Study Desk

The LORD said to Moses on Mount Sinai,

The Lord said to Moses at Mount Sinai,

"Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the LORD .

"Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the Lord .

For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops.

For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops.

But in the seventh year the land is to have a sabbath of rest, a sabbath to the LORD . Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards.

But in the seventh year the land is to have a year of sabbath rest, a sabbath to the Lord . Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards.

Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest.

Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest.

Whatever the land yields during the sabbath year will be food for you-for yourself, your manservant and maidservant, and the hired worker and temporary resident who live among you,

Whatever the land yields during the sabbath year will be food for you—for yourself, your male and female servants, and the hired worker and temporary resident who live among you,

as well as for your livestock and the wild animals in your land. Whatever the land produces may be eaten.

as well as for your livestock and the wild animals in your land. Whatever the land produces may be eaten.

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

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

Then have the trumpet sounded everywhere on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement sound the trumpet throughout your land.

Then have the trumpet sounded everywhere on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement sound the trumpet throughout your land.

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

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.

The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; do not sow and do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the untended vines.

The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; do not sow and do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the untended vines.

For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for you; eat only what is taken directly from the fields.

For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for you; eat only what is taken directly from the fields.

" 'In this Year of Jubilee everyone is to return to his own property.

"‘In this Year of Jubilee everyone is to return to their own property.

" 'If you sell land to one of your countrymen or buy any from him, do not take advantage of each other.

"‘If you sell land to any of your own people or buy land from them, do not take advantage of each other.

You are to buy from your countryman on the basis of the number of years since the Jubilee. And he is to sell to you on the basis of the number of years left for harvesting crops.

You are to buy from your own people on the basis of the number of years since the Jubilee. And they are to sell to you on the basis of the number of years left for harvesting crops.

When the years are many, you are to increase the price, and when the years are few, you are to decrease the price, because what he is really selling you is the number of crops.

When the years are many, you are to increase the price, and when the years are few, you are to decrease the price, because what is really being sold to you is the number of crops.

Do not take advantage of each other, but fear your God. I am the LORD your God.

Do not take advantage of each other, but fear your God. I am the Lord your God.

" 'Follow my decrees and be careful to obey my laws, and you will live safely in the land.

"‘Follow my decrees and be careful to obey my laws, and you will live safely in the land.

Then the land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill and live there in safety.

Then the land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill and live there in safety.

You may ask, "What will we eat in the seventh year if we do not plant or harvest our crops?"

You may ask, "What will we eat in the seventh year if we do not plant or harvest our crops?"

I will send you such a blessing in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years.

I will send you such a blessing in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years.

While you plant during the eighth year, you will eat from the old crop and will continue to eat from it until the harvest of the ninth year comes in.

While you plant during the eighth year, you will eat from the old crop and will continue to eat from it until the harvest of the ninth year comes in.

" 'The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants.

"‘The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you reside in my land as foreigners and strangers.

Throughout the country that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land.

Throughout the land that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land.

" 'If one of your countrymen becomes poor and sells some of his property, his nearest relative is to come and redeem what his countryman has sold.

"‘If one of your fellow Israelites becomes poor and sells some of their property, their nearest relative is to come and redeem what they have sold.

If, however, a man has no one to redeem it for him but he himself prospers and acquires sufficient means to redeem it,

If, however, there is no one to redeem it for them but later on they prosper and acquire sufficient means to redeem it themselves,

he is to determine the value for the years since he sold it and refund the balance to the man to whom he sold it; he can then go back to his own property.

they are to determine the value for the years since they sold it and refund the balance to the one to whom they sold it; they can then go back to their own property.

But if he does not acquire the means to repay him, what he sold will remain in the possession of the buyer until the Year of Jubilee. It will be returned in the Jubilee, and he can then go back to his property.

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.

" 'If a man sells a house in a walled city, he retains the right of redemption a full year after its sale. During that time he may redeem it.

"‘Anyone who sells a house in a walled city retains the right of redemption a full year after its sale. During that time the seller may redeem it.

If it is not redeemed before a full year has passed, the house in the walled city shall belong permanently to the buyer and his descendants. It is not to be returned in the Jubilee.

If it is not redeemed before a full year has passed, the house in the walled city shall belong permanently to the buyer and the buyer's descendants. It is not to be returned in the Jubilee.

