Leviticus 25:26-28 · Bible study
Leviticus 25:26-28 Commentary: Restoring the Land
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Study Leviticus 25:26-28: the right of a poor Israelite to redeem his sold land using his own renewed resources, not borrowing, with Jubilee as
Research Summary
- Meaning: An Israelite who sold his land in poverty can redeem it himself if he gains enough means, using a proportional payment, otherwise it returns at Jubilee.
- Key words: 'Hand' (H3027), his own resources; 'find sufficiency' (H4672 + H1767), having enough from his own effort and God’s blessing; 'surplus' (H5736), the amount to be repaid.
- Main debate: Whether the law forbids borrowing for redemption (Gill says yes; others note the text does not explicitly prohibit, but the context of 'sufficiency' implies using what one has).
- Theological theme: God as ultimate owner of the land; redemption and Jubilee as types of Christ’s restoration of our inheritance.
- Best use: Teaching on God’s provision, economic justice, and the hope of restoration; a model for pastoral care of the financially distressed.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
26Or if a man has no one to redeem it for him, but he prospers and acquires enough to redeem his land,
27he shall calculate the years since its sale, repay the balance to the man to whom he sold it, and return to his property.
28But if he cannot obtain enough to repay him, what he sold will remain in possession of the buyer until the Year of Jubilee. In the Jubilee, however, it is to be released, so that he may return to his property.
WEB World English Bible 2000
26If a man has no one to redeem it, and he becomes prosperous and finds sufficient means to redeem it,
27then let him reckon the years since its sale, and restore the surplus to the man to whom he sold it; and he shall return to his property.
28But if he isn’t able to get it back for himself, then what he has sold shall remain in the hand of him who has bought it until the Year of Jubilee. In the Jubilee it shall be released, and he shall return to his property.
KJV King James Version 1769
26And if the man have none to redeem it, and himself be able to redeem it;
27Then let him count the years of the sale thereof, and restore the overplus unto the man to whom he sold it; that he may return unto his possession.
28But if he be not able to restore it to him, then that which is sold shall remain in the hand of him that hath bought it until the year of jubile: and in the jubile it shall go out, and he shall return unto his possession.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
26And if a man have no one to redeem it, and he be waxed rich and find sufficient to redeem it;
27then let him reckon the years of the sale thereof, and restore the overplus unto the man to whom he sold it; and he shall return unto his possession.
28But if he be not able to get it back for himself, then that which he hath sold shall remain in the hand of him that hath bought it until the year of jubilee: and in the jubilee it shall go out, and he shall return unto his possession.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
26and when a man hath no redeemer, and his own hand hath attained, and he hath found as sufficient for its redemption,
27then he hath reckoned the years of its sale, and hath given back that which is over to the man to whom he sold it , and he hath returned to his possession.
28`And if his hand hath not found sufficiency to give back to him, then hath his sold thing been in the hand of him who buyeth it till the year of jubilee; and it hath gone out in the jubilee, and he hath returned to his possession.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
26And if the man have no one having right of redemption, and his hand have acquired and found what sufficeth for its redemption,
27then shall he reckon the years since the sale thereof, and restore the overplus unto the man to whom he sold it; and so return unto his possession.
28And if his hand have not found what sufficeth for him to restore it to him, then that which is sold shall remain in the hand of the purchaser, until the year of jubilee; and in the jubilee it shall go out, and he shall return unto his possession.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
26But if he have no kinsman, and he himself can find the price to redeem it:
27The value of the fruits shall be counted from that time when he sold it. And the overplus he shall restore to the buyer, and so shall receive his possession again.
