REPURCHASE, REPURCHASER

The Hebrew word go·ʼelʹ, appearing first in Genesis 48:16 (“the [one] . . . recovering”), in time took on the meaning of “kinsman with the right to repurchase (or redeem)”; that is, to recover, redeem or buy back the person, property or inheritance of the next of kin; and was given an application to a blood avenger. The next of kin having the obligation of being a repurchaser evidently fell in this order: (1) brother, (2) uncle, (3) son of an uncle, (4) any other male blood relative of the family.—Lev. 25:48, 49; compare the order in Numbers 27:5-11; see AVENGER OF BLOOD.

Under the Mosaic law, if an Israelite, because of economic circumstances, had sold himself into slavery, the repurchaser could buy him back out of slavery. (Lev. 25:47-54) Or, if he had sold his land inheritance, his repurchaser could buy back the property, and he could return to his possession. (Lev. 25:25-27) However, no thing “devoted,” “devoted to destruction,” not even a man’s life, could be repurchased.—Lev. 27:21, 28, 29; see DEVOTE.

An example of the transaction of repurchase by a go·ʼelʹ is found in the book of Ruth. When Ruth reported that she had gleaned in the field of Boaz, her mother-in-law Naomi exclaimed: “The man is related to us. He is one of our repurchasers.” (Ruth 2:20) Boaz accepted this obligation and concluded a covenant of repurchase before judges and witnesses, but only after another relative more closely related than Boaz had turned down this privilege.—Ruth 3:9, 12, 13; 4:1-17.

JEHOVAH AS REPURCHASER

By the sacrifice of his only-begotten Son, Jehovah as Repurchaser provided for the recovery of mankind from sin and death and the power of the grave. This Son had to come to earth, becoming “like his ‘brothers’ in all respects,” partaking of blood and flesh, thereby being a near relative of mankind. (Heb. 2:11-17) The apostle Paul writes to Christians: “By means of him we have the release by ransom through the blood of that one.”—Eph. 1:7; compare Revelation 5:9; 14:3, 4; see RANSOM