Exodus 23:10-11
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This command to sow and gather for six years isn't just about farming; it establishes a rhythm of work and provision, subtly teaching that God's blessing on their labor is what ultimately sustains them, even before the mandated rest of the seventh year. It’s a foundational lesson in trusting His provision through their diligent effort.
“For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield, but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the beasts of the field may eat. You shall do likewise with your vineyard, and with your olive orchard.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage introduces the laws surrounding the Sabbatical year, a year of rest for the land. Following instructions on justice and the prohibition of idolatry, God commands the Israelites to work their fields and enjoy their harvest for six years, setting the stage for what they must do in the seventh. This instruction is part of a broader covenant that shapes their communal life and their relationship with the land God is giving them.
Imagine working your land non-stop for six years, then letting it lie fallow. This wasn't just about letting the soil recover; it was a profound act of faith.
The command to sow and gather for six years, followed by a year of rest (Exodus 23:10-11), established a divine rhythm for Israel.
A Cycle of Provision
This rhythm wasn't meant to impoverish them. God promised that the sixth year would yield enough for three years (Leviticus 25:20-22), a testament to His ability to provide beyond human effort.
The Purpose of Rest
This sabbatical year served multiple purposes:
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Why would God command a whole nation to stop farming for a year? It seems counterintuitive to productivity, yet it was essential.
The sabbatical year, or 'fallow year,' was a radical concept unique to Israel. While other nations might let land rest sporadically, God instituted a mandatory, nationwide rest every seventh year.
Economic Sense and Divine Faith
Understand the original words
shamat · Hebrew Verb
A period of cessation from labor, often commanded by God to acknowledge His sovereignty, provide for the needs of the land, animals, and humanity, and foster spiritual renewal. It reflects God’s own rest after creation.
shamat · Hebrew Adjective/Verb
Uncultivated or unseeded land; a state of agricultural dormancy intended to allow the soil to regenerate, demonstrating dependence on God’s provision rather than human toil.
ebyon · Hebrew Noun
Those who are destitute, helpless, or lacking resources; biblical law emphasizes God's specific concern for their well-being and the responsibility of the covenant community to provide for them.
This passage directly expands on the concept of the Sabbatical year, detailing how the land is to rest and what is to happen with its produce, reinforcing the instruction given in Exodus.
Deuteronomy 31:10-13This passage describes the specific command to read the law to the entire nation during the Sabbatical year, highlighting the religious and educational purpose of this period of rest.
2 Chronicles 36:21This verse offers a historical perspective, suggesting the Sabbatical year ordinance was neglected for extended periods, leading to the land experiencing its own sabbaths during the exile, thus showing the consequence of disobedience.
Matthew 6:33While not a direct parallel to agricultural rest, Jesus' teaching to 'seek first his kingdom and his righteousness' echoes the principle of trusting God's provision over human effort, which is a core lesson of the Sabbatical year.
bensonExodus 23:10: "And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof:"
Exodus 23:10-11 . The institution of the sabbatical year was designed, 1st, To show what a plentiful land that was into which God was bringing them, that so numerous a people could have rich maintenance out of the products of so small a country, without foreign trade, and yet could spare the increase of every seventh year. 2d, To teach them confidence in his care and bounty while they did their duty;…
pulpitExodus 23:10: "And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof:"
Verses 10, 11. - Law of the Sabbatical year. Days of rest, at regular or irregular intervals, were well known to the ancients and some regulations of the kind existed in most countries But entire years of rest were wholly unknown to any nation except the Israelites. and exposed them to the reproach of idleness. (See Tacit. Hist. 5:4: - "Septimo die otium placuisse ferunt, quia is finem laborum dedit;…
This command to sow and gather for six years isn't just about farming; it establishes a rhythm of work and provision, subtly teaching that God's blessing on their labor is what ultimately sustains them, even before the mandated rest of the seventh year. It’s a foundational lesson in trusting His provision through their diligent effort.
This passage introduces the laws surrounding the Sabbatical year, a year of rest for the land. Following instructions on justice and the prohibition of idolatry, God commands the Israelites to work their fields and enjoy their harvest for six years, setting the stage for what they must do in the seventh. This instruction is part of a broader covenant that shapes their communal life and their relationship with the land God is giving them.
This passage introduces the laws surrounding the Sabbatical year, a year of rest for the land. Following instructions on justice and the prohibition of idolatry, God commands the Israelites to work their fields and enjoy their harvest for six years, setting the stage for what they must do in the seventh. This instruction is part of a broader covenant that shapes their communal life and their relationship with the land God is giving them.
"“For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield, but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the beasts of the field may eat. You shall do likewise wit…" — This command to sow and gather for six years isn't just about farming; it establishes a rhythm of work and provision, subtly teaching that God's blessing on their labor is what ultimately sustains th…
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Last reviewed October 2026
