Leviticus 25

Leviticus 25:2

A Sabbath] That is, a rest from the toyle of tillage and culture, both of fields, and vineyards. Of the reasons of this, see Annot. on Exod. 23. vers. 11. This Law was dated at Sinai, for thence and then it was delivered, when Moses abode so long with God in the Mount; but it was not to be put in execution, untill they had beene sixe yeares in possession of the Land of Canaan: in the Sabbaticall yeare Deuteronomie was to be read unto the people, Deut. 31. 10, 11. Hebrew servants were to be released, Exodus 21:2. debts were to be remitted, Deuteronomy 15:2. and the ground untilled; and whatsoever fruits it brought forth, they must not be gathered as any ones proper goods, but left to common use.

Leviticus 25:3

Sixe yeares] The Jewes beginne the count of their Civill yeare in September, for then all their fruits were gathered for the yeare following; the Sacred, which served for the Anniversary order of the festivals, and other Ecclesiasticall matters, was from the moneth Nisan, which answereth to part of March, and part of Aprill.

Leviticus 25:5

owne accord] By reason of the corne that fell out of the eares the yeare past.

undressed] Heb. of thy separation. That is, which thou hast separated from thy selfe principally, and left free for common use, vers. 16. or which thou haddest wont in the sixe years to appropriate, or separate to thine owne use; or, (as some conceive, according to the Hebrew word, Nezirecha) because the fruits ungathered, make a shew or resemblance of the Nazarites, whose locks were worne long, without any cutting.

Leviticus 25:6

the Sabbath] The rest of the Land; that is, that fruit which the Land bringeth forth in the yeare of her rest from the labour of the husband-man.

Leviticus 25:8

seven Sabbaths of yeares] That is, fourtie nine yeares; and in the beginning of the fiftieth yeare was the Jubilee, so called, because the joyfull tydings of libertie were publikely proclaimed by the found of the Trumpet, or Cornet made of a Rams horne, at the end of the fourtie ninth yeare, for the release of men from servitude, debts, mortgage, and the restitution of estates to the first owners, from whom in the former yeares they had been alienated. During this whole yeare there was neither sowing nor reaping, and when it was expired, the next yeare, which was fiftie one, began the reckoning for the succeeding Jubile.

Leviticus 25:9

the tenth day of the seventh moneth] The Jewes antedate the beginning of the Jubile ten dayes sooner, but if the Trumpet were not founded till the tenth day, it is like the solemnity began not till then; and the day of expiation led the way to the Jubile succeeding, and in reference thereto, it might minde the people of sowing in teares, before reaping in joy, Psalms 126:5. and of a disposition to pardon their offending brethren, as they expect pardon for themselves in the day of expiation.

day of atonement] That is, the day of reconciliation with God, which was celebrated on the tenth day of the seventh month.

Leviticus 25:10

inhabitants] Which were in bondage.

a Jubile unto you] Some take the word from Jubal the first inventour of instruments of musicke; because it was a yeer of rejoycing; but the more received etymology is from Jobel, which signifieth a ram, because the Jubile was proclaimed in the townes and cities of Israel with the sound of trumpets made of rams hornes. The first Mosaicall Jubile was about the yeere 2501.

his possession] Of immoveable goods, as lands, and houses, which was no wrong to them that bought or took them before, because they were not put over from one to another without the condition of restitution (either expressed or implyed) in the yeere of Jubile; and the price was proportionable, more or lesse, according to the distance, or neernesse of the yeare of release; and this God ordained, partly for restraint of concupiscence of others estates, (for men would not so much desire them upon these terms, as if they might purchase them for perpetuity, to them, and their heires for ever) and partly that they should not be too proud of what they obtained, since they must be sure to part with it againe: and it was likewise for the comfort of such as were decayed, & impoverished, & to preserve such an equalitie as might keepe out Tyranny and confusion of tribes and families, which were to be upheld in their estate and condition, whether of sufficiencie, or plenty and dignity, wherein they had formerly been. Besides this, it may be (as some conceive) that this restitution in the yeere of Jubile, was a type of restitution to a right and possession of the celestiall Canaan upon the sound of the trumpet of the resurrection, though men forfeited their right by sin, and were (as it were) cast out of it by excommunication out of the church belowe, a type, as well as a part of the congregation of the first born above. Hebrews 12:23.

Leviticus 25:12

holy unto you] First in the generall, for that which gives occasion of so much rejoycing to men, is cause of much thanksgiving to God, and of so much more holy service to him, as they receive beneficence from him. Secondly, with especiall reference to the great joy of the acceptable yeere of the Lord, by the redemption of Christ, of which this yeer of Jubile was a type. See Isay 61. 2. and 63. 4. 2 Cor. 62.

out of the field] Whence it was not to be changed from a common to a proper right or use, as when it was laid up in the barn, but was to be left free for every one to eat; wherein for that yeer, no mans interest was more then anothers; and therefore it was to be left there, where any might have, and no man debarred from his portion.

Leviticus 25:15

according to the number of yeeres] If the Jubile to come be neer, thou shalt sell better cheap; if it be far off, dearer; and so as the seller or setter must not demand too much, the buyer or taker must not bid or give too little. See the next verse.

Leviticus 25:20

What shall we eat the seventh yeer?] There was the more cause of this doubt, because the Sabbaticall yeere and the yeer of Jubile coming together, they were suspended from sowing and reaping both those yeers: but it was as easie for God to make them amends for that forbearance, by a more abundant blessing, as Malach. 3. 10. as for a shorter time. See Annot. on Exod. 23. vers. 11.

