Leviticus 25:15

the number of years: The law did not allow permanent sale of the land. It belonged to God, and Israel was simply allowed to use it (Leviticus 25:23). If the owner had to give up the land because of financial problems, he could lease it for up to forty-nine years, until the next Jubilee. The price depended on the lease length. At the end of that period, the land returned to the original owner's family.

• The Year of Jubilee occurred every fiftieth year, releasing people from obligations and slavery. This year was also a Sabbath year, meaning no farming took place.

  Some scholars believe the forty-ninth year was both a Sabbath (seventh) and Jubilee (fiftieth) year. Counting fifty years would place the Year of Jubilee right after the seventh Sabbath year, leading to two years without harvests.

• During each Year of Jubilee, the land returned to the original clan or tribe that received it under Joshua (Joshua 13–21).

  Land had two purposes:

  1. It provided an economic foundation for living.

  2. It connected the landowner to ancestors. Through them it connected the land distribution under Joshua and the covenant with Moses.

  Returning the land intended to prevent powerful land monopolies that could exclude the poor.

Just as seven days made a week ending in a Sabbath day, every seven years ended with a Sabbath year. After seven Sabbath years, or 49 years, came a special year called the Year of Jubilee. Like so many holy days, these times were meant for reflecting on Israel's shared identity and their relationship with God.

Every Israelite, both free and servant, had a place in God’s kingdom. So, those bound in servitude were set free during the Year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25:39–43). To reduce poverty and protect families, land sales were limited to fifty years. After that, the land returned to the original owner's family or clan.

The land belonged to God, and the Israelites were only "residents" (25:23). But it is unlikely that they actually used these laws. The best land ended up belonging to wealthy landowners (Isaiah 5:8–10; compare Amos 5:11).