compels us to examine whether mechanisms are in place to prevent perpetual poverty, debt bondage, or systemic exploitation in our own societies. Do we, as individuals and communities, actively seek to provide pathways to freedom and restoration for those burdened by financial hardship, injustice, or oppressive structures? The underlying message is that true freedom and human dignity are not commodities to be permanently bought and sold, but rather inherent rights and gifts from God that should be accessible to all. This verse calls us to advocate for fair labor practices, champion economic justice, and extend mercy to those in need, always remembering that true liberation comes from a divine source. It encourages us to look beyond mere transactions to the deeper human and spiritual realities at play, fostering a society that values restoration over retribution and equity over exploitation.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does the principle of prorated redemption in this verse challenge modern economic systems that often perpetuate debt and inequality, and what lessons can we draw for today?**
* **In what ways can we, as individuals or communities, embody the spirit of the Jubilee and the concept of "redemption" for those who are marginalized or oppressed today, whether economically, socially, or spiritually?**
* **How does understanding God's meticulous concern for the poor and enslaved in the Old Testament deepen our appreciation for the spiritual redemption offered in the New Testament, and how should this understanding shape our actions?**

### FAQ
**What is the significance of the "many years [behind]" phrase in the KJV translation?**

Answer: The KJV phrase "many years [behind]" can be misleading. In the original Hebrew, it refers to "many years *remaining*" or "many years yet to come" until the next Year of Jubilee. The calculation for the servant's redemption price was based on the number of years left until the Jubilee, not the years that had already passed in their servitude. If many years remained, the price would be higher, reflecting the greater loss of labor to the master. This ensures a fair, prorated system, as outlined in [Leviticus 25:50-52](/leviticus/25-50-52 "Leviticus 25:50-52 - Calculation of Redemption Price").

**How does this verse relate to the broader concept of the Year of Jubilee?**

Answer: This verse is a specific application of the broader Jubilee laws detailed in [Leviticus 25](/leviticus/25 "Leviticus 25 - Laws of the Sabbatical and Jubilee Years"). The Jubilee, occurring every 50th year, was a time of ultimate restoration when all land returned to its ancestral owners and all Israelite indentured servants were set free. [Leviticus 25:51](/leviticus/25-51 "Leviticus 25:51 - Redemption Price Calculation") provides a mechanism for an Israelite servant to be redeemed *before* the Jubilee, by paying a price proportional to the remaining years of service. It underscores the temporary nature of servitude and reinforces the principle that no Israelite could be permanently enslaved, as they were ultimately God's servants, whom He redeemed from Egypt ([Leviticus 25:42](/leviticus/25-42 "Leviticus 25:42 - Israelites are God's Servants")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Leviticus 25:51, with its intricate system of a prorated redemption price for an enslaved Israelite, powerfully foreshadows the ultimate and perfect redemption accomplished by Jesus Christ. Just as the Israelite servant required a kinsman-redeemer (a _go'el_) to pay the price for their freedom and restore them to their family and inheritance, humanity, enslaved by sin and separated from God's family, desperately needed a divine Redeemer. Jesus, our true Kinsman-Redeemer, entered into our human condition, sharing in our flesh and blood (as described in [Hebrews 2:14-17](/hebrews/2-14-17 "Hebrews 2:14-17 - Christ's Incarnation and Atonement")), not to pay a prorated sum based on years, but to pay the full, infinite price for our eternal freedom. He "redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us" ([Galatians 3:13](/galatians/3-13 "Galatians 3:13 - Christ Redeemed Us from the Curse")), shedding His precious blood as the ultimate ransom ([1 Peter 1:18-19](/1_peter/1-18-19 "1 Peter 1:18-19 - Redemption by Christ's Blood")). Through His sacrifice, He not only secured our release from the bondage of sin and death but also restored us to a relationship with God as His adopted children ([Ephesians 1:7](/ephesians/1-7 "Ephesians 1:7 - Redemption Through His Blood")). The earthly Jubilee provided temporary release and restoration, but Christ's redemption offers eternal liberty and an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading ([1 Peter 1:4](/1_peter/1-4 "1 Peter 1:4 - An Incorruptible Inheritance")). He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God")), ushering in the true "Year of the Lord's favor" ([Luke 4:18-19](/luke/4-18-19 "Luke 4:18-19 - Jesus Proclaims His Mission")), a spiritual Jubilee that brings lasting freedom, reconciliation, and restoration to all who believe.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.