Leviticus 25:28
New International Version
But if they do not acquire the means to repay, what was sold will remain in the possession of the buyer until the Year of Jubilee. It will be returned in the Jubilee, and they can then go back to their property.

New Living Translation
But if the original owner cannot afford to buy back the land, it will remain with the new owner until the next Year of Jubilee. In the jubilee year, the land must be returned to the original owners so they can return to their family land.

English Standard Version
But if he does not have sufficient means to recover it, then what he sold shall remain in the hand of the buyer until the year of jubilee. In the jubilee it shall be released, and he shall return to his property.

Berean Standard Bible
But 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.

King James Bible
But 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.

New King James Version
But if he is not able to have it restored to himself, then what was sold shall remain in the hand of him who bought it until the Year of Jubilee; and in the Jubilee it shall be released, and he shall return to his possession.

New American Standard Bible
But if he has not found sufficient means to get it back for himself, then what he has sold shall remain in the hands of its purchaser until the year of jubilee; but at the jubilee it shall revert, so that he may return to his property.

NASB 1995
‘But if he has not found sufficient means to get it back for himself, then what he has sold shall remain in the hands of its purchaser until the year of jubilee; but at the jubilee it shall revert, that he may return to his property.

NASB 1977
‘But if he has not found sufficient means to get it back for himself, then what he has sold shall remain in the hands of its purchaser until the year of jubilee; but at the jubilee it shall revert, that he may return to his property.

Legacy Standard Bible
But if he has not found sufficient means to return it to himself, then what he has sold shall remain in the hands of its purchaser until the year of jubilee; but at the jubilee it shall revert, that he may return to his possession of land.

Amplified Bible
But if he is unable to redeem it, then what he has sold shall remain in the hands of the purchaser until the Year of Jubilee; but at the Jubilee it shall revert, and he may return to his property.

Christian Standard Bible
But if he cannot obtain enough to repay him, what he sold will remain in the possession of its purchaser until the Year of Jubilee. It is to be released at the Jubilee, so that he may return to his property.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But if he cannot obtain enough to repay him, what he sold will remain in the possession of its purchaser until the Year of Jubilee. It is to be released at the Jubilee, so that he may return to his property.”

American Standard Version
But 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.

Contemporary English Version
But if you don't have the money to pay the present owner a fair price, you will have to wait until the Year of Celebration, when the property will once again become yours.

English Revised Version
But 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 jubile: and in the jubile it shall go out, and he shall return unto his possession.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
However, if he cannot earn enough to buy it back, what he sold stays in the hands of the buyer until the year of jubilee. In the jubilee it will be released, and he will own it again.

Good News Translation
But if you do not have enough money to buy the land back, it remains under the control of the one who bought it until the next Year of Restoration. In that year it will be returned to its original owner.

International Standard Version
If he's not able to redeem it back for himself, then what he sold is to remain in the hand of the buyer until the year of jubilee. In the jubilee, it is to be returned so he may return to his property.

Majority Standard Bible
But 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.

NET Bible
If he has not prospered enough to refund a balance to him, then what he sold will belong to the one who bought it until the jubilee year, but it must revert in the jubilee and the original owner may return to his property.

New Heart English Bible
But 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: and in the Jubilee it shall be released, and he shall return to his property.

Webster's Bible Translation
But if he shall not be 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 jubilee: and in the jubilee it shall go out, and he shall return to his possession.

World English Bible
But 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.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And if his hand has not found sufficiency to give back to him, then his sold thing has been in the hand of him who buys it until the Year of Jubilee; and it has gone out in the Jubilee, and he has returned to his possession.

Young's Literal Translation
'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.

Smith's Literal Translation
And if his hand found not a sufficiency to return to him, and his selling was in the hand of him buying it, till the year of the jubilee: and it went forth in the jubilee, and he turned back to his possession.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But 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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But if his hand will not have discovered a way to repay the price, the buyer shall have what he bought, until the year of the Jubilee. For in that year all that has been sold shall return to the owner, and to the original possessor.

New American Bible
But if the person does not acquire sufficient means to buy back the land, what was sold shall remain in the possession of the purchaser until the year of the jubilee, when it must be released and returned to the original owner.

