Sunday 3 June 2012

The meaning of jubilee

Today I'm at home (well my son's home as I'm house sitting while they are on holiday).   Although the weather is rather poor today I have been struck by the garlands of bunting around celebrating the Queens Jubilee.   It started me thinking about what does jubilee mean?  
Searching google it describes it:

In religious terms

Jubilee a joyful shout or clangour of trumpets, the name of the great semi-centennial festival of the Hebrews. It lasted for a year. During this year the land was to be fallow, and the Israelites were only permitted to gather the spontaneous produce of the fields (Lev. 25:11, 12). All landed property during that year reverted to its original owner (13-34; 27:16-24), and all who were slaves were set free (25:39-54), and all debts were remitted. The return of the jubilee year was proclaimed by a blast of trumpets which sounded throughout the land. There is no record in Scripture of the actual observance of this festival, but there are numerous allusions (Isa. 5:7, 8, 9, 10; 61:1, 2; Ezek. 7:12, 13; Neh. 5:1-19; 2 Chr. 36:21) which place it beyond a doubt that it was observed.

and then a more modern reference which I take to be based on the themes above of property; slavery and debt.


1. It would prevent the accumulation of land on the part of a few to the detriment of the community at large. 2. It would render it impossible for any one to be born to absolute poverty, since every one had his hereditary land. 3. It would preclude those inequalities which are produced by extremes of riches and poverty, and which make one man domineer over another. 4. It would utterly do away with slavery. 5. It would afford a fresh opportunity to those who were reduced by adverse circumstances to begin again their career of industry in the patrimony which they had temporarily forfeited. 6. It would periodically rectify the disorders which crept into the state in the course of time, preclude the division of the people into nobles and plebeians, and preserve the theocracy inviolate.

I've not heard much of the above in all the coverage which is a focus on the celebration of hereditary and birthright.

4 comments:

  1. Celia, you are a genius. This is fascinating stuff. I am now going to tell all the family that maybe we will celebrate a jubilee after all. If only eh ? J xxxx

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    1. If only.....and I managed to turn what could have been a rant into a more thoughtful piece. Must be mellowing with age.
      Celia x

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  2. You said it Celia. Good on you for this fascinating look at the meaning of a word. We could really do with a little more 'Jubilee' based on these definitions.
    Axxx

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    1. Perhaps next time.....'cos I'm sure there will be another in some shape for form.
      Celia x

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