Leviticus 25:21

command my blessing] God hath an absolute power of blessing; when men blesse, they do but pray that he would blesse; but he blesseth by authority, and if he command stones to be made bread, Matthew 4:3. the stones shall relent, and become both soft to the teeth, and satisfactory to the stomack: this command of Gods blessing upon the sixt yeere, to bring forth enough for it self and the seventh, sheweth, that besides the naturall there was a supernaturall fruitfulnes in the land of Canaan.

Leviticus 25:23

for ever] But in the yeer of Jubile, it must return to the family to which it formerly belonged.

Leviticus 25:24

a redemption] It shall not be sold, but with covenant of redemption; or he that taketh it to mortgage, shall yeild to a redemption, if not sooner, yet at the yeere of Jubile.

Leviticus 25:27

count the yeeres] He that enjoyed it, abating the money for the yeeres past, he that redeemed it was to pay for the yeeres to come according to the summe received, at the former contract of alienation.

Leviticus 25:28

goe out] from his hands that bought it.

Leviticus 25:31

But the houses] There is no generall rule but hath some exception; and here is one (of great moment) from the ordinary redemption at the yeer of Jubile; houses in villages that had no walls, were to be redeemed in that yeer, but not houses in walled cities; for they must be redeemed within a full yeer, or not at all: and this was either in favour to cities, the better to furnish them with inhabitants, & to keep the houses in good repaire; or for caution to the owners, that by ill husbandry they might not be put to part with them; or else, because houses in cities, no nor cities themselves were so distinctly sorted to tribes, as houses in the countrey, and the lands annexed to them; for the Levites had cities in sundry tribes, and yet had no divided protion of land allotted to them, as the other tribes had: What is here said of houses, may be applyed to some parcells of ground in walled towns; as that which David bought (mount Moria) for the building of the temple in Jerusalem; the like is held of such grounds as yeild no profit, as gardens of pleasure, and the potters field for buriall.

Leviticus 25:32

at any time] Others could not redeem their alienated lands or houses, but at the yeere of Jubile, if the taker would not release them sooner but the Levites had a priviledge for recovery of their possessions at any time.

Leviticus 25:33

their possession] Which consisted in houses, cities, and their suburbs, which were measured to a certain number of cubits round about them; not ample portions of lands, corn, fields, pastures, and vineyards, as the other tribes had.

Leviticus 25:34

suburbs] Of these suburbs see An. on Numbers 35:5. there is somewhat contrary to this in practise, Acts 4. 36, 37. but by this time the constitution of the Jewish state was much changed.

Leviticus 25:36

usury] See Annot. on Exod. Chap. 22. vers. 25.

Leviticus 25:40

unto the yeere of Jubile] If before that time he had not made use of his Hebrew priviledge of his release in the seventh yeere, Exodus 21:2. yea, those that had their ears bored thorow as a signe of their perpetuall bondage, were now set at liberty. See Annot. on Exod. 21. vers. 6. and the Annot. on Exodus 12:14.

Leviticus 25:41

he and his children] And his wife, if he came in married, else not. See Annot. on Exodus 21:4.

Leviticus 25:42

my servants] So were the Hebrews, not onely by the common right of creation, but by particular right of redemption from tyrannicall servitude in Egypt.

as bondmen] That is, unto perpetuall servitude; for an Hebrew might not be brought under such bondage by another, ver. 46. and that they might be more willing to exempt their brethren from such an heavy, and long-lasting yoke, he giveth them leave to lay it on the necks of heathens, vers. 44.

Leviticus 25:45

your possession] A perpetuall possession; for they shall not be bought out at the yeere of Jubile, though they were Proselytes, or converts to the Jewish religion; for the difference betwixt an Israelite and one of another nation, and the preeminence of the one above the other, was a priviledge of pedegree from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and not of profession, though he that forsooke his religion, was not worthy to enjoy this priviledge; and he that sincerely embraced religion, (though an alien in nation and nature from the Israelites) no doubt had a more easie bondage then another bondman.

Leviticus 25:46

for ever] When their masters dye, their children shall inherite the masterly power over them, and they shall abide in bondage as long as they live.

Leviticus 25:50

yeare of Jubile] This was a figure of our freedome purchased by Christ, John 8:36. and of rest and relief from all aggrievances in the kingdome of Heaven: for it had all the priviledges of the Sabbaticall yeare; and besides them, in this fiftieth yeare, all fruitfull lands, and houses in the countrey returned to their first owners, though they had been sold over and over an hundred times.

number of yeares] Which remaine yet to the Jubile, as if man should sell himself for 50 shekels, to serve from one Jubile to another, and from the bargaine making had served ten of the yeares, he must be redeemed for 40 shekels; and so in proportion, according to the rate payed, and time run up.

Leviticus 25:53

in thy sight] Thou shalt not suffer him to intreat him rigorously, if thou know it, and canst help it.

Leviticus 25:55

whom I brought] God renders this for a reason, why they should not be perpetuall bond-slaves; because they were his redeemed from the sore bondage of Egypt: So the great redemption of Gods elect from the spirituall Pharaoh the devil, carrieth with it a comfortable expectation of lesser deliverances so far as may serve for Gods glory, and his servants good.