God is a Capitalist

Showing posts with label Jubilee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jubilee. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 28, 2026

Biblical Jubilee did not redistribute land


Christian socialists try desperately to squeeze socialism out of a few Bible passages, especially those in the Torah on Jubilee (Leviticus 25:8–13  and debt forgiveness (Deuteronomy 15). But they only expose their superficial grasp of the passages. 

Jubilee did not involve land redistribution. In modern terms it prevented the permanent sale of land. It only allowed others to lease the land until Jubilee, 49 years at most. The price paid was the value of the produce of the land for the years remaining until Jubilee. So, if the land could produce 1,000 bushels of wheat in a year and there were 10 years left to Jubilee, the lease price was the value of 10,000 bushels of wheat. The lease ended at Jubilee. The owner didn't sell the land then get it back for free at Jubilee as socialists think.