This is a simplified version of the Bible story found in Leviticus 25, written for children to understand. For the original version, please refer to the Bible passage.
A long time ago, God spoke to a man named Moses and said, “When you come into the land that I give you, the land shall keep a Sabbath to the Lord.” This meant that when the people of Israel lived in the land God gave them, they had to take a whole year off from planting crops and working in the fields every seven years. They could still gather food that grew on its own, but they couldn’t work to grow more food.
God also said that after 49 years, the people of Israel would have a special celebration called the Year of Jubilee. During the Year of Jubilee, all the land would be allowed to rest just like in the Sabbath Year. In addition, all the people who had to sell their land because they were poor would get their land back for free during the Year of Jubilee.
God told the people to be fair to one another and not take advantage of each other. If someone had to sell their land, they were to be treated kindly. If they could afford to buy it back, they could. If not, they could wait until the Year of Jubilee when they could get it back for free.
God also said that the people had to be kind to poor people. If someone became poor, they were to be taken care of and not charged interest on money they borrowed. If someone sold themselves into slavery because they were poor, they could only be a slave for a certain amount of time, and then they had to be set free.
God wanted the people to treat each other fairly and with kindness. He wanted them to love their neighbors and to obey His rules. If they did, they would be able to live safely in the land and be blessed with plenty of food to eat.
Biblical Lessons
- God wants us to rest and take care of the land He has given us.
- God wants us to be fair to one another and not take advantage of people who are poor or vulnerable.
- We should strive to be good stewards of the resources God has given us and use them wisely.
- We should show mercy and compassion to those who are in need and not exploit them for personal gain.