Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof;
For six years Israel was to sow its fields, prune its vineyards, and gather in their produce, then cease all such work in the seventh year to give the land its Sabbath of rest. The land belongs to God, and the people hold it only for a time as His tenants and stewards rather than as owners to manage by their own wisdom. The commanded rest renews the soil and restores its power of growth, while under God's care the sixth year brings forth enough to supply the people for three years through the uncultivated time. To stop sowing and planting in the seventh year teaches whole dependence on God and trust in His provision, showing that He and not nature governs the land to withhold or bestow its blessings. In that year the land lies in spontaneous growth with free access for the poor, the stranger, the flocks and herds, and the wild animals, showing God's special care to lessen suffering and give hope to the needy and distressed.
Six Years Before Rest
For six years Israel was to sow its fields and prune its vineyards and gather in their fruit. This was the ordinary, appointed cycle of regular work, six successive years of sowing and reaping cultivation before rest. Then in the seventh year agricultural work was to stop, with planting and sowing ceasing and cultivation forbidden. That seventh year was the Sabbath of the land, a Sabbath year of rest for the soil after the six years of labor. The six years of labor leading into the seventh year's rest taught duties to one another and was practical missionary work.
The seventh-year Sabbath was to be counted from after settlement in Canaan, with the seventh year after settling kept as a Sabbath year. The law of the land's rest is associated with the beginning of the jubilee, when the land rests and the pious slave is freed while his wicked master is left confused.
God's Ownership and Provision
The land belongs to God, and those who work it hold it only for a time as His tenants and as stewards of the Householder, not as owners to manage by their own wisdom without Him. The six years of sowing fields, pruning vineyards and gathering their produce were appointed as regular work under His direction, leading to the seventh-year sabbath when agricultural labor was to stop. That commanded rest was given to renew the soil and to restore its capacity for growth, invigorating land worn by cultivation.
In the seventh year planting and sowing ceased, so that the people learned whole dependence on God and trust in His provision. This taught that God and not nature governs the land and its produce, with power to withhold or to bestow its blessings. Under His care and supervision the sixth year was made to yield enough to supply the people for three years through the uncultivated period.
In that seventh year cultivation was forbidden and the land lay in spontaneous, voluntary growth left open to all. Its natural increase was for the poor and the stranger, and what they left was for flocks, herds and wild animals. This was special provision for the poor by divine interposition, showing God's care to lessen suffering and to give hope to the needy and distressed.
The six years' labor together with the seventh year's rest are the gospel of the Old Testament and practical missionary work, teaching duties to one another. Obedience brings God's blessing to make the land productive, and the whole arrangement is a constant lesson of liberality to overcome stinginess and selfishness. Though the land was cursed because of sin, obedience and cooperation with God in its care can help restore it to a prosperous and beautiful condition, while refusing to give the land its sabbath brings loss of vigor, dearth and sickness.
Wise Farming Practice
The six years of sowing and pruning show that the Lord understands the proper treatment of soil better than men do. After ground has been worked for several years and has yielded up its treasure to human possession, wisdom calls for letting portions of it rest for a time and then changing the crops grown upon it. Patient labor applied with the best methods will work wonders in restoring and increasing fertility.
To condemn ground as unproductive is to bear false witness against it, for when properly worked it will give rich returns. Mourning over barren soil traces to narrow plans, to little strength put forth, to little study of the best methods, and to neglect in properly preparing the ground for seed, a condition that calls loudly for reform. There can be no harvest unless the ground is properly prepared for the seed, and failure may be wholly due to neglect at this point. If the crop fails there should be no discouragement but trying again, with God's glory kept ever in view in the work of farming.
For six years Israel was to sow its fields, prune its vineyards, and gather in their produce, then cease all such work in the seventh year to give the land its Sabbath of rest. The land belongs to God, and the people hold it only for a time as His tenants and stewards rather than as owners to manage by their own wisdom. The commanded rest renews the soil and restores its power of growth, while under God's care the sixth year brings forth enough to supply the people for three years through the uncultivated time. To stop sowing and planting in the seventh year teaches whole dependence on God and trust in His provision, showing that He and not nature governs the land to withhold or bestow its blessings. In that year the land lies in spontaneous growth with free access for the poor, the stranger, the flocks and herds, and the wild animals, showing God's special care to lessen suffering and give hope to the needy and distressed.
Six Years Before Rest
For six years Israel was to sow its fields and prune its vineyards and gather in their fruit. This was the ordinary, appointed cycle of regular work, six successive years of sowing and reaping cultivation before rest. Then in the seventh year agricultural work was to stop, with planting and sowing ceasing and cultivation forbidden. That seventh year was the Sabbath of the land, a Sabbath year of rest for the soil after the six years of labor. The six years of labor leading into the seventh year's rest taught duties to one another and was practical missionary work.
The seventh-year Sabbath was to be counted from after settlement in Canaan, with the seventh year after settling kept as a Sabbath year. The law of the land's rest is associated with the beginning of the jubilee, when the land rests and the pious slave is freed while his wicked master is left confused.
God's Ownership and Provision
The land belongs to God, and those who work it hold it only for a time as His tenants and as stewards of the Householder, not as owners to manage by their own wisdom without Him. The six years of sowing fields, pruning vineyards and gathering their produce were appointed as regular work under His direction, leading to the seventh-year sabbath when agricultural labor was to stop. That commanded rest was given to renew the soil and to restore its capacity for growth, invigorating land worn by cultivation.
In the seventh year planting and sowing ceased, so that the people learned whole dependence on God and trust in His provision. This taught that God and not nature governs the land and its produce, with power to withhold or to bestow its blessings. Under His care and supervision the sixth year was made to yield enough to supply the people for three years through the uncultivated period.
In that seventh year cultivation was forbidden and the land lay in spontaneous, voluntary growth left open to all. Its natural increase was for the poor and the stranger, and what they left was for flocks, herds and wild animals. This was special provision for the poor by divine interposition, showing God's care to lessen suffering and to give hope to the needy and distressed.
The six years' labor together with the seventh year's rest are the gospel of the Old Testament and practical missionary work, teaching duties to one another. Obedience brings God's blessing to make the land productive, and the whole arrangement is a constant lesson of liberality to overcome stinginess and selfishness. Though the land was cursed because of sin, obedience and cooperation with God in its care can help restore it to a prosperous and beautiful condition, while refusing to give the land its sabbath brings loss of vigor, dearth and sickness.
Wise Farming Practice
The six years of sowing and pruning show that the Lord understands the proper treatment of soil better than men do. After ground has been worked for several years and has yielded up its treasure to human possession, wisdom calls for letting portions of it rest for a time and then changing the crops grown upon it. Patient labor applied with the best methods will work wonders in restoring and increasing fertility.
To condemn ground as unproductive is to bear false witness against it, for when properly worked it will give rich returns. Mourning over barren soil traces to narrow plans, to little strength put forth, to little study of the best methods, and to neglect in properly preparing the ground for seed, a condition that calls loudly for reform. There can be no harvest unless the ground is properly prepared for the seed, and failure may be wholly due to neglect at this point. If the crop fails there should be no discouragement but trying again, with God's glory kept ever in view in the work of farming.