Leviticus 25:9

Lev 25:9 Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth [day] of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.

Ver. 9. In the day of atonement.] Here began the jubilee: this feast was founded in a fast. "They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy": neither is there any such comfort as theirs that have soundly soaked themselves in godly sorrow. Pardon of sin is the only foundation of all jubilees: and when God hath pardoned us, our hearts are in fittest frame to pardon others.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Lev 25:9. Cause the trumpet of jubilee to sound — The name jubilee is taken either from the Hebrew word יובל jobel, which signifies first a ram, and then a ram’s horn by the sound whereof it was proclaimed; or from Jubal, the inventor of musical instruments, (Gen 4:21,) because it was celebrated with music and all expressions of joy. The seventh month — Which was the first month of the year for civil affairs; the jubilee therefore began in that month; and, as it seems, upon this very tenth day, when the trumpet sounded, as other feasts generally began when the trumpet sounded. In the day of atonement — A very fit time, that when they fasted and prayed for God’s mercy to them in the pardon of their sins, then they might exercise their charity to men in forgiving their debts; and to teach us, that the foundation of all solid comfort must be laid in repentance and atonement for our sins through Christ.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

In the beginning of the 50th year was the Jubilee, so called, because the joyful tidings of liberty [were] publicly proclaimed by the sound of a cornet.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(9) Cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound.—Better, cause the blast of the cornet to sound; literally, cause to resound the cornet of loud sound. According to the authorities during the second Temple, the cornets used on this occasion, like those of the Feast of Trumpets or New Year, were of rams’ horns, they were straight, and had their mouth-piece covered with gold.

In the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound.—Better, In the day of atonement shall ye cause the cornet to sound. On the close of the great Day of Atonement, when the Hebrews realised that they had peace of mind, that their heavenly Father had annulled their sins, and that they had become reunited to Him through His forgiving mercy, every Israelite was called upon to proclaim throughout the land, by nine blasts of the cornet, that he too had given the soil rest, that he had freed every encumbered family estate, and that he had given liberty to every slave, who was now to rejoin his kindred. Inasmuch as God has forgiven his debts, he also is to forgive his debtors.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9. The year of Jubile began on the tenth of the seventh month and was proclaimed by the sound of the trumpet. The coincidence of this ceremony with the Day of Atonement presents a difficulty to some commentators, but according to Eze_40:1 the tenth day of the month is sometimes reckoned as the first day of the year. Others would regard the words ‘in the day of atonement’ as a later insertion. Dillmann sees nothing incongruous in the trumpet sound on the Day of Atonement, and considers the reconciliation of that day as an appropriate beginning of a year in which each one acquired his liberty. Restoration to God’s favour was the preliminary to entering upon his possession. Another explanation of the text is that the trumpet sound was a note of preparation six months before the actual commencement of the Jubile in the spring—but the ceremony seems intended to usher in the actual year, and was coincident with the proclamation of liberty.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then shall thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound,.... At the end of forty nine years, or at the beginning of the fiftieth; or "the trumpet of a loud sound"; for here the word "jubilee" is not, which, according to some, was so called from the peculiar sound of the trumpet on this day, different from all others; though others, as Ben Melech, think, and the Jews commonly, that it had its name from the trumpet itself, which they suppose was made of a ram's horn, "jobel", in the Arabic language, signifying a ram; but the former reason is best; though perhaps it is best of all to derive it from "to bring back, restore, return", because at this time men were returned to their liberty, estates, and families, as hereafter expressed:

on the tenth day of the seventh month; the month Tisri or September, the first day of which was the beginning of the year for "jubilees" (s); for the computation of the jubilee year was made from the first day of the month, though the trumpet was not blown, and the rights of the year did not begin till the tenth, as Maimonides (t) observes:

in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land; which day of atonement was on the tenth day of the said month, and a very proper time it was to sound the trumpet, that after they had been afflicting themselves, then to have joy and comfort; and when atonement was made for all their sins, then to hear the joyful sound; and when it might be presumed they were in a good disposition to release their servants, and restore the poor to their possessions, when they themselves were favoured with the forgiveness of all their sins. This sounding was made throughout all the land of Israel; throughout all the highways, as Aben Ezra, that all might know the year of jubilee was come; and this was done by the order of the sanhedrim, as Maimonides (u) says, and who, also observes, that from the beginning of the year, to the day of atonement, servants were not released to their own houses, but did not serve their masters, nor were fields returned to their owners; but servants ate, and drank, and rejoiced, and wore garlands on their heads; and when the day of atonement came, the sanhedrim blew the trumpet, and the servants were dismissed to their houses, and fields returned to their owners.

