You are to buy from your neighbor according to the number of years since the last Jubilee;This phrase refers to the economic and social system established by God for the Israelites, where land transactions were regulated by the Jubilee cycle. The Jubilee occurred every 50 years, as outlined in
Leviticus 25:8-12, and was a time when land was to be returned to its original family owners. This ensured that no family would permanently lose their inheritance. The concept of Jubilee reflects God's concern for social justice and economic equality, preventing the accumulation of wealth and power in the hands of a few. It also emphasizes the idea that the land ultimately belongs to God (
Leviticus 25:23). The Jubilee year is a type of the ultimate redemption and restoration found in Jesus Christ, who proclaimed the "year of the Lord's favor" (
Luke 4:18-19), symbolizing spiritual freedom and restoration.
he is to sell to you according to the number of harvest years remaining.
The value of the land was determined by the number of harvests remaining until the next Jubilee. This system ensured fairness in transactions, as the price would decrease as the Jubilee approached. The focus on harvest years highlights the agrarian nature of Israelite society, where the land's productivity was central to economic life. This principle underscores the importance of stewardship and the recognition that the land's ultimate purpose was to provide sustenance. The concept of harvest also carries spiritual significance, as it is often used in Scripture to symbolize the gathering of believers (Matthew 9:37-38) and the final judgment (Revelation 14:15). The regulation of land sales in this manner reflects God's desire for equitable treatment and the prevention of exploitation among His people.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
MosesThe prophet and leader of the Israelites who received the laws from God, including the instructions in Leviticus.
2.
IsraelitesThe people to whom the laws in Leviticus were given, specifically addressing their economic and social practices.
3.
Jubilee YearA significant event occurring every 50 years in Israel, where land was returned to original owners, and debts were forgiven, symbolizing freedom and restoration.
Teaching Points
Understanding the JubileeThe Jubilee year was a time of economic reset, reflecting God's desire for justice and equality among His people. It reminds us of the importance of fairness and compassion in our financial dealings.
Economic JusticeThe instruction to buy and sell based on the number of years since the Jubilee teaches us to consider fairness and integrity in our transactions. It challenges us to think about how we can practice economic justice in our own lives.
Trust in God's ProvisionThe Jubilee system required faith in God's provision, as it involved letting the land rest and trusting that God would provide. This encourages us to trust God in our financial decisions and to prioritize His principles over worldly gain.
Restoration and ForgivenessThe Jubilee symbolizes restoration and forgiveness, pointing us to the ultimate restoration found in Christ. It encourages us to seek reconciliation and to forgive others as we have been forgiven.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Leviticus 25:15?
2.How does Leviticus 25:15 guide fair transactions in today's economic practices?
3.What principles from Leviticus 25:15 reflect God's justice and fairness in business?
4.How does Leviticus 25:15 connect to Jesus' teachings on fairness and honesty?
5.In what ways can Leviticus 25:15 influence Christian stewardship and resource management?
6.How can Leviticus 25:15 inspire ethical behavior in personal and professional dealings?
7.How does Leviticus 25:15 reflect the concept of fair trade in biblical times?
8.What historical context influenced the economic principles in Leviticus 25:15?
9.How does Leviticus 25:15 align with modern economic practices?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Leviticus 25?
11.What is the Bible's view on poverty?
12.Why do other civilizations around Israel not record similar extended fallow periods or Jubilees, if this commandment (Lev 25) was practiced widely?
13.Leviticus 19:10 commands leaving part of the harvest for the poor; why isn't this universally practiced today by believers?
14.Why does the command to release servants (Lev 25:39-46) appear inconsistent with other biblical passages endorsing servitude?What Does Leviticus 25:15 Mean
You are to buy from your neighbor• God keeps transactions within the covenant community, just asLeviticus 25:14 instructs, “If you make a sale to your neighbor or a purchase from him, you must not take advantage of one another”.
• Buying “from your neighbor” implies mutual care:Romans 13:9 sums up the Law with “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”.
• The land was allotted to each tribe (Joshua 13–19). By limiting sales to fellow Israelites, God protected family inheritances while fostering an atmosphere of trust and accountability.
according to the number of years since the last Jubilee• The Jubilee came every fiftieth year (Leviticus 25:10-11). Because the land returned to its original clan at that point, any sale was really a long-term lease.
