John Sietze Bergsma, «The Jubilee: A Post-Exilic Priestly Attempt to Reclaim Lands?», Vol. 84 (2003) 225-246

The article examines the hypothesis that the jubilee legislation of Lev 25 was a post-exilic attempt on the part of returning Judean exiles — particularly the priests — to provide legal justification for the reclamation of their former lands. This hypothesis is found to be dubious because (1) the jubilee did not serve the interests of the socio-economic classes that were exiled, and (2) Lev 25 does not show signs of having been redacted with the post-exilic situation in mind. A comparison with Ezekiel’s vision of restoration points out the differences between Lev 25 and actual priestly land legislation for the post-exilic period.

some of his provisions are impractical in hindsight⁶⁶, at least he deals with the issues that exiles would have anticipated facing. Lev 25, on the other hand, does not look like a plan for the reallocation of land after the exile, and does not look like it has been redacted for this purpose. It does not resolve the issues that the returning exiles could have anticipated facing.

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        This paper has examined the hypothesis that the final redaction of Lev 25 was performed by "the priests" in the post-exilic period with the intent to provide legal justification for the repossession of their lands and those of the other exiles. This hypothesis has been found inadequate to explain the final form of Lev 25. Not only do certain features of the text — such as its mention of "inhabitants" and the ban on the return of urban property — conflict with the interests of the returning exiles, but major issues that the exiles would have faced in regaining their lands are not addressed at all, such as when to hold a jubilee, what to do if one is missed, and whether the jubilee provisions cover alienation of land due to exile. Comparison of Lev 25 with the land reform legislation of Ezekiel highlights the differences between Lev 25 and actual priestly laws aimed at the restoration of land after the exile.