And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years.
You should count seven sabbath years - that is, seven times seven years. The total time of these seven sabbath years will be forty-nine years.
God is instructing the Israelites to count off forty-nine years (seven cycles of seven years each) as preparation for a special celebration.
📚 Historical Context
In the time of Moses, God was giving the Israelites detailed laws to guide their life in the Promised Land, emphasizing cycles of rest and renewal to reflect His sovereignty over creation. This verse is part of the instructions for the Year of Jubilee, where seven sets of seven years (49 years) were to be counted to prepare for a special year of liberation and restoration. It was rooted in an agricultural society where land needed periodic rest, and it aimed to prevent perpetual poverty by returning property to original owners.
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