Leviticus 25:16 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 25:16 mean?

Leviticus 25:16 explains that when buying or selling land in ancient Israel, the price should be adjusted based on how many years remain until the next Jubilee year, when the land would return to its original owner. The more years left, the higher the price; the fewer years, the lower the price, because the buyer is really purchasing the number of harvests left until Jubilee.

In this verse, God is giving instructions to Moses for the Israelites about fair business practices during the sale of land. The context is the law of Jubilee, a special year every fifty years when land was to be returned to its original family. The verse clarifies that land sales were not permanent but more like long-term leases, and the value depended on how many harvests ("fruits") the buyer could expect before the land reverted.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 25:16

• "According" (פִּי, pi): This word often means "mouth" but here is used to mean "according to" or "by the measure of." It shows that the price is set by a specific standard—the number of years.
• "Fruits" (תְּבוּאָה, tevu'ah): This word means "produce" or "harvest." The price is based on how many harvests the land will yield before the Jubilee, not on the land itself.
• "Sell" (מָכַר, makar): This word means "to sell," but in this context, it is clear that the sale is really the right to use the land for a set number of years, not a permanent transfer.

Why Leviticus 25:16 matters

• Leviticus 25:16 helps clear up the common misunderstanding that land sales in ancient Israel were permanent; the verse shows they were time-limited, based on the Jubilee cycle.
• The verse emphasizes fairness and prevents exploitation, making sure buyers and sellers both understand the true value of what is being exchanged.
• This instruction ties into the larger theme of Leviticus 25, where God reminds the Israelites that the land ultimately belongs to Him, and they are stewards rather than absolute owners.