28But if his hands find not the means to repay the price, the buyer shall have what he bought, until the year of the jubilee. For in that year all that is sold shall return to the owner, and to the ancient possessor.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Leviticus 25:26
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree this passage provides a path for an Israelite who sold his land due to poverty to redeem it himself, if he later becomes prosperous and has enough means. The redemption price is calculated based on the years remaining until the next Jubilee: the seller repays a proportion of the original sale price corresponding to the unused years (Cambridge Bible, Gill, Wesley). If he cannot afford to repay, the land stays with the buyer until Jubilee, when it returns without payment (Barnes, Gill). A key point of agreement is that the seller must use his own acquired resources, not borrowed money. Gill explicitly notes that while the seller may redeem with what he has gained, he 'might not borrow and redeem', the means must come from his own hand. This restriction reinforces the principle that the land ultimately belongs to Yahweh (Leviticus 25:23), and the system of redemption and Jubilee prevents permanent loss of family inheritance. The passage is seen as a merciful provision within Israel's economic law, balancing the needs of the poor with the stability of property.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The passage teaches that when an Israelite sells his land due to poverty, he may redeem it himself if he prospers and has enough means; if not, Jubilee guarantees return.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Borrowing for redemption | The text requires the seller to have 'sufficient means' from his own hand; redemption cannot be by borrowed money. | Some commentators (e.g., Gill) explicitly state borrowing is forbidden. Others see the prohibition as implicit but not a separate legal command; the focus is on actual ability, not the source of funds. |
| Calculation of redemption price | The price is proportional to the years remaining until Jubilee; the seller repays a 'surplus' over what the buyer has already enjoyed. | Whether the calculation is exactly proportional or includes other factors (e.g., value of harvests) is not fully specified; tradition largely assumes simple proportion. |
| Role of the Jubilee | Jubilee ensures the land ultimately returns to its original owner, even if the seller cannot redeem. | Theological views differ on whether Jubilee typifies Christ’s final restoration (common in Christian interpretation) or remains primarily a social-economic law (Jewish tradition). |
Historical & Cultural Context
In ancient Israel, land was not a commodity to be traded freely; it was a sacred inheritance from Yahweh, given to families as their permanent possession (Leviticus 25:23). When a family fell into poverty, they could sell the use of their land for a set number of years until the next Jubilee, the fiftieth year when all land reverted to its original owners (Leviticus 25:10, 13). The law provided a safety net: a close relative (the go'el, kinsman-redeemer) could step in to buy back the land, restoring it to the family. But what if no kinsman existed or was able? Leviticus 25:26-28 addresses that exact scenario. The seller himself, if his financial situation improved, could repurchase the land.
This self-redemption came with a strict condition: the seller had to have 'found sufficiency', enough means from his own hand. The Hebrew idiom yad ('hand') in verse 26 (H3027) signifies his own power and resources. Commentators like Gill emphasize he could not borrow the redemption money, only use what he had gained through his own industry and God's blessing. This prevented the seller from falling back into debt to redeem land that was already encumbered. The calculation of the price was the key mechanism: the seller counted the years since the sale, and repaid the buyer a sum proportional to the remaining years until Jubilee. This was not a full refund but a fair adjustment. If the seller could not raise that amount, the land stayed with the buyer until Jubilee, at which point it returned automatically without payment. This system balanced economic stability with compassion, ensuring families could not permanently lose their inheritance.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant manuscript variants for Leviticus 25:26-28. The Hebrew text is stable across traditions. Minor differences in English translations reflect interpretation (e.g., 'overplus' vs 'surplus') but not textual issues.
Reception History
In Jewish tradition, these verses have been understood as part of the comprehensive laws of shemittah (release) and yovel (Jubilee), emphasizing God’s ownership of the land and the right of families to reclaim their inheritance. Rabbinic commentary elaborated on the prohibition of borrowing for redemption (Gill references Chaskuni). Early Christian writers saw in the Jubilee laws a foreshadowing of Christ’s redemptive work: he is the ultimate kinsman-redeemer who secures our inheritance (Isaiah 35:9-10). The passage has been referenced in discussions of economic justice, debt forgiveness, and the Christian response to poverty. Modern interpreters often highlight the balance between personal responsibility and communal support in God’s design for society.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God makes a way back: When poverty forces a family to sell their land, God does not abandon them. He provides a path for restoration, first through the kinsman-redeemer, and if none exists, through the seller’s own renewed prosperity.
- Personal responsibility and God’s blessing: The seller must become prosperous and have sufficient means. This is not a free pass; it requires his own effort and God’s provision. The prohibition on borrowing (Gill) underscores that redemption must come from actual resources, not further debt.
- Jubilee: the ultimate safety net: If the seller cannot redeem, the land still returns at Jubilee. God’s timing guarantees restoration, even when human effort falls short. This points to the ultimate redemption in Christ, who secures our inheritance forever.