New Revised Standard Version
But if there are not sufficient means to recover it, what was sold shall remain with the purchaser until the year of jubilee; in the jubilee it shall be released, and the property shall be returned.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But if he cannot afford to pay him back, then that which he sold shall remain secure in the hand of him who has bought it until the year of jubilee; and in the jubilee it shall be released, and he shall return to his possession.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And if it does not come into his hands so as to pay him, the purchase shall be firm to him who bought it until the year of restoration, and he shall go forth in the restoration and he shall return to his inheritance.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
But if he have not sufficient means 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.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But if his hand have not prospered sufficiently, so as that he should restore the money to him, then he that bought the possessions shall have them till the sixth year of the release; and it shall go out in the release, and the owner shall return to his possession.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Law of Redemption
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. 29If a man sells a house in a walled city, he retains his right of redemption until a full year after its sale; during that year it may be redeemed.…

Cross References
Ruth 4:4-6
I thought I should inform you that you may buy it back in the presence of those seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you want to redeem it, do so. But if you will not redeem it, tell me so I may know, because there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am next after you.” “I will redeem it,” he replied. / Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi and also from Ruth the Moabitess, you must also acquire the widow of the deceased in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance.” / The kinsman-redeemer replied, “I cannot redeem it myself, or I would jeopardize my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption, because I cannot redeem it.”

Jeremiah 32:7-15
Behold! Hanamel, the son of your uncle Shallum, is coming to you to say, ‘Buy for yourself my field in Anathoth, for you have the right of redemption to buy it.’ / Then, as the LORD had said, my cousin Hanamel came to me in the courtyard of the guard and urged me, ‘Please buy my field in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for you own the right of inheritance and redemption. Buy it for yourself.’” Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD. / So I bought the field in Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel, and I weighed out seventeen shekels of silver. ...

Numbers 36:7-9
No inheritance in Israel may be transferred from tribe to tribe, because each of the Israelites is to retain the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. / Every daughter who possesses an inheritance from any Israelite tribe must marry within a clan of the tribe of her father, so that every Israelite will possess the inheritance of his fathers. / No inheritance may be transferred from one tribe to another, for each tribe of Israel must retain its inheritance.”

Ezekiel 46:17-18
But if he gives a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, it will belong to that servant until the year of freedom; then it will revert to the prince. His inheritance belongs only to his sons; it shall be theirs. / The prince must not take any of the inheritance of the people by evicting them from their property. He is to provide an inheritance for his sons from his own property, so that none of My people will be displaced from his property.’”

Nehemiah 5:3-5
Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our homes to get grain during the famine.” / Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. / We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless to redeem them because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

Isaiah 61:1-2
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners, / to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of our God’s vengeance, to comfort all who mourn,

Galatians 4:4-5
But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, / to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons.

Romans 8:23
Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Ephesians 1:13-14
And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth—the gospel of your salvation—you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, / who is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory.

Hebrews 9:15
Therefore Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, now that He has died to redeem them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

1 Corinthians 7:23
You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.

Matthew 20:28
just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

Luke 4:18-19
“The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed, / to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Acts 20:28
Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.

Colossians 1:13-14
He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, / in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.


Treasury of Scripture

But if he be not able to restore it to him, then that which is sold shall remain in the hand of him that has bought it until the year of jubilee: and in the jubilee it shall go out, and he shall return to his possession.

and in the

Leviticus 25:13
In the year of this jubile ye shall return every man unto his possession.

he shall

Isaiah 35:9,10
No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: …

Jeremiah 32:15
For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land.

1 Corinthians 15:52-54
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed…

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Able Acquire Bought Buyer Buyeth Found Hand Hands Jubilee Kept Means Possession Price Property Purchaser Released Repay Restore Revert Sold Sufficiency Sufficient
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Leviticus 25
1. the Sabbath of the seventh year
8. The jubilee in the fiftieth year
14. Of oppression
18. A blessing of obedience
23. The redemption of land
29. Of houses
35. Compassion to the poor
39. The usage of bondmen
47. The redemption of servants














But if he cannot obtain enough to repay him
This phrase addresses the situation of an Israelite who has sold his property due to financial hardship. The Hebrew root for "obtain enough" is "matsa," which means to find or secure. This reflects the struggle and effort required to regain one's lost inheritance. In the ancient agrarian society of Israel, land was not just property but a God-given inheritance, a source of identity and sustenance. The inability to "repay" signifies a deeper social and economic vulnerability, highlighting the need for divine provision and community support.

