³²“ ‘As forⁿ the cities of the Levites, that is, the houses in^o their property’s cities, it shall be a lasting redemption^p for the Levites. ³³And whatever anyone redeems from the Levites then^q must go out of the buyer’s hand^r in the Jubilee, including a house’s selling in his city’s property,^s because the houses in^t the cities of the Levites are their property in the midst of the Israelites.^u ³⁴But^v a^w field of their cities’ pastureland must not be sold, because it is their property for all time.^x

Read in Logos

Footnotes

nOr “And”
oHebrew “of”
pOr “a permanent redemption”; literally “redemption of eternity” or “redemption of long duration”
qOr “and”
rMeaning derived from context; an alternative translation could be “shall not be released” (cf. NKJV, NRSV, ESV, NJPS) or “shall not revert” (NASB, NET)
sLiterally “the city of his property”
tHebrew “of”
uLiterally “sons/children of Israel”
vOr “And”
wHebrew “the”
xLiterally “a property of eternity it is for them” or “a property of long duration it is for them”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

As for the cities of the Levites, the Levites may redeem at any time the houses in the cities they possess. And if one of the Levites exercises his right of redemption, then the house that was sold in a city they possess shall be released in the jubilee. For the houses in the cities of the Levites are their possession among the people of Israel. But the fields of pastureland belonging to their cities may not be sold, for that is their possession forever.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“ ‘The Levites always have the right to redeem their houses in the Levitical towns, which they possess. So the property of the Levites is redeemable—that is, a house sold in any town they hold—and is to be returned in the Jubilee, because the houses in the towns of the Levites are their property among the Israelites. But the pastureland belonging to their towns must not be sold; it is their permanent possession.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

“Concerning the Levitical cities, the Levites always have the right to redeem houses in the cities they possess. Whatever property one of the Levites can redeem—a house sold in a city they possess—is to be released at the Jubilee, because the houses in the Levitical cities are their possession among the Israelites. The open pastureland around their cities may not be sold, for it is their permanent possession.

NLTNew Living Translation

“The Levites always have the right to buy back a house they have sold within the towns allotted to them. And any property that is sold by the Levites—all houses within the Levitical towns—must be returned in the Year of Jubilee. After all, the houses in the towns reserved for the Levites are the only property they own in all Israel. The open pastureland around the Levitical towns may never be sold. It is their permanent possession.

KJV 1900King James Version

Notwithstanding the cities of the Levites, and the houses of the cities of their possession, may the Levites redeem at any time. And if a man purchase of the Levites, then the house that was sold, and the city of his possession, shall go out in the year of jubile: for the houses of the cities of the Levites are their possession among the children of Israel. But the field of the suburbs of their cities may not be sold; for it is their perpetual possession.

Public Domain