◄ Leviticus 25:12 ►
For it is a Jubilee; it shall be holy to you. You may eat only the crops taken directly from the field.
Study Bible
For it is a jubilee
The term "jubilee" comes from the Hebrew word "yovel," which refers to the ram's horn trumpet used to proclaim this special year. The Jubilee year, occurring every 50th year, was a time of liberation and restoration. It was a divine reset, where debts were forgiven, slaves were freed, and land was returned to its original owners. This concept underscores God's sovereignty over time and property, reminding the Israelites that the land ultimately belongs to Him. The Jubilee serves as a powerful symbol of God's grace and mercy, offering a glimpse of the ultimate redemption found in Christ.

it shall be holy to you
The word "holy" in Hebrew is "qodesh," meaning set apart or sacred. The Jubilee year was to be treated with reverence and respect, distinct from ordinary years. This holiness signifies a time dedicated to God, where His principles of justice and mercy are paramount. It calls believers to recognize the sacredness of God's commands and the importance of aligning their lives with His will. The holiness of the Jubilee year reflects the holiness God desires in His people, a life set apart for His purposes.

You may eat only what the field produces of itself
This phrase emphasizes reliance on God's provision. During the Jubilee, the Israelites were not to sow or reap in the usual manner but to trust in what the land naturally produced. This command highlights God's role as the ultimate provider and sustainer. It teaches a lesson in faith, encouraging believers to depend on God's provision rather than their own efforts. This reliance on divine provision is a recurring theme throughout Scripture, reminding us of the spiritual nourishment and sustenance found in a relationship with God.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The prophet and leader of the Israelites who received the laws from God, including the instructions for the Jubilee year.

2. Israelites
The chosen people of God to whom the laws of Leviticus were given, including the observance of the Jubilee.

3. Jubilee Year
A special year of rest and release occurring every 50th year, where land was to rest, debts were forgiven, and slaves were freed.

4. Promised Land
The land of Canaan, which God promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and where these laws were to be observed.

5. Fields
The agricultural lands of the Israelites, which were to lie fallow during the Jubilee year, producing food naturally without cultivation.
Teaching Points
Holiness of the Jubilee
The Jubilee year is set apart as holy, reminding us of God's sovereignty over time and resources. It calls us to trust in His provision and to honor His commands.

Dependence on God's Provision
During the Jubilee, the Israelites were to rely on what the land produced naturally. This teaches us to depend on God's provision rather than our own efforts.

Rest and Renewal
The Jubilee provides a time for rest and renewal, both for the land and the people. It encourages us to incorporate regular times of rest and spiritual renewal in our lives.

Social Justice and Restoration
The Jubilee emphasizes social justice, with the release of debts and freedom for slaves. It challenges us to seek justice and restoration in our communities.

Spiritual Fulfillment in Christ
The Jubilee foreshadows the ultimate freedom and restoration found in Jesus Christ. We are called to live in the freedom He provides and to share this message with others.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the concept of the Jubilee challenge our modern understanding of ownership and stewardship?

2. In what ways can we practice dependence on God's provision in our daily lives, similar to the Israelites during the Jubilee?

3. How can the principles of rest and renewal from the Jubilee be applied to our personal and spiritual lives today?

4. What are some practical ways we can promote social justice and restoration in our communities, reflecting the spirit of the Jubilee?

5. How does the fulfillment of the Jubilee in Christ impact our understanding of freedom and redemption? How can we live out this truth in our interactions with others?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Leviticus 25:10
This verse introduces the concept of the Jubilee, emphasizing liberty and return to one's property and family.

Exodus 23:10-11
These verses discuss the Sabbath year, a precursor to the Jubilee, where the land was to rest every seventh year.

Isaiah 61:1-2
This passage speaks of the "year of the Lord's favor," which is often associated with the Jubilee, highlighting themes of freedom and restoration.