(s) Misn. Roshhashanah, c. 1. sect. 1. (t) In Misn. ib. (u) Hilchot Shemitah Vejobel, c. 10. sect. 10, 14.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The jubilee signified the true liberty from our spiritual debts and slaveries, to be purchased by Christ, and to be published to the world by the sound of the gospel.

The seventh month was the first month of the year for civil and worldly affairs, which were mainly concerned in the jubilee, and therefore it began in that month; and, as it seems, upon this very tenth day, when the trumpet sounded, as other feasts generally began when the trumpet sounded.

In the day of atonement; a very fit time, that when they fasted and prayed for God’s mercy to them in the pardon of their sins, then they might exercise their charity and kindness to men in forgiving their debts, which is the true fast, as is noted Isa 58:6, and to teach us that the foundation of all solid comfort and joy must be laid in bitter repentance and atonement for our sins through Christ.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

9. Cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound — Literally, thou shalt cause a horn of loud clangor to pass through the land: R.V., “Send abroad the loud trumpet.” The trumpets used in the proclamation of the jubilee appear to have been curved horns, not the long, straight trumpets represented on the arch of Titus, (see illustration, Num_4:7, note,) and which, according to Hengstenberg, are the only ones represented in Egyptian sculptures and paintings. See Jos_6:4, note.

Day of atonement — See chap. 16. It does not seem likely that this great fast was disturbed by the joyful sound which, probably, burst forth in the afternoon when the high priest had concluded the solemn services of atonement. This view gives a deep significance to the jubilee, as a type of that era of gospel grace which follows the propitiatory death of the Lamb of God, the great sin offering. To avoid the incongruity of the jubilee and the great national fast on the same day, Hupfield would emend the text, so as to make the jubilee occur ten days earlier, at the feast of trumpets. See chap. xxiii, 24, note. According to Maimonides the interval of eight days between the feast of trumpets and the jubilee was a sort of saturnalia or carnival to all servants. On the tenth day the great Sanhedrin directed the trumpets to be sounded, and at that instant the bondmen became free and the lands reverted to their original owners.

All your land — We are not to suppose that one trumpet passed from place to place, sounding through all the land, but many trumpets were simultaneously sounded by the priests in all their cities, in accordance with Num_10:8. All the Jewish writers assert that trumpets were sounded extensively all over the land — in the mountains, in the streets, and at nearly every door — when the signal was given by the proper authorities, called the “House of Judgment,” or the Great Sanhedrin. The design was to reach the ear of every Hebrew who had alienated his inheritance or divested himself of liberty.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The jubilee - Signified the true liberty from our spiritual debts and slaveries to be purchased by Christ, and to be published to the world by the sound of the gospel. The seventh month - Which was the first month of the year for civil affairs; the jubilee therefore began in that month; and, as it seems, upon this very tenth day, when the trumpet sounded, as other feasts generally began when the trumpet sounded. In the day of atonement - A very fit time, that when they fasted and prayed for God's mercy to them in the pardon of their sins, then they might exercise their charity to men in forgiving their debts; and to teach us, that the foundation of all solid comfort must be laid in repentance and atonement for our sins through Christ.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

seventh month

i.e. October.

atonement (See Scofield "Exo 29:33").

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

והעברת has the same meaning as the verb in (Exodus 36:6) “and they caused it to be proclaimed (ויעבירו קול) in the camp” — it is a term for proclamation (i. e. והעברת has not the literal meaning of causing a cornet to pass, i. e. to carry it about in the land as a symbol of freedom) (Rosh Hashanah 34a).

ביום הכפורים [ON THE TENTH DAY OF THE SEVENTH MONTH] ON THE DAY OF EXPIATION [SHALL YE CAUSE THE CORNET TO SOUND] — Since Scripture states “on the day of expiation” do I not know that it is “on the tenth day of the seventh month”? Why, then, does Scripture add “on the tenth day of the month”? But it adds these words in order to tell you: the blowing Of the שופר on the tenth day of the month sets aside the Sabbath (supersedes the Sabbath Law) throughout all your land (בכל ארצכם); whilst the blowing of the Shofar on the New Year, the first day of that month, does not supersede the Sabbath Law “throughout all your land”, but only at the law-court (בי"ד) alone (Sifra, Behar, Section 1 5; Rosh Hashanah 29b).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

