Leviticus 25:16
New International Version
When the years are many, you are to increase the price, and when the years are few, you are to decrease the price, because what is really being sold to you is the number of crops.

New Living Translation
The more years until the next jubilee, the higher the price; the fewer years, the lower the price. After all, the person selling the land is actually selling you a certain number of harvests.

English Standard Version
If the years are many, you shall increase the price, and if the years are few, you shall reduce the price, for it is the number of the crops that he is selling to you.

Berean Standard Bible
You shall increase the price in proportion to a greater number of years, or decrease it in proportion to a lesser number of years; for he is selling you a given number of harvests.

King James Bible
According to the multitude of years thou shalt increase the price thereof, and according to the fewness of years thou shalt diminish the price of it: for according to the number of the years of the fruits doth he sell unto thee.

New King James Version
According to the multitude of years you shall increase its price, and according to the fewer number of years you shall diminish its price; for he sells to you according to the number of the years of the crops.

New American Standard Bible
In proportion to a greater number of years you shall increase its price, and in proportion to fewer years you shall decrease its price, because it is the number of crops that he is selling to you.

NASB 1995
In proportion to the extent of the years you shall increase its price, and in proportion to the fewness of the years you shall diminish its price, for it is a number of crops he is selling to you.

NASB 1977
‘In proportion to the extent of the years you shall increase its price, and in proportion to the fewness of the years, you shall diminish its price; for it is a number of crops he is selling to you.

Legacy Standard Bible
In proportion to the extent of the years you shall increase its price, and in proportion to the fewness of the years you shall diminish its price, for it is the number of crops it produces that he is selling to you.

Amplified Bible
If the years [until the next Jubilee] are many, you shall increase the price, but if the years remaining are few, you shall reduce the price, because it is the number of crops that he is selling to you.

Christian Standard Bible
You are to increase its price in proportion to a greater amount of years, and decrease its price in proportion to a lesser amount of years, because what he is selling to you is a number of harvests.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You are to increase its price in proportion to a greater amount of years, and decrease its price in proportion to a lesser amount of years, because what he is selling to you is a number of harvests.

American Standard Version
According to the multitude of the years thou shalt increase the price thereof, and according to the fewness of the years thou shalt diminish the price of it; for the number of the crops doth he sell unto thee.

Contemporary English Version
If it is a long time before the next Year of Celebration, the price will be higher, because what is really being sold are the crops that the land can produce.

English Revised Version
According to the multitude of the years thou shalt increase the price thereof, and according to the fewness of the years thou shalt diminish the price of it; for the number of the crops doth he sell unto thee.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
If there are still many years [until the jubilee], you will pay more for it. If there are only a few years [until the jubilee], you will pay less for it because he is selling you only the number of crops.

Good News Translation
If there are many years, the price shall be higher, but if there are only a few years, the price shall be lower, because what is being sold is the number of crops the land can produce.

International Standard Version
If the number of years after the jubilee is more, increase the selling price. If the number of years after the jubilee is few, decrease its selling price, because he's selling to you according to the potential production volume of the land.

Majority Standard Bible
You shall increase the price in proportion to a greater number of years, or decrease it in proportion to a lesser number of years; for he is selling you a given number of harvests.

NET Bible
The more years there are, the more you may make its purchase price, and the fewer years there are, the less you must make its purchase price, because he is only selling to you a number of years of produce.

New Heart English Bible
According to the length of the years you shall increase its price, and according to the shortness of the years you shall diminish its price; for he is selling the number of the crops to you.

Webster's Bible Translation
According to the multitude of years thou shalt increase the price of it, and according to the fewness of years thou shalt diminish the price of it: for according to the number of the years of the fruits doth he sell to thee.

World English Bible
According to the length of the years you shall increase its price, and according to the shortness of the years you shall diminish its price; for he is selling the number of the crops to you.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
you multiply its price according to the multitude of the years, and you diminish its price according to the fewness of the years; for [it is] a number of increases [that] he is selling to you;

Young's Literal Translation
according to the multitude of the years thou dost multiply its price, and according to the fewness of the years thou dost diminish its price; for a number of increases he is selling to thee;

Smith's Literal Translation
According to the multitude of years thou shalt increase his purchase, and according to the fewness of years thou shalt diminish his purchase: for from the numbering of the produce, he sold to thee.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The more years remain after the jubilee, the more shall the price increase: and the less time is counted, so much the less shall the purchase cost. For he shall sell to thee the time of the fruits.

Catholic Public Domain Version
The more years that will remain after the Jubilee, the more the price shall increase, and the less the time is numbered, so much less shall the purchase price be. For he will sell to you the time for the produce.

New American Bible
When the years are many, the price shall be so much the more; when the years are few, the price shall be so much the less. For it is really the number of harvests that the person sells you.