Luke 4:18-19
Jesus references Isaiah 61, proclaiming the fulfillment of the Jubilee's spiritual significance through His ministry.
Sermons
The Sabbatic YearJ.A. Macdonald Leviticus 25:1-7, 18-22
A Sabbath of Rest unto the LandW. H. Jellie.Leviticus 25:2-55
Deliverance from SinHoward James.Leviticus 25:2-55
Freedom Through ChristT. De Witt Talmage.Leviticus 25:2-55
Jubilee GladnessJ. Cairns.Leviticus 25:2-55
Land Laws Among Other NationsM. M. Kalisch, Ph. D.Leviticus 25:2-55
Land TenureT. T. Munger.Leviticus 25:2-55
Laws of Trade-WagesHom. ReviewLeviticus 25:2-55
Lessons from the Sabbatical YearF. W. Brown.Leviticus 25:2-55
Liberty Through ChristRichard Newton, D. D.Leviticus 25:2-55
Man Need not Despair of -ProvidenceBp. Babington.Leviticus 25:2-55
Practical Reliance Upon GodIndian Witness.Leviticus 25:2-55
Released from DebtChristian AgeLeviticus 25:2-55
Results of Jubilee YearT. Guthrie, D. D.Leviticus 25:2-55
Sojourners with GodHomilistLeviticus 25:2-55
The Hebrew System of Land TenureR. Reid.Leviticus 25:2-55
The Joyful SoundC. S. Robinson, D. D.Leviticus 25:2-55
The JubileeHomilistLeviticus 25:2-55
The JubileeHomilistLeviticus 25:2-55
The Jubilee a Type of the GospelWm. Sleigh.Leviticus 25:2-55
The Jubilee Year: its Fourfold SignificanceW. H. Jellie.Leviticus 25:2-55
The Oppressor Rebuked and the Oppression RemovedC. F. S. Money, M. A.Leviticus 25:2-55
The Purpose of the Sabbatical YearM. M. Kalisch, Ph. D.Leviticus 25:2-55
The Resemblance Between the Year of Jubilee and the GospelT. B. Baker.Leviticus 25:2-55
The Sabbath of the FieldsH. Macmillan, D. D.Leviticus 25:2-55
The Sabbatic Year and JubileeJ. A. Seiss, D. D.Leviticus 25:2-55
The Sinner's Chains are Self ForgedPreacher's Lantern.Leviticus 25:2-55
The Year of JubileeA. G. Brown.Leviticus 25:2-55
The Year of JubileeA. H. Currier.Leviticus 25:2-55
The Year of JubileeWalter Roberts, M. A.Leviticus 25:2-55
The Year of JubileeD. C. Hughes, M. A.Leviticus 25:2-55
The Year of JubileeT. Binney.Leviticus 25:2-55
The Year SabbathDr. Ide.Leviticus 25:2-55
What Shall We Eat the Seventh Year?A. G. Brown.Leviticus 25:2-55
The JubileeJ.A. Macdonald Leviticus 25:8-17
The Year of JubileeR.A. Redford Leviticus 25:8-34
The JubileeR.M. Edgar Leviticus 25:8-55
Year of JubileeW. Clarkson Leviticus 25:8-55
Year of Jubilee: Ii. the World's RedemptionW. Clarkson Leviticus 25:8-55
Year of Jubilee: Iii. the Blessed KingdomW. Clarkson Leviticus 25:8-55
People
Israelites, Levites, Moses
Places
Canaan, Egypt, Mount Sinai
Topics
Crops, Directly, Eat, Field, Fields, Holy, Increase, Jubilee, Natural, Produce, Thereof, Yields
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Leviticus 25:1-13

     4208   land, divine responsibility
     4978   year

Leviticus 25:8-12

     4534   vine
     7431   sabbatical year
     8270   holiness, set apart

Leviticus 25:8-13

     7482   Year of Jubilee

Leviticus 25:11-12

     4464   harvest

Library
Sojourners with God
'The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is Mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with Me.' --LEV. xxv. 23. The singular institution of the Jubilee year had more than one purpose. As a social and economical arrangement it tended to prevent the extremes of wealth and poverty. Every fiftieth year the land was to revert to its original owners, the lineal descendants of those who had 'come in with the conqueror,' Joshua. Debts were to be remitted, slaves emancipated, and so the mountains …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

