Leviticus 25:10 kjv

And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.

Leviticus 25:10 nkjv

And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you; and each of you shall return to his possession, and each of you shall return to his family.

Leviticus 25:10 niv

Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each of you is to return to your family property and to your own clan.

Leviticus 25:10 esv

And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to his property and each of you shall return to his clan.

Leviticus 25:10 nlt

Set this year apart as holy, a time to proclaim freedom throughout the land for all who live there. It will be a jubilee year for you, when each of you may return to the land that belonged to your ancestors and return to your own clan.

Leviticus 25 verses

Leviticus 25 10 Meaning

Leviticus 25:10 establishes the divine commandment for the Jubilee year, the fiftieth year in Israel's agricultural and social cycle. It declares this year as consecrated, meaning set apart for God's purposes. During the Jubilee, freedom was to be proclaimed to all inhabitants, signifying a radical social and economic reset. This involved the return of all inherited land to its original families and the release of Israelites from servitude, thereby restoring ancestral possessions and family integrity. It underscores God's ultimate ownership of the land and His provision for His people's well-being and equitable society, preventing permanent disparities.

Leviticus 25 10 Context

Leviticus 25:10 is embedded within the broader context of the Sabbatical and Jubilee laws (Lev 25) given by God to Israel at Mount Sinai, shortly after their exodus from Egypt. These laws govern the use of the land, personal freedom, and debt within the covenant community. The preceding verses (Lev 25:1-7) establish the Sabbatical year where the land rests, followed by instructions for counting seven Sabbatical cycles (49 years) leading to the fiftieth year—the Jubilee. Historically, these laws were foundational for an agricultural society, aiming to prevent the accumulation of land by a few and the perpetual enslavement of others, thus preserving social equity, the family unit, and ensuring a cycle of refreshing rest and restoration. They reveal God's desire for a just and merciful society, providing for the poor, maintaining the integrity of tribal inheritances, and demonstrating trust in God's provision rather than human toil alone.

Leviticus 25 10 Word analysis

• And you shall consecrate (וְקִדַּשְׁתֶּם, veqiddashtem): Derived from the root qadash, meaning "to make holy," "to set apart for sacred use." This signifies that the fiftieth year is not merely a secular or social decree, but a divinely ordained and hallowed period. It elevates the year to a special status under God's authority and purpose.
• the fiftieth year: This year culminates seven Sabbatical cycles (7 x 7 = 49 years). It marks a super-Sabbath, extending principles of rest, release, and return beyond the annual or septennial.
• and proclaim (וּקְרָאתֶם, uq'ra'tem): From qara, "to call," "to cry out," "to read aloud." This implies a public, authoritative announcement, ensuring widespread awareness and implementation of the Jubilee's provisions throughout the nation.
• liberty (דְּרוֹר, deror): A rich term meaning "freedom," "release," "remission," or "discharge." It uniquely appears in contexts of release from bondage, signifying comprehensive liberation for people. It also encompasses the "return" aspects of the Jubilee.
• throughout all the land: The scope of the proclamation is universal within the boundaries of Israel's inherited land, ensuring that no one is exempt from the benefits or responsibilities of the Jubilee.
• unto all the inhabitants thereof: Emphasizes that the declaration of freedom applies to everyone living in the land, not just specific groups or regions. This includes those who have fallen into debt slavery.
• it shall be a jubilee unto you (יוֹבֵל הוּא לָכֶם, yovel hu lakhem): Yovel (Jubilee) is associated with the ram's horn (שׁוֹפָר, shofar) blown to announce its commencement. It encapsulates the entire package of the fiftieth year's social, economic, and religious regulations. It is "unto you" as a benefit and a responsibility.
• and you shall return (וְשַׁבְתֶּם, veshavtem): From the verb shuv, "to return," "to turn back." This word is key to understanding the practical effect of Jubilee—a reversal of economic misfortune and a restoration to original status.
• every man unto his possession (אֶל-אֲחֻזָּתוֹ, el-achuzzato): Achuzzah refers to one's inherited ancestral property, usually land. The land was apportioned by tribe and family at the initial division under Joshua. The Jubilee ensures that this original distribution is preserved, preventing permanent land dispossession due to poverty or debt. It highlights God's sovereignty over the land and His design for sustained family livelihoods.
• and every man unto his family (וְאֶל-מִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ, ve'el-mishpachto): Mishpacha refers to an extended family or clan. This part of the command addresses the release of those who, through debt or dire circumstances, had to sell themselves or their children into servitude. They are restored to their families, signifying the importance of family and clan integrity in Israelite society.

Word-groups analysis:

• "consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty": This phrase ties together the sacredness of the year with its primary action—the public declaration of freedom. The consecration sets the divine stage for the radical socio-economic overhaul. The word "liberty" (deror) speaks to physical freedom (from slavery), financial freedom (from debt), and ultimately a spiritual release from economic oppression, aligning with the "Year of the Lord's Favor."
• "throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof": This emphasizes the universal and comprehensive nature of the Jubilee. It's not a localized or partial measure, but one that permeates the entire nation and applies to every citizen, demonstrating a profound commitment to equity and justice under God's law.
• "it shall be a jubilee unto you": This clarifies the specific name and purpose of this unique year, emphasizing its benefit "unto you" as God's people. The sounding of the ram's horn (yovel) signals this new period of renewal and fresh start.
• "every man unto his possession, and every man unto his family": This directly outlines the twin outcomes of the Jubilee: the restoration of inherited land to its original families and the return of individuals (likely those who sold themselves into temporary servitude) to their ancestral households. These two aspects underscore the interconnectedness of land and family in ancient Israelite identity and God's design for societal stability and economic justice.

Leviticus 25 10 Bonus section

The Jubilee year, though commanded, is widely believed by scholars to have been rarely, if ever, fully observed by ancient Israel due to its radical social and economic demands. The call for national land restoration and the release of all servants posed significant challenges to human self-interest and economic systems. Despite this, its principles serve as enduring ethical and prophetic blueprints. It illustrates God's perfect justice and His desire for an equitable society, where even profound economic disparities find a remedy through divine intervention. The concept of the "Year of the Lord's Favor" (Isa 61:2, Lk 4:19) finds its prophetic roots here, with Jesus embodying the ultimate spiritual Jubilee, proclaiming release from sin and bondage that is infinitely more profound than the temporal, physical, and economic liberation commanded in Leviticus 25. He is the ultimate fulfillment of the deror, the true "liberty" for humanity.

Leviticus 25 10 Commentary

Leviticus 25:10 is the core command for the Year of Jubilee, a monumental provision by God designed to prevent chronic poverty, permanent social stratification, and the irreversible alienation of land from its tribal and family inheritors. It serves as a profound statement of God's sovereignty over the land of Israel and the lives of its inhabitants. By commanding the return of land and the release of slaves, God ensures that wealth and power are not consolidated indefinitely in a few hands, thus upholding a fundamental social justice. The Jubilee mandated a spiritual pause, an act of faith in divine provision (since fields lay fallow for two consecutive years), and a practical demonstration of covenant faithfulness. It functioned as a national reset button, reinforcing that human economic structures are subordinate to divine ownership and principles of equity, mirroring God's character of release and redemption. Though seemingly impractical from a purely economic standpoint, its theological and social implications are immense, pointing to ultimate restoration and the freedom found in God's eternal Kingdom.