Exodus 23 · Verse 10

Exodus 23:10

And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof:
Exodus 23:10, King James Version

Exodus 23:10 in other translations

BSBFor six years you are to sow your land and gather its produce,
WEB“For six years you shall sow your land, and shall gather in its increase,
ASVAnd six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the increase thereof:
YLT‘And six years thou dost sow thy land, and hast gathered its increase;
DARBYAnd six years thou shalt sow thy land, and gather in its produce;
BBEFor six years put seed into your fields and get in the increase;
WebsterAnd six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof:

What does Exodus 23:10 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
10. six years thou shalt sow thy land--intermitting the cultivation of the land every seventh year. But it appears that even then there was a spontaneous produce which the poor were permitted freely to gather for their use, and the beasts driven out fed on the remainder, the owners of fields not being allowed to reap or collect the fruits of the vineyard or oliveyard during the course of this sabbatical year. This was a regulation subservient to many excellent purposes; for, besides inculcating the general lesson of dependence on Providence, and of confidence in His faithfulness to His promise respecting the triple increase on the sixth year (Le 25:20, 21), it gave the Israelites a practical proof that they held their properties of the Lord as His tenants, and must conform to His rules on pain of forfeiting the lease of them.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Exodus 23:10-19
Every seventh year the land was to rest. They must not plough or sow it; what the earth produced of itself, should be eaten, and not laid up. This law seems to have been intended to teach dependence on Providence, and God's faithfulness in sending the larger increase while they kept his appointments. It was also typical of the heavenly rest, when all earthly labours, cares, and interests shall cease for ever. All respect to the gods of the heathen is strictly forbidden. Since idolatry was a sin to which the Israelites leaned, they must blot out the remembrance of the gods of the heathen. Solemn religious attendance on God, in the place which he should choose, is strictly required. They must come together before the Lord. What a good Master do we serve, who has made it our duty to rejoice before him! Let us devote with pleasure to the service of God that portion of our time which he requires, and count his sabbaths and ordinances to be a feast unto our souls. They were not to come empty-handed; so now, we must not come to worship God empty-hearted; our souls must be filled with holy desires toward him, and dedications of ourselves to him; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Exodus 23:10 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְשֵׁ֥שׁve.Sheshand sixH8337
שָׁנִ֖יםsha.NimyearsH8141
תִּזְרַ֣עtiz.Ra'you will sowH2232
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
אַרְצֶ֑ךָ'ar.Tze.khaland yourH776
וְאָסַפְתָּ֖ve.'a.saf.Taand you will gatherH622
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
תְּבוּאָתָֽהּ\׃te.vu.'a.Tahproduce itsH8393

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Exodus 23:10

  • Leviticus 25:3-4

    Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof; But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the Lord: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Context

  • Exodus 23:9

    Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

  • Exodus 23:10

    And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof:

  • Exodus 23:11

    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.

Read all of Exodus 23

Exodus 23:10 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Seis años sembrarás tu tierra, y allegarás su cosecha:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Pendant six années tu sèmeras ta terre, et tu en recueilleras le rapport;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und sechs Jahre sollst du dein Land besäen und seinen Ertrag einsammeln;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Sex annis seminabis terram tuam, et congregabis fruges ejus: