But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.
But in the seventh year, you must let your land rest and remain unplanted, so that the poor among your people can gather and eat whatever grows naturally. Whatever the poor don't take, the wild animals can eat. You should do the same thing with your vineyards and olive groves.
God is commanding His people to let their farmland rest every seventh year, creating a natural harvest that belongs to the poor and hungry.
📚 Historical Context
This command was part of God's agricultural and social laws given to the Israelites as they prepared to settle in the Promised Land. The sabbatical year for land was designed to prevent soil depletion while also providing a safety net for society's most vulnerable members. This practice demonstrated God's concern for both environmental stewardship and social justice.
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