• Pricing land by counting years from the most recent Jubilee anchored the deal in an objective timeline. It guarded against both greed and panic-selling.
• This standard reminds us that “the land is Mine, and you are but foreigners and residents with Me” (Leviticus 25:23). Since God owns it all, His calendar—not human haggling—sets value.
he is to sell to you• The seller had a duty as well: no inflated prices.Proverbs 11:1 warns, “Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD”.
•Leviticus 25:25 provides a safety net: if poverty forced a sale, the nearest relative could redeem the land. Fair selling practices preserved dignity for the poor, echoingDeuteronomy 15:7-8.
• In this mutual respect, both buyer and seller mirror God’s justice—“Whatever you want others to do for you, do the same for them” (Matthew 7:12).
according to the number of harvest years remaining• Verse 16 clarifies: “You are to increase the price according to the greater number of years and decrease it according to the lesser number, for he is selling to you the number of crops”.
• Practical outworkings:
– More years left = more harvests = higher price.
– Fewer years left = fewer harvests = lower price.
• By tying price to future crops, God makes fairness measurable. This anticipates modern notions of depreciation and lease value.
•James 5:4 condemns unfair wages; the principle is identical—workers (or sellers) must receive what is right for the time involved.
summaryLeviticus 25:15 commands covenant partners to trade fairly: buy only from fellow Israelites, price land by counting years since the last Jubilee, and adjust value to the harvests still ahead. These details honor God’s ultimate ownership of the land, protect family inheritance, and cultivate love for neighbor through transparent, time-bound dealings.
(15)
According to the number of years . . . thou shalt buy.--The promised land, according to the Law, was to be divided by lot in equal parts among the Israelites. The plot which should thus come into the possession of each family is to be absolutely inalienable, and for ever continue to be the property of the descendants of the original possessor. Hence it is here enacted that where a proprietor being pressed by poverty is compelled to sell a field, it could not be bought of him for a longer period than up to the time of the next jubile, when it reverted to the original possessor, or to his family. In purchasing a plot of and the purchaser is to reckon how many years had elapsed since the last jubile, since this would show him the exact period during which he would be entitled to hold it. It thus corresponds to what with us is buying the unexpired term of a lease.
Of thy neighbour.--From this it was deduced that the Israelite who was reduced to poverty could only sell his land to a fellow-Israelite, but not to a Gentile.
The number of years of the fruit he shall sell.--Whilst the purchaser is to take into consideration the number of years which the lease has still to run, the vendor has to consider how many sabbatical years there will be from the time of the sale till next jubile, since the sale was not so much of the land as of the produce of so many years. Hence the fallow sabbatical years are not to be included. As the plural "number of years "is here used, the authorities during the second Temple concluded that the vendor could not sell it for less thantwo productive years,exclusive of a sabbatical year, a year of barrenness, and of the first harvest if the purchase was effected shortly before the seventh month, with the ripe produce in the field.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
You are to buyתִּקְנֶ֖ה(tiq·neh)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 7069:To erect, create, to procure, by purchase, to ownfromמֵאֵ֣ת(mê·’êṯ)Preposition-m | Direct object marker
Strong's 853:Untranslatable mark of the accusative caseyour neighborעֲמִיתֶ֑ךָ(‘ă·mî·ṯe·ḵā)Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5997:Companionship, a comrade, kindred manaccording to the numberבְּמִסְפַּ֤ר(bə·mis·par)Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4557:A number, definite, indefinite, narrationof yearsשָׁנִים֙(šā·nîm)Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 8141:A yearsinceאַחַ֣ר(’a·ḥar)Adverb
Strong's 310:The hind or following partthe last Jubilee;הַיּוֹבֵ֔ל(hay·yō·w·ḇêl)Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3104:A ram, ram's horn (a wind instrument)he is to sellיִמְכָּר־(yim·kār-)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4376:To sellto youלָֽךְ׃(lāḵ)Preposition | second person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrewaccording to the numberבְּמִסְפַּ֥ר(bə·mis·par)Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4557:A number, definite, indefinite, narrationof harvestתְבוּאֹ֖ת(ṯə·ḇū·’ōṯ)Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 8393:Product, revenueyears {remaining}.שְׁנֵֽי־(šə·nê-)Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 8141:A year
Links
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OT Law: Leviticus 25:15 According to the number of years after (Le Lv Lev.) 
