A similar sabbatical year, but of far more extended opera-
tion, was held every seven times seven years, or fiftieth year.
In this year of jubilee, field-work ceased in like manner. All
slaves of Jewish descent were set free. Each one reentered on
his old property. Sales of property, therefore, were, properly
speaking, only departures with the right to the usufruct thereof,
and were made under the condition of reversion to the owner;
and therefore the purchase-money was but a teat, varying con-
siderably in amount according as the year of jubilee was further

1 Antiq. xvi. 2. 4.
* Ezodufl xziii. 11 ; Levit xxv. 2-8 ; Jos. Antiq. iii. 12. 3.
THBLBVITBS. 361

off or nearer at hand. This regulation, unique of its kind,
aimed at producing a constant social regeneration, and restoring
the old conditions of property. Those excessive inequalities
caused by the otherwise unavoidable accumulation of real pro-
perty in the hands of a few, the eviction of the poor by the rich,
or their degrading into mere tenants or hirelings^ were thus
avoided.
