The Bible verse inscribed on the Liberty Bell is Leviticus 25:10, which reads: “Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.”
- Context: The inscription refers to the biblical Year of Jubilee, a 50th-year celebration where slaves were freed, debts were forgiven, and land was returned to its original owners.
- Historical Significance: The bell was commissioned in 1751 by the Pennsylvania Assembly to commemorate the 50th anniversary of William Penn’s Charter of Privileges. Speaker of the Assembly Isaac Norris, Jr. selected this specific verse to align with the charter’s milestone.
- Symbolism: Although the bell rang for various events, including the public reading of the Declaration of Independence, it was later adopted by abolitionists in the 1830s and 1840s. The name “Liberty Bell” became prominent after William Lloyd Garrison published a poem in 1839 that highlighted the verse’s call for freedom for all inhabitants.
