John Calvin Commentary


John Calvin Commentary
"And in all the land of your possession ye shall grant a redemption for the land." — Leviticus 25:24 (ASV)
And in all the land of your possession. Before the jubilee came, He permits not only relatives to redeem land sold by a poor man, but also the seller himself, if no other redeemer intervened.
The same power was also given to relatives among other nations, though with a different objective, namely, the preservation of the family name; however, the seller was never allowed to redeem, unless a special clause to that effect was contained in the contract. But God desired that the lands should be retained by their legal possessor, so that the people might deviate as little as possible from the division made by Joshua.
Meanwhile, He considered the private advantage of individuals; but in the perpetual succession to the land, He considered Himself rather than men, so that the recollection of His kindness would never be lost. Finally, He orders all lands to return in the year of jubilee to their original owners, and all sales to be cancelled, as if, in the fiftieth year, He renewed the lot for the division of the land.