New Revised Standard Version
If the years are more, you shall increase the price, and if the years are fewer, you shall diminish the price; for it is a certain number of harvests that are being sold to you.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
In proportion to the multitude of years you shall increase the price thereof, and in proportion to the fewness of years you shall decrease the price of it; for according to the number of the years of produce does he sell to you.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
In proportion to the multitude of years, you shall increase its price, and in proportion to the fewness of years you shall decrease its price, because he sells to you by that number of crop years.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
According to the multitude of the years thou shalt increase the price thereof, and according to the fewness of the years thou shalt diminish the price of it; for the number of crops doth he sell unto thee.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
According as there may be a greater number of years he shall increase the value of his possession, and according as there may be a less number of years he shall lessen the value of his possession; for according to the number of his crops, so shall he sell to thee.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Return of Property
15You are to buy from your neighbor according to the number of years since the last Jubilee; he is to sell to you according to the number of harvest years remaining. 16You shall increase the price in proportion to a greater number of years, or decrease it in proportion to a lesser number of years; for he is selling you a given number of harvests. 17Do not take advantage of each other, but fear your God; for I am the LORD your God.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 15:1-2
At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. / This is the manner of remission: Every creditor shall cancel what he has loaned to his neighbor. He is not to collect anything from his neighbor or brother, because the LORD’s time of release has been proclaimed.

Deuteronomy 25:13-16
You shall not have two differing weights in your bag, one heavy and one light. / You shall not have two differing measures in your house, one large and one small. / You must maintain accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. ...

Ezekiel 45:9-10
For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Enough, O princes of Israel! Cease your violence and oppression, and do what is just and right. Stop dispossessing My people, declares the Lord GOD.’ / You must use honest scales, a just ephah, and a just bath.

Nehemiah 5:1-13
About that time there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews. / Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive.” / Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our homes to get grain during the famine.” ...

Isaiah 61:1-2
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners, / to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of our God’s vengeance, to comfort all who mourn,

Jeremiah 34:8-17
After King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem to proclaim liberty, the word came to Jeremiah from the LORD / that each man should free his Hebrew slaves, both male and female, and no one should hold his fellow Jew in bondage. / So all the officials and all the people who entered into this covenant agreed that they would free their menservants and maidservants and no longer hold them in bondage. They obeyed and released them, ...

Amos 8:4-6
Hear this, you who trample the needy, who do away with the poor of the land, / asking, “When will the New Moon be over, that we may sell grain? When will the Sabbath end, that we may market wheat? Let us reduce the ephah and increase the shekel; let us cheat with dishonest scales. / Let us buy the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the chaff with the wheat!”

Matthew 18:23-35
Because of this, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. / As he began the settlements, a debtor owing ten thousand talents was brought to him. / Since the man was unable to pay, the master ordered that he be sold to pay his debt, along with his wife and children and everything he owned. ...

Luke 4:18-19
“The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed, / to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Luke 6:34-35
And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. / But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

Luke 16:1-12
Jesus also said to His disciples, “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. / So he called him in to ask, ‘What is this I hear about you? Turn in an account of your management, for you cannot be manager any longer.’ / The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking away my position? I am too weak to dig and too ashamed to beg. ...

Acts 4:32-35
The multitude of believers was one in heart and soul. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they owned. / With great power the apostles continued to give their testimony about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And abundant grace was upon them all. / There were no needy ones among them, because those who owned lands or houses would sell their property, bring the proceeds from the sales, ...

Romans 13:8-10
Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. / The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” / Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

1 Corinthians 7:29-31
What I am saying, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; / those who weep, as if they did not; those who are joyful, as if they were not; those who make a purchase, as if they had nothing; / and those who use the things of this world, as if not dependent on them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

2 Corinthians 8:13-15
It is not our intention that others may be relieved while you are burdened, but that there may be equality. / At the present time, your surplus will meet their need, so that in turn their surplus will meet your need. This way there will be equality. / As it is written: “He who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little had no shortfall.”


Treasury of Scripture

According to the multitude of years you shall increase the price thereof, and according to the fewness of years you shall diminish the price of it: for according to the number of the years of the fruits does he sell to you.

Jump to Previous
Crops Decrease Diminish Extent Few Fruits Great Greater Increase Increased Increases Length Multiply Multitude Price Produce Proportion Really Sell Selling Small Thereof
Jump to Next
Crops Decrease Diminish Extent Few Fruits Great Greater Increase Increased Increases Length Multiply Multitude Price Produce Proportion Really Sell Selling Small Thereof
Leviticus 25
1. the Sabbath of the seventh year
8. The jubilee in the fiftieth year
14. Of oppression
18. A blessing of obedience
23. The redemption of land
29. Of houses
35. Compassion to the poor
39. The usage of bondmen
47. The redemption of servants














You shall increase the price in proportion to a greater number of years
This phrase refers to the economic principle of valuing land based on the number of years remaining until the next Jubilee. The Jubilee, occurring every 50 years, was a time when land was returned to its original family owners (Leviticus 25:10). This system ensured that the price of land was fair and just, reflecting the potential productivity of the land until the Jubilee. The principle underscores the importance of fairness and justice in economic transactions, a theme consistent throughout Scripture (Proverbs 11:1). It also highlights the temporary stewardship of land, reminding the Israelites that the land ultimately belongs to God (Leviticus 25:23).

