You asked

how did the concept of land ownership in ancient israel compare to surrounding cultures?

The passage, plainly, with room to sit with it.

Leviticus 25:23

““‘The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with me.’”

This verse comes from the book of Leviticus, part of the instructions given to Moses for the Israelites after their exodus from Egypt, as they prepared to enter the promised land. These laws established the framework for their society, including how land would be managed and distributed among the tribes and families.

What does it mean for us, personally or collectively, to view any 'ownership' as ultimately temporary or belonging to a greater source?

Keep thinking

Read alongside it

Numbers 27:1-11
Describes how Zelophehad's daughters fought for and received an inheritance of land, highlighting family ownership and preventing land loss.
Isaiah 5:8
Critiques those who accumulate land, implying a moral issue with unbounded land acquisition.
Psalm 24:1
Declares that 'The earth is Yahweh’s, with its fullness; the world, and those who dwell in it,' reinforcing divine ownership.

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