In this translation, we had to change some favorite Bible words to provide you better, more accurate descriptions of things, places, and events. One term we had to change was the wonderful, joyful term ‘Jubilee Year,’ to reflect the actual words in the Greek Septuagint.
At Leviticus 25:11, notice that the Greek words found there (which are usually translated as Jubilee of Release) are apheseos semassia, which means release signal. So as you can see, no Jubilee is mentioned in the Greek text.
Also, notice how the ‘freeing’ that was to be done in this year (at the end of every 50 years), such as the releasing of IsraElite slaves, was not exclusive to that year alone. Later in the book of Deuteronomy, we read this (at Deuteronomy 15:12-14):
‘And if your brother (a Hebrew man or woman) should be sold to you, he may serve you for six years…
But in the seventh year you must set him free.
And when you set him free, don’t send him away empty-handed!
You must give him provisions from your flock, your grain, and your wine…
As Jehovah your God has blest you, that’s how you must treat him.’
In addition, all debts were to be forgiven every seven years! For Deuteronomy 15:1-4 tells us:
‘Every seven years you must cancel debts, and these are the rules:
You must cancel any debts that your neighbor owes you personally, and you must not ask him to pay you back, because this is a cancellation [of debts] to Jehovah your God.
You may ask strangers to pay whatever they owe you, but not your brothers…
You must cancel their debts.
That way, there won’t be any poor people among you and Jehovah your God will surely bless you in the land that He’s giving to you as your inheritance.’
So apparently, the only difference between the seventh years and the Release Years had to do with the return of inherited land.