Five-point outline
- The situation: a man sold his land and has no kinsman-redeemer.
- The condition: he must become prosperous and find sufficient means to redeem it himself.
- The calculation: he reckons the years since the sale and repays the surplus to the buyer.
- The result: he returns to his property, his family’s inheritance restored.
- The alternative: if he cannot repay, the land stays with the buyer until Jubilee, then goes out free.
Illustration hooks
- A family forced to sell their home due to medical debt. Years later, they receive an unexpected inheritance and buy it back, a modern echo of this principle of restoration through God’s provision.
- A small farmer in a developing nation loses his land to a loan shark. A community fund helps him repurchase it when his harvest improves, reflecting the idea of redemption coming from his own hand.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God care about my financial failures? This passage shows He provides a path back to stability.
- Why shouldn’t I go into debt to get out of a bad situation? The law warns against borrowing for redemption, perhaps because it leads to greater bondage.
- What does this mean for me today, since I don’t own land in Israel? The principles of God as owner, the call to stewardship, and the hope of ultimate restoration apply to every believer.
Leading a Discussion
This passage is part of God’s design for economic justice in ancient Israel. It shows that restoration is possible, even when a family has lost their land. As you discuss, consider how these principles might apply to our lives today, not just in terms of money, but in any area where we need a fresh start.
Discussion questions
- What problem does this law address? How does it show God’s concern for the poor?
- Why do you think the seller must become prosperous and find sufficient means on his own, rather than borrowing? What does this imply about true restoration?
- How does the calculation of the redemption price reflect fairness for both the seller and the buyer?
- What is the role of the Jubilee year in this passage? How does it change the way we view temporary setbacks?
- In what ways does this law point to God’s ultimate plan of redemption through Jesus Christ?
- Can you think of a situation in your own life where God provided a way back after a loss? How did that shape your faith?
- How can our church community embody the spirit of this law, helping others restore what has been lost?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Leviticus 5:7 | “‘If he can’t afford a lamb, then he shall bring his trespass offering for that in which he has sinned, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, to Yahweh; one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering. |
| Leviticus 25:10 | You shall make the fiftieth year holy, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee to you; and each of you shall return to his own property, and each of you shall return to his family. |
| Leviticus 25:13 | “‘In this Year of Jubilee each of you shall return to his property. |
| Isaiah 35:9 | No lion will be there, nor will any ravenous animal go up on it. They will not be found there; but the redeemed will walk there. |
| Isaiah 35:10 | Then Yahweh’s ransomed ones will return, and come with singing to Zion; and everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.” |
| Jeremiah 32:15 | For Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel says: ‘Houses and fields and vineyards will yet again be bought in this land.’ |
| I Corinthians 15:52 | in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. |
| I Corinthians 15:54 | But when this perishable body will have become imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then what is written will happen: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes clarifies that the phrase "shall go out" does not simply mean to leave but specifically means to be set free, emphasizing the act of liberation rather than mere departure.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible Schools note clarifies that "the overplus" refers to a proportional repayment calculated by the number of years still remaining until the next Jubilee. The amount adjusts the original sale price to reflect the time left before the land returns.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The note highlights that even without a kinsman-redeemer, the seller may personally buy back his property. He must calculate the value of the remaining years and repay the buyer that amount, not the full sale price. If he cannot afford this, the property stays with the buyer until the Jubilee, when it returns automatically.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill explains that a man may redeem his sold property only with what he has honestly gained since the sale, not by borrowing. The redemption price is calculated proportionally based on how many years remain until the Jubilee, with the buyer returning the field when he receives the adjusted amount. If the seller cannot pay, the land stays with the buyer until the Jubilee, when it returns without payment.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights the underlying principle for all these land laws: God owns the land, and Israel's place in it is as resident aliens. Their perpetual title is not absolute ownership but tenancy under God, which makes the Jubilee restoration of property a lasting reminder of their dependence on Him.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley clarifies that the price for redeeming a sold property is calculated strictly by the number of years remaining until the jubilee. If the original owner buys it back partway through, he pays only for the years left, and the property then leaves the buyer's possession without further cost.