55 verses
Leviticus 25 establishes a system of sabbatical and jubilee years that restate land, economic, and social norms, ensuring communal fairness and God's ownership of the land.
In Leviticus 25, God commands Israel to observe a yearly sabbath for the land in the seventh year, during which no sowing, reaping, or gathering of self‑grown produce may occur, but the land’s surplus remains available for all. Every seventh year, the land itself is to be returned to its original owner, freeing people from permanent debt. After seven cycles of seven years, a fiftieth year is declared a jubilee, during which every person and family returns to their original possessions and property, and land is not permanently sold. The chapter provides detailed regulations on buying, selling, redeeming property, and the treatment of debt, servants, and foreigners, emphasizing that Israel is a nation of strangers bound by covenantal rules. The laws ensure social justice, prevent exploitation, and remind the Israelites of God's sovereign ownership of the land and the necessity of communal welfare.
neutral
The chapter presents legal norms; tone is matter‑of‑fact and directive.