23 No exchange of land may be for ever, for the land is mine, and you are as my guests, living with me for a time. 24 Wherever there is property in land, the owner is to have the right of getting it back. 25 If your brother becomes poor, and has to give up some of his land for money, his nearest relation may come and get back that which his brother has given up. 26 And if he has no one to get it back for him, and later he himself gets wealth and has enough money to get it back; 27 Then let him take into account the years from the time when he gave it up, and make up the loss for the rest of the years to him who took it, and so get back his property. 28 But if he is not able to get it back for himself, then it will be kept by him who gave a price for it, till the year of Jubilee; and in that year it will go back to its first owner and he will have his property again. 29 And if a man gives his house in a walled town for money, he has the right to get it back for the space of a full year after he has given it up. 30 And if he does not get it back by the end of the year, then the house in the town will become the property of him who gave the money for it, and of his children for ever; it will not go from him in the year of Jubilee. 31 But houses in small unwalled towns will be the same as property in the country; they may be got back, and they will go back to their owners in the year of Jubilee. 32 But the houses in the towns of the Levites may be got back by the Levites at any time. 33 And if a Levite does not give money to get back his property, his house in the town which was exchanged for money will come back to him in the year of Jubilee. For the houses of the towns of the Levites are their property among the children of Israel. 34 But the land on the outskirts of their towns may not be exchanged for money, for it is their property for ever. 35 And if your brother becomes poor and is not able to make a living, then you are to keep him with you, helping him as you would a man from another country who is living among you. 36 Take no interest from him, in money or in goods, but have the fear of your God before you, and let your brother make a living among you. 37 Do not take interest on the money which you let him have or on the food which you give him. 38 I am the Lord your God, who took you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan, that I might be your God.
39 And if your brother becomes poor and gives himself to you for money, do not make use of him like a servant who is your property; 40 But let him be with you as a servant working for payment, till the year of Jubilee; 41 Then he will go out from you, he and his children with him, and go back to his family and to the property of his fathers. 42 For they are my servants whom I took out from the land of Egypt; they may not become the property of another. 43 Do not be a hard master to him, but have the fear of God before you. 44 But you may get servants as property from among the nations round about; from them you may take men-servants and women-servants. 45 And in addition, you may get, for money, servants from among the children of other nations who are living with you, and from their families which have come to birth in your land; and these will be your property.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Leviticus 25:23-45
Commentary on Leviticus 25:23-34
(Read Leviticus 25:23-34)
If the land were not redeemed before the year of jubilee, it then returned to him that sold or mortgaged it. This was a figure of the free grace of God in Christ; by which, and not by any price or merit of our own, we are restored to the favour of God. Houses in walled cities were more the fruits of their own industry than land in the country, which was the direct gift of God's bounty; therefore if a man sold a house in a city, he might redeem it only within a year after the sale. This encouraged strangers and proselytes to come and settle among them.
Commentary on Leviticus 25:35-38
(Read Leviticus 25:35-38)
Poverty and decay are great grievances, and very common; the poor ye have always with you. Thou shalt relieve him; by sympathy, pitying the poor; by service, doing for them; and by supply, giving to them according to their necessity, and thine ability. Poor debtors must not be oppressed. Observe the arguments here used against extortion: "Fear thy God." Relieve the poor, "that they may live with thee;" for they may be serviceable to thee. The rich can as ill spare the poor, as the poor can the rich. It becomes those that have received mercy to show mercy.
Commentary on Leviticus 25:39-55
(Read Leviticus 25:39-55)
A native Israelite, if sold for debt, or for a crime, was to serve but six years, and to go out the seventh. If he sold himself, through poverty, both his work and his usage must be such as were fitting for a son of Abraham. Masters are required to give to their servants that which is just and equal, John 8:32. We cannot ransom our fellow-sinners, but we may point out Christ to them; while by his grace our lives may adorn his gospel, express our love, show our gratitude, and glorify his holy name.