The answer is: 50 Years

Lev 25:8-12

The Year of Jubilee, alluded to in Leviticus 25, is like a divine reset button for the ancient Israelites. It kicked off every 50 years, creating a tremendous wave of liberation and restoration within the community. Imagine living in a society where, every few decades, lands were returned, debts forgiven, and manumissions celebrated. It wasn’t just a nifty law; it was an intentional act of economic and social balance meant to keep inequality at bay and to remind people of their shared humanity.

Trivia tidbit: The Jubilee year wasn’t just about personal relief or farewelling your notes; it also symbolized God’s repeated preferences for mercy and compassion. In some ways, it echoes themes of modern social movements pushing for fairness and equity. Just as every seven years saw fields resting during the Sabbatical Year, the Jubilee accelerated this restorative wave, computing a rhythm of rest and renewal in God’s creation.

Interestingly, the word "jubilee" is derived from the Hebrew word "yobel," meaning ram’s horn. This horn was blown to announce the commencement of this celebratory year—a sound that probably echoed joyfully across the hills. This year offered hope to both rich and poor; even land parameterized God’s way of integrating Restoration between His people and Himself, literally cultivating spaces for others’ dignity.