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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 25:8-22

Here is, I. The general institution of the jubilee, Lev. 25:8-22 1. When it was to be observed: after seven sabbaths of years (Lev. 25:8), whether the forty-ninth or fiftieth is a great question among learned men: that it should be the seventh sabbatical year, that is, the forty-ninth (which by a very common form of speech is called the fiftieth), seems to me most probable, and is, I think, made pretty clear and the objections removed by that learned chronologer Calvisius; but this is not a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 25:10

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 land, sowing or reaping, and from the cultivation of vines, olives, &c.; and proclaim liberty throughout all the land ; to servants, both to those whose ears were bored, and were to serve... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 25:11

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 the earth to forth fruit for three years, Leviticus 25:21 ; could make it bring forth enough for four years; and in order to make their sentiment agree with this passage, they are obliged to make... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 25:12

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 productions of the earth, without any tillage of land, or cultivation of vines, &c.; ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field ; they were not to reap corn, and gather grapes and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 25:13

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, is to include gifts, and which, according to them, are like sales, and returned in the year of "jubilee"; that is, if a man gave his estate in possession to another, he returned to it, in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 25:14

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 F26 Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Bava Metziah, c. 4. sect. 9. restrain this to goods which are bought by hand, and delivered from hand to hand; and so they think that fields, and servants, which they say are like to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 25:15

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 the fruits he shall sell unto thee ; only care was to be taken, that as many years as were sabbatical ones, which were not years of fruit, should be deducted out of the account by the seller;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 25:16

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 diminish the price of it ; if it wanted but five, or six, or ten years unto it, then, in proportion, less was to be insisted upon and given: for according to the number of the years of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 25:17

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 the one, or the ignorance of the other, see Nehemiah 5:15 , for I am the Lord your God ; omniscient, and knows all that is done in the most private and artful manner; and omnipotent... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Leviticus 25:11

A jubilee shall that fiftieth year be - The literal meaning of the word jubilee, יובל yobel in Hebrew, and יוביל yobil in the Samaritan, has not been well ascertained. Josephus and the rabbins have caused many to err; the former says the word signifies liberty; Ελευθεριαν δε σημαινει τουνομα , Antiq., l. 3, cap. 12, edit. Haverc., vol. 1, p. 184; but the word liberty signifies rather the intention of the institution, than the meaning of the Hebrew term. The rabbins say it signifies... read more

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