But houses in villages without walls around them are to be considered as open country. They can be redeemed, and they are to be returned in the Jubilee.

But houses in villages without walls around them are to be considered as belonging to the open country. They can be redeemed, and they are to be returned in the Jubilee.

" 'The Levites always have the right to redeem their houses in the Levitical towns, which they possess.

"‘The Levites always have the right to redeem their houses in the Levitical towns, which they possess.

So the property of the Levites is redeemable-that is, a house sold in any town they hold-and is to be returned in the Jubilee, because the houses in the towns of the Levites are their property among the Israelites.

So the property of the Levites is redeemable—that is, a house sold in any town they hold—and is to be returned in the Jubilee, because the houses in the towns of the Levites are their property among the Israelites.

But the pastureland belonging to their towns must not be sold; it is their permanent possession.

But the pastureland belonging to their towns must not be sold; it is their permanent possession.

" 'If one of your countrymen becomes poor and is unable to support himself among you, help him as you would an alien or a temporary resident, so he can continue to live among you.

"‘If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and are unable to support themselves among you, help them as you would a foreigner and stranger, so they can continue to live among you.

Do not take interest of any kind from him, but fear your God, so that your countryman may continue to live among you.

Do not take interest or any profit from them, but fear your God, so that they may continue to live among you.

You must not lend him money at interest or sell him food at a profit.

You must not lend them money at interest or sell them food at a profit.

I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.

" 'If one of your countrymen becomes poor among you and sells himself to you, do not make him work as a slave.

"‘If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and sell themselves to you, do not make them work as slaves.

He is to be treated as a hired worker or a temporary resident among you; he is to work for you until the Year of Jubilee.

They are to be treated as hired workers or temporary residents among you; they are to work for you until the Year of Jubilee.

Then he and his children are to be released, and he will go back to his own clan and to the property of his forefathers.

Then they and their children are to be released, and they will go back to their own clans and to the property of their ancestors.

Because the Israelites are my servants, whom I brought out of Egypt, they must not be sold as slaves.

Because the Israelites are my servants, whom I brought out of Egypt, they must not be sold as slaves.

Do not rule over them ruthlessly, but fear your God.

Do not rule over them ruthlessly, but fear your God.

" 'Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves.

"‘Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves.

You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property.

You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property.

You can will them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly.

You can bequeath them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly.

" 'If an alien or a temporary resident among you becomes rich and one of your countrymen becomes poor and sells himself to the alien living among you or to a member of the alien's clan,

"‘If a foreigner residing among you becomes rich and any of your fellow Israelites become poor and sell themselves to the foreigner or to a member of the foreigner's clan,

he retains the right of redemption after he has sold himself. One of his relatives may redeem him:

they retain the right of redemption after they have sold themselves. One of their relatives may redeem them:

An uncle or a cousin or any blood relative in his clan may redeem him. Or if he prospers, he may redeem himself.

An uncle or a cousin or any blood relative in their clan may redeem them. Or if they prosper, they may redeem themselves.

He and his buyer are to count the time from the year he sold himself up to the Year of Jubilee. The price for his release is to be based on the rate paid to a hired man for that number of years.

They and their buyer are to count the time from the year they sold themselves up to the Year of Jubilee. The price for their release is to be based on the rate paid to a hired worker for that number of years.

If many years remain, he must pay for his redemption a larger share of the price paid for him.

If many years remain, they must pay for their redemption a larger share of the price paid for them.

If only a few years remain until the Year of Jubilee, he is to compute that and pay for his redemption accordingly.

If only a few years remain until the Year of Jubilee, they are to compute that and pay for their redemption accordingly.

He is to be treated as a man hired from year to year; you must see to it that his owner does not rule over him ruthlessly.

They are to be treated as workers hired from year to year; you must see to it that those to whom they owe service do not rule over them ruthlessly.

" 'Even if he is not redeemed in any of these ways, he and his children are to be released in the Year of Jubilee,

"‘Even if someone is not redeemed in any of these ways, they and their children are to be released in the Year of Jubilee,

for the Israelites belong to me as servants. They are my servants, whom I brought out of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.

for the Israelites belong to me as servants. They are my servants, whom I brought out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.