Leviticus 25

Leviticus 25:2

WHen ye come] The beginning of these Sabbaticall yeares, was taken from the six and fourtieth yeare after the peoples comming out of Egypt, the sixth yeare after their comming into the Land of Canaan, when the Land was divided: as it appeareth by Jos. 14. 7. 10 Shall the Land] The Italian hath it, The Land shall have its rest] It shall not be plowed, nor fruit A Sabbath] Not for any naturall or oeconomicall respect, to let the tired Land get strength: but with a holy rest dedicated to my service; for a more expresse document (besides the Sabbath) of the dayes of eternall rest, particular to every faithfull at his death, and afterwards generall at the blessed resurrection; when there shall be a generall enfanchizement of all Gods children, and their new entrance into their heavenly inheritance.

Leviticus 25:4

For the Lord] Sacred, and religious to him.

Leviticus 25:5

Undressed] In the Hebrew: Nazaritish, to the resemblance of the Nazarites, who did not cut their haire: Numbers 6:5.

Leviticus 25:8

Shall be meat] Indifferently for any one as shall come to it upon the place, without laying it up, or making any bundle of it, by way of harvest, or vintage.

Leviticus 25:9

The seventh] Which was the first of the civill yeare: Exodus 12:2. Leviticus 23:24. according to whose moneths, they counted the times of politick affaires, to the order of which the Jubile was for the most part referred; though with some instruction for divine and eternall things The Trumpet] Which was the ordinary signe of festivall dayes: Numb. 10. 10. and 29. 1.

Leviticus 25:10

Hallow] Distinguish it from all other common yeares, to execute in it those commandements which I enjoyne you; and shall be a sacred signe unto you, of the acceptable yeare of the Lord, under the Messias, Isaiah 61:2. 2 Corinthians 6:2 The fiftieth] Seeing the Jubile was only the revolution of seven weekes of yeares, and that in the verse 20 concerning the Jubile, there is nothing spoken, but onely of the seventh yeare: and that besides, it would have been a hard matter to let Lands lie still for two yeares together, and that the Jewes never reckoned the Jubile, but by the seventh Sabbaticall yeare, we must understand the number of fifty, in that vulgar manner, comprehending the yeare of the precedent Jubile. Since that indeed, from one Jubile to another, there was but nine and fourty yeares Liberty] Libertie from all slaverie for the Israelites: see Exodus 21:6 Iubile] This word is by many interpreted to signifie a rammes horne to sound with. But it seemeth that it signifieth rather a consort of many such hornes, trumpets and such like loud-sounding instruments. And it may be that this name was derived from the first Inventer of Musicall instruments, called Jabal: Genesis 4:21. see Exodus 19:13. Joshua 6:4 Possession] Which hath been sold and alienated Family]From which he is gone away, having sold himselfe for a slave, or being sold by his father: v. 39.

Leviticus 25:12

Out of the field] And not out of a garner, cellar, or other store-houses: v. 6.

Leviticus 25:14

Oppresse] Let him not take an occasion by reason of his poverty to dispossesse him of his inheritance.

Leviticus 25:15

Jubile] Namely the last part Of the fruits] The Italian hath it, O the rent] That is to say, of the fruits more or lesse, which thou mayest gather out of his Land for the yeares to come out of the next Jubile.

Leviticus 25:21

For three yeares] That is to say, for the end of the sixth, all the whole seventh, and the eighth untill harvest time: see 2 King. 19. 29. Isaiah 37:30.

Leviticus 25:22

Of old fruit] Of the sixth yeare: The Italian addeth, Of that harvest.]

Leviticus 25:23

For ever] The Italian hath it, Absolutely] That is to say, quite cut off without leaving any hope to the seller, ever to redeem it Is mine] I reserve unto my self the right of property in it, and grant you nothing but the bare use of it, therefore I will not have you alienate it at your pleasure, neither will I suffer you to bargaine for any things, but onely for the fruits: but as for the Land it selfe, it must alwayes remaine as by perpetuall lease unto those persons and families to whom I have given it.

Leviticus 25:25

Possession] In the fields, for there was another Law for houses in Cities: v. 29 Any of] The Italian hath it, The next of] See Ruth 3. 2. 9. 12. Jeremiah 32:7.

Leviticus 25:27

The over-plus] Of the price of the yeares which are yet to come before the Jubile according to the number of which yeares he had made his sale.

Leviticus 25:32

Of the Cities] Of which see Numbers 35:2. Joshua 21:4.

Leviticus 25:33

And if a man purchase] The Italian hath, And he amongst the Levites that shall redeem] That is to say, the next of kinne tha hath between Jubile and Jubile, redeemed that house by reason of the kinred For the houses] Seeing the Levites have no other proper inheritance, but only their Cities and some places about them: Numbers 35:2. without any Lands or other possessions (because they lived by tithes: Numbers 18:24.) their houses may not be alienated, no more than the Lands of other Israelites.

Leviticus 25:34

But the field] They were certaine places of a thousand cubites, in the suburbs or places adjoyning to the Levites Cities, for them to keep and feed their cattel in, Numbers 35:4. which being all undivided and lying in common, no particular person had any power to make any bargaine for it, as he might for his house which was his own. Yet it should seem by Jeremiah 32:7-8. That this Law was altered in ensuing ages.

Leviticus 25:35

A stranger] An Israelite, but not of the same place, or some stranger, a proselite converted to Judaisme: for otherwise God suffered them to take use for money lent to strangers either of nation, or in religion: Deuteronomy 23:20.

Leviticus 25:38

I am] The benefit which you have freely received at my hands, should invite you, me thinks, to do the like towards your brethren my children, and my Covenant and absolute power which I have over you, doth binde you to it.

Leviticus 25:39

To serve] Keeping him only as an instrument of his will and profit, without any rigor or constraint by reason of his debt.

Leviticus 25:40

Unto the yeare] In case that it have pleased him to remaine in thy service after the seventh yeare was past: Exodus 21:2; Exodus 21:6.

Leviticus 25:42

My servants] And therefore none can get soveraigne Dominion over them to prejudice mine; and besides, strict bondage is a hinderance to the service of God, 1 Corinthians 7:23.

Leviticus 25:47

To the slock] That shall be borne in the countrie, yet of a strange nation.

Leviticus 25:48

He may be] At any time, without being bound to serve the strange master, the six yeares ordained by the Law for an Israelite to serve an Israelite: Exodus 21:2. Deuteronomy 15:12.

Leviticus 25:50

Of Iubile] For the longest terme: for whosoever was his master, either stranger or Israelite, the servant might come out in the yeare of remission. But if the price exceeded the valuation of six yeares service, or if he be contented to stay with the strange master after the seventh yeare; but howsoever it happened, at the Jubile he was to be free To the number]Counting off the price he was bought for; the wages for his service, more or lesse, according to the number of yeares that he had served.

Leviticus 25:54

In these yeares] The Italian hath it, By any of these meane] Either by his service, or by the help of some kinsman, or by his own ransoming, of himselfe.