Leviticus 25:2 Meaning and Explanation
“Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the LORD.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The land itself must observe a Sabbath rest year, just as the people do on the seventh day.
The Context of Leviticus 25:2
The first Sabbath law extends rest beyond people to the land itself.
What Does Leviticus 25:2 Mean?
Just as the seventh day is holy rest, the seventh year is a sabbatical year for the land. This establishes a pattern of divine ordering: human work (six years of sowing and pruning) alternates with enforced rest. The land is never to be worked relentlessly but to participate in the rhythm of worship and renewal.
By extension of the Sabbath principle to the land, Israel recognizes that all creation belongs to God. The land keeping Sabbath is an act directed toward the LORD, making environmental stewardship itself a form of religious practice rather than mere agricultural management.
Leviticus 25:2 in the Original Language
šabbat (שַׁבָּת), 'Sabbath' — from the verb šābat, to cease or rest; applied here to the land's cessation from cultivation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Leviticus 25:2
What does Leviticus 25:2 mean?
The land itself must observe a Sabbath rest year, just as the people do on the seventh day.
What is the context of Leviticus 25:2?
The first Sabbath law extends rest beyond people to the land itself.