THEN SHALT THOU MAKE PROCLAMATION WITH THE BLAST OF THE HORN ON THE TENTH DAY OF THE SEVENTH MONTH; IN THE DAY OF ATONEMENT SHALL YE MAKE PROCLAMATION WITH THE HORN THROUGHOUT ALL YOUR LAND. “Since Scripture states in the Day of Atonement do I not know that it is on the tenth day of the seventh month? Why then does Scripture state on the tenth day? [It is to teach us that] the blowing [of the Shofar] on the tenth day of the seventh month overrides the Sabbath throughout all your Land, but the blowing [of the Shofar] on the New Year does not override the Sabbath throughout all your Land, but only at the court alone.” This is Rashi’s language.Now the Rabbi [Rashi], with his expert knowledge of the Talmud, and because it is all for him like a ready-laid table, was not concerned when he quoted Beraithoth without qualification, but they are misleading for the rest of the people [who are not as expert in the Talmud as he was]. For it is known and clear in the Gemara that all blowings of the Shofar, whether on the New Year, or the Day of Atonement [in the Jubilee year], or even [blowing] out of one’s own desire [without any intention to fulfill a commandment], are permitted on the Sabbath [by law of the Torah], since blowing [of the Shofar] is merely an art and not “work.” They used [in fact] to blow the Shofar everywhere by law of the Torah on the Sabbath of the New Year and on the Day of Atonement; and the matter of blowing the Shofar [only] at the court, was ordained by Rabban Yochanan ben Zaccai after the Temple was destroyed. This was decreed [by Rabban Yochanan ben Zaccai], because they [the Sages] prohibited the blowing of the Shofar [if the New Year fell on a Sabbath]. Since everyone is obliged to blow the Shofar [or to hear it blown, but not everyone is expert in it, thus we fear that] perhaps he will take the Shofar in his hand and go to an expert to learn, and thus he will carry it the distance of four cubits in a public thoroughfare [which is forbidden by law of the Torah on the Sabbath]; and Rabban Yochanan ben Zaccai therefore only permitted us to do it at the court [where the fear of the judges ensures that nobody will violate the Sabbath on account of the blowing of the Shofar]. There is thus no basis whatsoever for this prohibition in Scripture [and so how could Rashi interpret the verse before us on the basis of this Rabbinic enactment]? And the Rabbis, in mentioning that “the blowing of the Shofar on the tenth day [of the seventh month] overrides the Sabbath,” intended to say that it is done on every Day of Atonement [in the Jubilee year, whether it falls on a weekday or on the Sabbath]; for there is no difference between overriding the Day of Atonement when it falls on the Sabbath or when it falls on a weekday, since the Day of Atonement itself is like the Sabbath in respect of [the prohibition of] all work, whether that of carrying [an object four cubits in a public thoroughfare, or transferring it from “public” to “private” ground and vice versa], or any other kind of [forbidden] work. on the New Year is concerned, there is a clear distinction between a New Year which falls on a weekday and one which occurs on the Sabbath. In the latter case, Rabban Yochanan ben Zaccai prohibited blowing the Shofar [except at the court] lest someone may accidentally carry the Shofar and thereby transgress a law of the Torah, as explained in the text. But when the New Year falls on a weekday, there is no question of forbidding blowing the Shofar, because carrying on a festival is permitted. But on the Day of Atonement, unlike other festivals, carrying is prohibited as on the Sabbath. Thus when the Beraitha quoted by Rashi states that the blowing of the Jubilee horn was permitted on the Day of Atonement which fell on the Sabbath, this is equivalent to saying that it is permitted on every Day of Atonement, whether weekday or Sabbath. Hence the thought conveyed by the Beraitha is not as Rashi has it [that the blowing of the Jubilee overrides the Sabbath day], for as the Day of Atonement is concerned everyday of the week is like the Sabbath! Even so, the Rabbi [Rashi] wished to teach us that the blowing of the Shofar on the Day of Atonement is to be done in all places, for the meaning of the expression ye shall make proclamation with the horn throughout all your Land is to teach us that each individual is obliged to blow [or hear the sound of] the Shofar, and that the blowing is not done only at the court, as is the counting [of the years]., 23:15 that this counting is done by the court only.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

You shall make a proclamation with the shofor. This proclamation is for the rejoicing of the freedom of the slaves and the return of the fields to their owners.

Sforno on the Tanakh — English translation: “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.