You are not to reap the aftergrowth of your harvestThis command is part of the sabbatical year laws given to Israel, where every seventh year, the land was to rest. The "aftergrowth" refers to any crops that grow on their own from seeds that fell during the previous harvest. This practice emphasized reliance on God's provision rather than human effort. It also served as a reminder of God's ownership of the land (
Leviticus 25:23) and the Israelites' role as stewards. The principle of rest and trust in God is echoed in the New Testament, where believers are encouraged to rely on God's provision (
Matthew 6:25-34).
or gather the grapes of your untended vines
The instruction to leave the grapes of untended vines underscores the importance of allowing the land to rest. In ancient Israel, vineyards were a significant source of sustenance and economic activity. By not tending the vines, the Israelites demonstrated obedience and trust in God's command. This practice also provided for the poor and the animals, as they were allowed to eat from what grew naturally (Exodus 23:11). The concept of leaving something for others is seen in the New Testament in the teachings of generosity and care for the needy (James 1:27).
The land must have a year of complete rest
The sabbatical year, or "Shmita," was a time of rest for the land, reflecting the Sabbath principle of rest for people. This rest was not only agricultural but also spiritual, as it was a time to focus on God and His provision. The idea of rest is a recurring theme in Scripture, pointing to the ultimate rest found in Christ (Hebrews 4:9-10). The sabbatical year also foreshadows the Jubilee year, which occurred every 50th year, where liberty was proclaimed, and debts were forgiven (Leviticus 25:10), symbolizing the freedom and redemption found in Jesus.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
MosesThe prophet and leader of the Israelites who received the laws from God, including the instructions in Leviticus.
2.
IsraelitesThe chosen people of God to whom the laws in Leviticus were given, including the command for the Sabbath year.
3.
Promised LandThe land of Canaan, which the Israelites were to enter and where they were to observe the Sabbath year.
4.
Sabbath Year (Shemitah)A year of rest for the land every seventh year, as commanded by God, to allow the land to rejuvenate.
5.
GodThe ultimate authority and lawgiver who commands the observance of the Sabbath year as a sign of trust and obedience.
Teaching Points
Trust in God's ProvisionThe command to let the land rest every seventh year required the Israelites to trust that God would provide for their needs. This teaches us to rely on God's provision rather than our own efforts.
Stewardship of CreationThe Sabbath year reflects God's concern for the land and His creation. We are called to be good stewards of the environment, recognizing that the earth belongs to God.
Rest and RenewalJust as the land needed rest, so do we. Observing regular times of rest and renewal is essential for our spiritual, physical, and emotional well-being.
Obedience to God's CommandsThe Israelites were to obey God's commands even when it seemed counterintuitive. This challenges us to obey God's Word, trusting that His ways are higher than ours.
Community and CompassionThe Sabbath year provided for the poor and the animals, teaching us the importance of community care and compassion for those in need.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Leviticus 25:5?
2.How does Leviticus 25:5 emphasize the importance of rest in God's creation?
3.What lessons can we learn from the command to let the land rest?
4.How does the sabbatical year connect to the concept of Sabbath in Genesis?
5.In what ways can we apply the principle of rest in our lives today?
6.How does observing rest in Leviticus 25:5 demonstrate trust in God's provision?
7.What is the significance of the sabbatical year in Leviticus 25:5 for modern believers?
8.How does Leviticus 25:5 reflect God's provision and care for His people?
9.Why does Leviticus 25:5 prohibit harvesting during the sabbatical year?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Leviticus 25?
11.Can the lack of clear archeological evidence for large-scale sacrificial practices described in Leviticus 5 challenge its historical credibility?
12.Amos 5:25 - How can Amos assert that Israel did not offer sacrifices in the wilderness when Exodus and Leviticus detail extensive sacrificial ordinances?
13.How can Nehemiah 10:31's strict Sabbath regulations be feasible, given the economic and agricultural demands of that era?
14.What does the Bible say about health?What Does Leviticus 25:5 Mean
You are not to reapThe Lord forbids Israel to conduct a normal harvest in the seventh year. Harvesting implies planning, labor, and expectation of profit. By stepping back:
• They confess that the earth is the Lord’s (Psalm 24:1).
• They rely on His promise to supply (Leviticus 25:20-22;Matthew 6:25-33).
