What opening phrase appears on the Liberty Bell’s biblical inscription?

“Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land” is the opening phrase on the Liberty Bell’s biblical inscription.

The wording comes from Leviticus 25:10: “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.” The bell also identifies the biblical reference as Leviticus 25:10 and records that it was made for Pennsylvania’s State House.

The bell was commissioned in 1751 and cast in London in 1752. It cracked soon after arriving in Philadelphia and was recast twice by local founders John Pass and John Stow. Their names appear on the bell beneath the main inscription.

The object was originally called the State House Bell. The name “Liberty Bell” became popular in the nineteenth century, especially as abolitionist groups adopted it as a symbol of freedom. Its famous crack developed later, not during the Declaration’s adoption.