God's Slaves
'For they are My servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as bondmen.' --LEV. xxv. 42. This is the basis of the Mosaic legislation as to slavery. It did not suppress but regulated that accursed system. Certainly Hebrew slavery was a very different thing from that of other nations. In the first place, no Jew was to be a slave. To that broad principle there were exceptions, such as the case of the man who voluntarily gave himself up to his creditor. But even …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Kinsman Redeemer
'After that he is sold he may be redeemed again; one of his brethren may redeem him.'--LEV. xxv. 48. There are several of the institutions and precepts of the Mosaic legislation which, though not prophetic, nor typical, have yet remarkable correspondences with lofty Christian truth. They may be used as symbols, if only we remember that we are diverting them from their original purpose. How singularly these words lend themselves to the statement of the very central truths of Christianity--a slavery …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Boniface viii Ad 1294-1303.
PART I In Celestine's place was chosen Benedict Gaetani, who, although even older than the worn-out and doting late pope, was still full of strength, both in body and in mind. Benedict (who took the name of Boniface VIII) is said to have been very learned, especially in matters at law; but his pride and ambition led him into attempts which ended in his own ruin, and did serious harm to the papacy. In the year 1300 Boniface set on foot what was called the Jubilee. You will remember the Jubilee which …
J. C. Roberston—Sketches of Church History, from AD 33 to the Reformation

The Kinsman-Redeemer
'Their Redeemer is strong; the Lord of Hosts is His name: He shall thoroughly plead their cause.'--JER. l. 34. Among the remarkable provisions of the Mosaic law there were some very peculiar ones affecting the next-of-kin. The nearest living blood relation to a man had certain obligations and offices to discharge, under certain contingencies, in respect of which he received a special name; which is sometimes translated in the Old Testament 'Redeemer,' and sometimes 'Avenger' of blood. What the etymological …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Day of Atonement
Now, I shall invite your attention to the ceremonies of this solemn day, taking the different parts in detail. First, we shall consider the person who made the atonement; secondly, the sacrifice whereby the atonement was typically made; thirdly, the effects of the atonement; and fourthly, our behaviour on the recollection of the atonement, as well set forth by the conduct prescribed to the Israelites on that day. I. First, THE PERSON WHO WAS TO MAKE THE ATONEMENT. And at the outset, we remark that …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 2: 1856

Appeal to the Christian Women of the South
BY A.E. GRIMKE. "Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not within thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place: but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this. And Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer:--and so will I go in unto the king, …
Angelina Emily Grimke—An Appeal to the Christian Women of the South

Sin and Forgiveness Between Brethren.
(Autumn, a.d. 29.) ^A Matt. XVIII. 15-35. ^a 15 And if thy brother sin against thee, go, show him his fault between thee and him alone: if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. [Having warned against giving offense, Jesus now shows how to act when offense is received. The fault is to be pointed out to the offender, but for the purpose of gaining him--not from a desire to humiliate him. The offended is to seek the offender, and the offender is likewise to seek the offended (Matt. xv. 23, 24), …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Commerce
The remarkable change which we have noticed in the views of Jewish authorities, from contempt to almost affectation of manual labour, could certainly not have been arbitrary. But as we fail to discover here any religious motive, we can only account for it on the score of altered political and social circumstances. So long as the people were, at least nominally, independent, and in possession of their own land, constant engagement in a trade would probably mark an inferior social stage, and imply …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

"And the Redeemer Shall Come unto Zion, and unto them that Turn,"
Isaiah lix. 20.--"And the Redeemer shall come unto Zion, and unto them that turn," &c. Doctrines, as things, have their seasons and times. Every thing is beautiful in its season. So there is no word of truth, but it hath a season and time in which it is beautiful. And indeed that is a great part of wisdom, to bring forth everything in its season, to discern when and where, and to whom it is pertinent and edifying, to speak such and such truths. But there is one doctrine that is never out of season, …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Eighth Commandment
Thou shalt not steal.' Exod 20: 15. AS the holiness of God sets him against uncleanness, in the command Thou shalt not commit adultery;' so the justice of God sets him against rapine and robbery, in the command, Thou shalt not steal.' The thing forbidden in this commandment, is meddling with another man's property. The civil lawyers define furtum, stealth or theft to be the laying hands unjustly on that which is another's;' the invading another's right. I. The causes of theft. [1] The internal causes …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Baptism
Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them,' &c. Matt 28: 19. I. The way whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of redemptions, is, in the use of the sacraments. What are the sacraments in general? They are visible signs of invisible grace. Is not the word of God sufficient to salvation? What need then is there of sacraments? We must not be wise above what is written. It is God's will that his church …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Leviticus
The emphasis which modern criticism has very properly laid on the prophetic books and the prophetic element generally in the Old Testament, has had the effect of somewhat diverting popular attention from the priestly contributions to the literature and religion of Israel. From this neglect Leviticus has suffered most. Yet for many reasons it is worthy of close attention; it is the deliberate expression of the priestly mind of Israel at its best, and it thus forms a welcome foil to the unattractive …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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