• They mirror the weekly Sabbath principle (Exodus 20:8-11; 23:10-11).
Trust replaces toil, and worship replaces worry.
the aftergrowth of your harvest“Aftergrowth” refers to volunteer grain that springs up from seed left behind. God even restricts this easy food source so that:
• Israel cannot quietly skirt the command by harvesting what they never sowed (2 Kings 19:29;Isaiah 37:30).
• The land itself enjoys a break from cultivation (Leviticus 25:4).
• Poor and stranger may freely gather what grows (Exodus 23:11).
The Lord guards both the spirit and the letter of His sabbatical law.
or gather“Gather” speaks of collecting, storing, marketing—turning produce into personal gain. The command frees Israel from:
• Constant economic pressure (Leviticus 25:14;Deuteronomy 15:2).
• Self-centered ownership (Leviticus 19:9-10;Ruth 2:1-3).
When God blocks ordinary gathering, He opens extraordinary giving.
the grapes of your untended vinesVines left “untended” (literally “un-pruned, un-cultivated”) will still bear fruit. Yet Israel must not harvest them for profit. Instead:
• Strangers, widows, and orphans may eat freely (Deuteronomy 24:21).
• Even animals share in the bounty (Leviticus 25:7).
• God promises abundance afterward (Proverbs 3:9-10).
The vineyard owner yields control, proving that fruitfulness comes from the Lord (John 15:5).
The land must have a year of complete restJust as God rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2-3), the soil rests every seventh year. This:
• Prevents exhaustion of the land, showing God’s care for creation (Psalm 65:9-13).
• Foreshadows the ultimate rest found in Christ (Hebrews 4:9-10).
• Warns of judgment if ignored—Israel’s exile lasted “until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths” (2 Chronicles 36:21).
The sabbatical year weaves together ecology, economy, and theology into one fabric of faith.
summaryLeviticus 25:5 commands Israel to cease normal harvesting, even of volunteer grain and un-pruned vines, so the land can enjoy a full Sabbath rest. By obeying, the people declare God’s ownership of the earth, trust His provision, care for the poor, guard creation, and anticipate the deeper rest ultimately fulfilled in Christ.
(5)
That which groweth of its own accord.--Not only is every owner of land to desist from cultivating it, but the spontaneous growth of the fields from seeds which accidentally fell down at the harvest, as well as from old roots, are not to be gathered, or no harvest is to be made of it.
Neither gather the grapes of thy vine undressed.--Literally,thy Nazarite vine,the vine which bears the character of a Nazarite, or of being separated or consecrated to God. As the seventh year is the sabbath of the Lord, being consecrated to Him, the vine of this year is consecrated to Him. Hence the Greek version (LXX.) translates it "the grapes of thy consecration," and hence, too, the marginal rendering "of thy separations." The passage is also interpreted "thou shalt not gather the grapes from which thou hast separated and debarred other people, and which thou hast not declared common property."
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
You are notלֹ֣א(lō)Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808:Not, noto reapתִקְצ֔וֹר(ṯiq·ṣō·wr)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 7114:To dock off, curtail, to harvestthe aftergrowthסְפִ֤יחַ(sə·p̄î·aḥ)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5599:Something, falling off, a self-sown crop, a freshetof your harvestקְצִֽירְךָ֙(qə·ṣî·rə·ḵā)Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 7105:Severed, harvest, the crop, the time, the reaper, a limbor gatherתִבְצֹ֑ר(ṯiḇ·ṣōr)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 1219:To cut off, make inaccessible, enclosethe grapesעִנְּבֵ֥י(‘in·nə·ḇê)Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 6025:A grapeof your untended vines.נְזִירֶ֖ךָ(nə·zî·re·ḵā)Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5139:Nazirite -- one consecrated, devotedThe landלָאָֽרֶץ׃(lā·’ā·reṣ)Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776:Earth, landmust haveיִהְיֶ֥ה(yih·yeh)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961:To fall out, come to pass, become, bea yearשְׁנַ֥ת(šə·naṯ)Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 8141:A yearof complete rest.שַׁבָּת֖וֹן(šab·bā·ṯō·wn)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7677:Sabbath observance, sabbatism
Links
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OT Law: Leviticus 25:5 What grows of itself in your harvest (Le Lv Lev.) 
