And if it be not redeemed within the space of a full year, then the house that is in the walled city shall be established for ever to him that bought it throughout his generations: it shall not go out in the jubile.
But if the house is not bought back within a full year, then the house in the walled city will belong permanently to the person who bought it and to their descendants forever. It will not be returned during the jubilee year.
This verse explains that unlike farmland, houses in walled cities had only a one-year grace period for the original owner to buy them back - after that, they became permanent property of the new owner.
📚 Historical Context
In the ancient Israelite society described in the book of Leviticus, God established the Year of Jubilee every 50 years as a time for land redistribution and debt forgiveness to prevent permanent poverty and maintain social equity. This verse specifically addresses houses in walled cities, stating that if such a house was not redeemed by its original owner within a full year of purchase, it became the permanent property of the buyer and was not returned during the Jubilee. This rule reflected the economic differences between urban areas, which were commercial hubs, and rural lands, emphasizing God's concern for fair property laws in a agrarian society.
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