REDEEMER. This Name is given, by way of Eminence, to Jesus Christ the Redeemer and Saviour of the whole World. But, in the Stile of the Law of Lev. xxv. 25. Lev. xxv. 47, 48.Moses, it is also given to him who has the Right of Redemption in any Inheritance, or even the Person of a near Kinsman, that may redeem it out of the Hands of a Stranger, or of any other Jew that had bought it. Moses, or rather God, whose Instrument he was, had ordain’d, that neither the Estates of Land, or the Persons of the Hebrews, should be sold for ever; but that every one might re-enter upon the Possession of his Estate or Liberty in the Sabbatical Year, and in the Year of Jubilee. But without staying for these Years, when any Relation was rich enough, and had Power to redeem the Goods or Liberty of his Brother, the Law enabled him to do it. And this is what it calls Right of Redemption; giving also the Name of Redeemer to the near Relation that had a Claim to this Right. There are several Particulars upon this Head, which may be found in chap. xxv & xxvii. of Leviticus. We see an Instance of the Practice of this Ruth ii. 20. & iii. 9, &c.Law, in the History of Ruth. Boaz being one of the nearest Relations of Elimelech, marry’d Ruth the Heiress of Elimelech, and by that means re-enter’d into the Possession of her Estate, which had pass’d through several strange Hands. Also Jeremiah redeem’d the Field of his Nephew Hanameel, Jer. xxxii. 7, 8.which was upon the Point of being sold to another. He was also call’d The Redeemer of Blood1; in Hebrew, Goel haddam; who had a Right of taking Revenge, for the Blood of his Kinsman who had lost his Life2. To curb the first Transports of the Resentment of these Avengers, or of these Redeemers, God appointed Cities of Refuge through all the Coasts of Israel, to prevent Murders, and the Effects of violent Passion.
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