Leviticus 25:8 kjv

And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years.

Leviticus 25:8 nkjv

'And you shall count seven sabbaths of years for yourself, seven times seven years; and the time of the seven sabbaths of years shall be to you forty-nine years.

Leviticus 25:8 niv

"?'Count off seven sabbath years?seven times seven years?so that the seven sabbath years amount to a period of forty-nine years.

Leviticus 25:8 esv

"You shall count seven weeks of years, seven times seven years, so that the time of the seven weeks of years shall give you forty-nine years.

Leviticus 25:8 nlt

"In addition, you must count off seven Sabbath years, seven sets of seven years, adding up to forty-nine years in all.

Leviticus 25 verses

Leviticus 25 8 Meaning

Leviticus 25:8 establishes the crucial calculation for the Year of Jubilee. It mandates a precise count of "seven sabbaths of years," which totals forty-nine years, specifically as seven cycles of seven years each. This verse lays the groundwork for understanding the rhythm of rest and release that culminates in the momentous fiftieth Jubilee year, signifying a complete cycle of preparation before the year of restoration.

Leviticus 25 8 Context

Leviticus 25 details the divinely ordained laws concerning the Sabbatical Year (Shemitah) and the Year of Jubilee (Yovel). These laws governed the rhythm of Israelite life in the promised land, primarily impacting land use, property ownership, and personal freedom. Chapters 23 and 24 focus on holy convocations and various laws. Chapter 25 is a crucial theological and socio-economic framework, underscoring God's ultimate ownership of the land (Lev 25:23) and His provision for justice, equity, and the prevention of permanent servitude or extreme wealth disparity. Verse 8 provides the essential numerical basis for determining when the Jubilee, the grand year of restoration, would occur. It establishes the preparatory counting phase that precedes this major societal reset, linking the Sabbath principle for days, to years, and then to a larger cycle of years.

Leviticus 25 8 Word analysis

• And thou shalt number (וְסָפַרְתָּ֞ - v'safarta): The Hebrew verb סָפַר (safar) means "to count," "to reckon," or "to number." The form is an imperative, indicating a direct command from God to Israel, requiring careful and precise observance. This counting is not optional but foundational to the entire Jubilee system. It links to the meticulous counting of the Omer (Lev 23:15) before Pentecost, underscoring the divine rhythm and precise timing God institutes.
• seven sabbaths of years (שַׁבְּת֥וֹת שָׁנִ֖ים - shabbatot shanim):
  • "seven" (שֶׁבַע - sheva): Signifies completion, perfection, and holiness in biblical numerology. It evokes creation (seven-day week, Sabbath). Here, it amplifies the divine origin and structured nature of the commandment.
  • "sabbaths" (שַׁבְּת֥וֹת - shabbatot): The plural form of Sabbath, explicitly referring to Sabbatical years (Shemitah). A "sabbath of years" means a year of rest for the land, to be observed every seventh year (Lev 25:4).
  • "of years" (שָׁנִ֖ים - shanim): Plural of year, specifying the unit of measurement.
  • Word-group analysis: This phrase establishes the cyclical unit upon which the Jubilee is based—seven occurrences of the seven-year Sabbatical cycle. It reinforces the holiness of the sabbatical concept extending to agricultural cycles.
• unto thee (לָ֑ךְ - lach): Indicates that this counting is for Israel's benefit and obligation. The benefits of the Jubilee are directly applicable to the nation and its members, reflecting God's covenantal blessings contingent on obedience.
• seven times seven years (שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֑ים שֶׁבַע - sheva shanim sheva - more accurately, the text says "seven years, seven times"): This reiterates the calculation and emphasizes the full extent of the period. The redundancy ("seven sabbaths of years, seven times seven years") stresses the exactness of the required counting, removing any ambiguity and ensuring proper observance of the complete cycle. This specific calculation method underlines the divine precision and structured nature of God's laws.
• and the space of the seven sabbaths of years (וְהָי֕וּ לְךָ֖ יְמֵי֙ שֶׁ֣בַע שַׁבְּתֹ֣ת הַשָּׁנִ֑ים - v'hayu l'cha yemei sheva shabb'tot hashshanot): Literally "and there shall be to you the days of seven sabbaths of the years." "Space" refers to the full duration. This reconfirms that the counting is not merely conceptual but marks a definite period leading up to the Jubilee.
• shall be unto thee forty and nine years (אַרְבָּעִ֖ים וְתֵ֥שַׁע שָׁנִֽים - arba'im v'tesha shanim): This directly states the result of the calculation, 7 x 7 = 49. It explicitly defines the preparatory period. The precise number underscores God's meticulous ordering of time and history within His covenant with Israel.

Leviticus 25 8 Bonus section

• Numerical Significance: The number seven permeates biblical chronology and theology, often symbolizing perfection, completeness, or divine works. Multiples of seven (49, 50 as 7x7+1) reinforce this significance, elevating the Jubilee not just as a socio-economic decree but as a divinely perfect order.
• Prophetic Parallelism: Just as 49 years of careful counting culminated in a climactic 50th year of Jubilee release, this established a pattern for Israel's expectation of ultimate restoration and redemption. This foreshadowed the work of Jesus, who inaugurated a spiritual "year of the Lord" (Luke 4:18-19), bringing true liberty from the bondage of sin, death, and the law, which is the ultimate Jubilee.
• Anticipation and Preparation: The requirement to count signifies that the Jubilee was not an ad hoc intervention but a long-prepared, anticipated event. This prolonged period was designed to test faith, teach dependence on God's provision even in rest years, and prevent long-term socio-economic injustices from becoming irreversible.
• Link to Pentecost: The counting of "seven sabbaths" (49 days) leading to Pentecost (Shavuot) in Leviticus 23:15-16 serves as a significant spiritual parallel. Just as the Counting of the Omer prepared for the giving of the Torah and later the Holy Spirit, the 49-year counting for Jubilee prepared for a major societal restoration and release, indicating God's method of progressive revelation and preparation for significant divine events.

Leviticus 25 8 Commentary

Leviticus 25:8 is the instructional pivot for the Jubilee system, providing the precise numerical mechanism for its calculation. By commanding Israel to count "seven sabbaths of years," resulting in 49 years, God instills a divine rhythm for the nation's socio-economic and spiritual life. This counting reflects God's ordered nature, much like the seven days of creation culminating in the Sabbath. The emphasis on "seven times seven" underscores a concept of complete cycles and the sacred nature of time in God's eyes. It ensures that the radical socio-economic reset of the Jubilee year—which returned ancestral land to original families and freed indentured servants—was not a haphazard event but a predictable and anticipated season embedded within the fabric of their calendar. This preparatory 49-year period required continuous mindfulness and obedience to God's broader sabbatical laws, cultivating dependence on Him and an understanding that all possessions and liberties were ultimately gifts from their sovereign Lord, pointing towards a greater spiritual freedom and ultimate rest.