Ezekiel 46:17

Amharic Tigrinya 2011

ንሓደ ኻብ ገላዉኡ ኻብቲ ርስቱ መቒሉስ ውህበት እንተ ሀቦ ግና፡ እዚኣ ክሳዕ ዓመት ሓራ ናቱ ትኹን። ድሕርዚ ኸኣ ናብቲ መስፍን ትመለስ። ርስትነቱ ድማ ንደቁ ኪኸውን እዩ።

What Does This Mean?

This verse is about the rules regarding the inheritance of land. It states that if a prince gives part of his land to a servant, the servant only keeps it until a special year, after which it returns to the prince. The prince's inheritance should remain with his sons.

Explained for Children

Imagine you have a big backyard. Your dad says you can give part of it to your friend to play in, but only until a special day. After that, it goes back to you. Your dad also says that the whole backyard should stay in the family for your brothers and sisters.

Historical Background

The book of Ezekiel was written by the prophet Ezekiel around 593-571 BCE. The audience was the exiled Israelites in Babylon. This verse deals with the legal and social customs of land ownership in ancient Israel.

Living It Out Today

In modern times, think of this as a guideline on sharing resources. If you lend out something valuable, you can set a time limit. It also reminds us to plan for the future, ensuring that our possessions can benefit our children or family members.

Topics

• inheritance
• property
• law
• family
• stewardship
• temporality

Related Verses

• Numbers 36:7-8
• Ezekiel 47:22
• Leviticus 25:23
• Ezekiel 45:8
• Luke 19:12-14

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 'year of liberty' mentioned in Ezekiel 46:17?

The 'year of liberty' refers to a special year, often understood as the Jubilee year, when land would return to its original owners, ensuring that wealth did not permanently shift from one family to another.

Does this verse apply to non-royal families?

While the verse is specifically about a prince, the principles of stewardship and family inheritance can be applied to anyone managing property or resources for future generations.

How can this verse be used in modern family estate planning?

This verse suggests that when planning estates, families should consider temporary stewardship of assets and ensure that major inheritances are preserved for descendants, promoting long-term family stability.

What does this verse tell us about the social structure of ancient Israel?

It highlights the clear social hierarchy, where the prince has significant control over land distribution, which was crucial for maintaining social order and family legacy.