or decrease it in proportion to a lesser number of years
This part of the verse emphasizes the inverse relationship between the number of years until the Jubilee and the price of the land. As the Jubilee approached, the value of the land decreased because the buyer would have fewer harvests before the land reverted to its original owner. This system prevented exploitation and ensured that the poor could regain their ancestral land, reflecting God's concern for social justice and care for the marginalized (Isaiah 61:1-2). It also foreshadows the ultimate redemption and restoration found in Christ, who restores what is lost and brings freedom to captives (Luke 4:18-19).

for he is selling you a given number of harvests
This phrase clarifies that the transaction is not about the land itself but the number of harvests it can produce before the Jubilee. The focus on harvests ties the economic value directly to the land's productivity, which was crucial in an agrarian society. This perspective aligns with the biblical principle of sowing and reaping (Galatians 6:7) and the understanding that God is the provider of all resources (Deuteronomy 8:18). It also points to the spiritual harvest that believers are called to participate in, as Jesus spoke of the fields being ripe for harvest (John 4:35), symbolizing the gathering of souls into God's kingdom.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The prophet and leader of the Israelites who received the laws from God, including those in Leviticus.

2. Israelites
The chosen people of God to whom the laws in Leviticus were given.

3. The Promised Land
The land of Canaan, which God promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

4. Sabbath Year
Every seventh year, the land was to rest, and debts were to be forgiven.

5. Year of Jubilee
Every fiftieth year, liberty was proclaimed throughout the land, and properties were returned to their original owners.
Teaching Points
Understanding God's Economic Principles
God's laws in Leviticus 25 teach us about fairness and justice in economic transactions. The principle of adjusting prices based on the number of harvests until the Jubilee reflects God's concern for equity and the well-being of all community members.

The Temporary Nature of Earthly Possessions
The instructions in Leviticus 25 remind us that earthly possessions are temporary. As Christians, we are called to focus on eternal values and to hold our material goods loosely, recognizing that they ultimately belong to God.

Practicing Fairness and Integrity
In our business dealings and personal finances, we should strive to practice fairness and integrity, ensuring that our actions reflect God's justice and compassion.

Trusting in God's Provision
The laws regarding the Sabbath Year and the Year of Jubilee encourage us to trust in God's provision. By following His commands, the Israelites demonstrated their faith that God would provide for their needs.(16) According to the multitude of years . . . and according to.--Better, in proportion to the multitude of years . . . and in proportion to, as the words in the original here are not the same which are used in Leviticus 25:15 and at the end of this verse, which are translated "according" in the Authorised Version. Having laid down in the preceding verse the principles of equitable dealings both for the purchaser and vendor, the Lawgiver, in his anxiety lest the distressed seller should be taken advantage of, reverts again to the purchaser, who is enjoined strictly to regulate the purchase price in proportion to the number of years the lease of the field has still to run.

For according to the number of the years of the fruits doth he sell.--Better, for a number of crops he selleth, that is, the vendor does not sell the land but a certain number of harvests till the next jubile.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
In proportion
לְפִ֣י ׀ (lə·p̄î)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to

to a greater number
רֹ֣ב (rōḇ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7230: Multitude, abundance, greatness

of years
הַשָּׁנִ֗ים (haš·šā·nîm)
Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 8141: A year

you shall increase
תַּרְבֶּה֙ (tar·beh)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 7235: To be or become much, many or great

the price,
מִקְנָת֔וֹ (miq·nā·ṯōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4736: A buying, acquisition, a piece of property, the sum paid

or decrease
מְעֹ֣ט (mə·‘ōṭ)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 4591: To pare off, lessen, in, to be, small, few

[it]
מִקְנָת֑וֹ (miq·nā·ṯōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4736: A buying, acquisition, a piece of property, the sum paid

in proportion to
וּלְפִי֙ (ū·lə·p̄î)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to

a lesser
תַּמְעִ֖יט (tam·‘îṭ)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 4591: To pare off, lessen, in, to be, small, few

number of years;
הַשָּׁנִ֔ים (haš·šā·nîm)
Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 8141: A year

for
כִּ֚י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

he
ה֥וּא (hū)
Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

is selling
מֹכֵ֖ר (mō·ḵêr)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 4376: To sell

you
לָֽךְ׃ (lāḵ)
Preposition | second person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew

a given number of
מִסְפַּ֣ר (mis·par)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4557: A number, definite, indefinite, narration

harvests.
תְּבוּאֹ֔ת (tə·ḇū·’ōṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 8393: Product, revenue


Links
Leviticus 25:16 NIV
Leviticus 25:16 NLT
Leviticus 25:16 ESV
Leviticus 25:16 NASB
Leviticus 25:16 KJV

Leviticus 25:16 BibleApps.com
Leviticus 25:16 Biblia Paralela
Leviticus 25:16 Chinese Bible
Leviticus 25:16 French Bible
Leviticus 25:16 Catholic Bible

OT Law: Leviticus 25:16 According to the length of the years (Le Lv Lev.)
Leviticus 25:15
Top of Page
Top of Page