Leviticus 25:23

25:23 The land must not be sold without reclaim ¹  because the land belongs to me, for you are foreigners and residents with me. ² 

Leviticus 25:38

25:38 I am the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan – to be your God. ³ 

¹ tn The term rendered “without reclaim” means that the land has been bought for the full price and is, therefore, not subject to reclaim under any circumstances. This was not to be done with land in ancient Israel (contrast the final full sale of houses in v. 30; see the evidence cited in B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 174).

² tn That is, the Israelites were strangers and residents who were attached to the Lord’s household. They did not own the land. Note the parallel to the “priest’s lodger” in Lev 22:10.

³ tn Heb “to be to you for a God.”