what he sold will remain in the hands of the buyer
The phrase "will remain in the hands of the buyer" underscores the temporary transfer of property rights. In ancient Israel, land transactions were not permanent; they were more akin to long-term leases. The Hebrew word "yad," translated as "hands," often symbolizes power or control. This indicates that the buyer has control over the land, but this control is not absolute or eternal. It serves as a reminder of the transient nature of human ownership in contrast to God's ultimate sovereignty over the land.

until the Year of Jubilee
The "Year of Jubilee" is a central theme in Leviticus 25, representing a time of liberation and restoration. The Hebrew word "yovel" refers to the ram's horn trumpet used to announce this year. Historically, the Jubilee occurred every 50th year and was a time when debts were forgiven, slaves were freed, and land was returned to its original family owners. This practice reflects God's desire for social justice, economic balance, and the restoration of community relationships. It serves as a powerful symbol of hope and renewal, pointing to the ultimate redemption found in Christ.

In the Jubilee it will be returned
The phrase "it will be returned" emphasizes the restoration of the original order. The Hebrew verb "shuv" means to return or restore, signifying a reversal of fortunes and a return to God's intended design for His people. This act of returning land is not just a legal transaction but a divine mandate that ensures the preservation of family heritage and social stability. It reflects God's grace and mercy, offering a fresh start and a reminder of His covenant faithfulness.

and he can return to his property
The final phrase, "he can return to his property," highlights the personal and familial restoration that the Jubilee brings. The Hebrew word "achuzah" for "property" denotes a possession or inheritance, emphasizing the deep connection between the people and the land. This return is not merely physical but also spiritual, as it restores the individual's place within the community and reaffirms their identity as part of God's chosen people. It serves as a foretaste of the ultimate restoration and inheritance believers have in Christ, where all things will be made new.

(28) Not able to restore it to him.--That is, if the vendor is unable to return to the purchaser the probable value of the crops between the contemplated redemption and the next jubile year.

Then that which is sold.--In that case the land thus sold is to continue with the purchaser till jubile, when it is to revert to the vendor without any repayment whatever. The design of this law was to secure to each family a permanent interest in the soil, and to prevent the accumulation of land on the part of the greedy few who are ever anxious to join field unto field, thus precluding the existence of landless beggars and too extensive landed proprietors. To the same effect were the laws of inheritance (Numbers 27:6-11; Numbers 36:5-13). Similar laws obtained among other nations of antiquity. Laws were enacted that the lots which were distributed among the inhabitants were neither to be sold nor bought. Solon made it a law that no one should acquire as much land as he wished; whilst Plato held that no individual person is to possess more than four times the quantity of land than the lowest owner, who had only a single lot.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But if
וְאִ֨ם (wə·’im)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

he cannot
לֹֽא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

obtain
מָֽצְאָ֜ה (mā·ṣə·’āh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 4672: To come forth to, appear, exist, to attain, find, acquire, to occur, meet, be present

enough
דֵּי֮ (dê)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1767: Sufficiency, enough

to repay
הָשִׁ֣יב (hā·šîḇ)
Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

him,
לוֹ֒ (lōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

what he sold
מִמְכָּר֗וֹ (mim·kā·rōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4465: Merchandise, a selling

will remain
וְהָיָ֣ה (wə·hā·yāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

in possession
בְּיַד֙ (bə·yaḏ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 3027: A hand

of the buyer
הַקֹּנֶ֣ה (haq·qō·neh)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7069: To erect, create, to procure, by purchase, to own

until
עַ֖ד (‘aḏ)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

the Year
שְׁנַ֣ת (šə·naṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 8141: A year

of Jubilee.
הַיּוֹבֵ֑ל (hay·yō·w·ḇêl)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3104: A ram, ram's horn (a wind instrument)

In the Jubilee,
בַּיֹּבֵ֔ל (bay·yō·ḇêl)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3104: A ram, ram's horn (a wind instrument)

however, it is to be released,
וְיָצָא֙ (wə·yā·ṣā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

so that he may return
וְשָׁ֖ב (wə·šāḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

to his property.
לַאֲחֻזָּתֽוֹ׃ (la·’ă·ḥuz·zā·ṯōw)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 272: Something seized, a possession


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OT Law: Leviticus 25:28 But if he isn't able to get (Le Lv Lev.)
Leviticus 25:27
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