Leviticus 25:19

And the land shall yield her fruit,.... That is, continually, and even in the seventh year, the sabbath of rest; for the land, though not manured, ploughed, and sowed, nor the vines, olives, and fig trees pruned, yet shall yield fruit as in other years, the Israelites observing the statutes and judgments of God:

and ye shall eat your fill; feel no want of provisions, but have fulness of everything as at other times, and never make a scanty meal, having sufficiency and plenty of all things:

and dwell therein in safety; not fearing enemies, nor being disturbed by them, nor carried captive.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

HOMILIES BY S.R. ALDRIDGE Vers. 19-21. The sabbatical year.

All the Divine institutions are marked by practical wisdom, and doubtless subserved many purposes which are not distinctly mentioned in the Law. To celebrate a year of abstinence from agricultural labour must have benefited the ground itself, as well as tended to produce a spirit of brotherhood amongst all classes of the people. For in that year the natural uncultivated produce of the soil was free to be partaken of by the poorest. But we shall concern ourselves chiefly with the reasons given in the Law for the observance of the sabbatical year.

I THE PROPRIETORSHIP OF THE LAND IS CLAIMED BY GOD. "The land is mine" (verse 23). As proprietors occasionally shut up a path for a day in order to prevent its being claimed as public property, so God refuses every seventh year to let the Israelites do what they please with the land, in order to remind them of the fact that he is the real owner whose grace bestowed the tenancy on them. Men are but stewards. God"s dominion is universal over their persons and possessions. Nothing that man is or has can be exempted from the need of consecration. The conditions of tenancy must be complied with. If the people were unwilling to observe the terms, let them quit their holding, and start somewhere for themselves. But where shall we procure aught by our own exertions apart from the favour of the Almighty? Our very existence is due to him. Useless, then, is it to quarrel with the lease of our premises.

II MAN IS TAUGHT THAT HE HAS OTHER DUTIES THAN THAT OF PROVIDING FOR HIS PHYSICAL WANTS. Work is the fundamental necessity, the burden laid upon us by the declaration, "In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat bread." Mere idleness is disgraceful. Yet by this command of the text God asserts that rest is a duty as well as toil The one does indeed fit us for the other. Recreation is by no means sinful, and that is a narrow, false view which deems it so. God"s rest after the work of creation has for ever hallowed legitimate relaxation. Rest from servile labour may be properly employed in holy service. It was during this sabbatical year that the Law was to be read in the bearing of the entire people. Man does not find his noblest end in the industrial pursuit of his daily occupation. He is not always to be surveying the same span of earth. He may lift up his head, and rejoice in upward thoughts and wider prospects. This world is not man"s final home. So we may without violence interpret the statement, "Ye are strangers and sojourners with me." It refers primarily to the placing of Israel in a land which did not belong to them, but it conveys a deeper lesson, one of pertinent application to modern circumstances. Many fancy that if they diligently attend to their business and pay their way, they do all that can be demanded of them. Such low-thoughted action is here rebuked.

III TIMID FORETHOUGHT INQUIRES AS TO THE FEASIBILITY OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE ENACTMENT. "What shall we eat the seventh year?" Man is expected to use his reason, and to anticipate the future. Ushered into the world the most helpless of animals, he is enabled to surround himself with ample might and resources. One harvest suffices to fill his granaries till they are replenished by the stores of another year. Is he to run in the teeth of prudence, and to neglect the usual tillage operations? The requirement of the Law is superior to such scruples. It may seem unreasonable conduct, unbelief may suggest terrible eventualities, but if the wilt of God has been clearly expressed, the devout Israelite dares not falter. There are many Divine precepts which appear to impose trying obligations upon the faith of God"s people. Some have feared to risk the loss involved in renouncing Sunday trading. Some have refused to sacrifice any portion of their time or profits to engage in religious work. The livelihood of themselves and families has been the one prominent object. Too often the necessary provision is rated too high, and luxuries are included among the essentials. There are others to whom the question suggests itself, "How can I compete with my rivals if I adhere to moral laws and discountenance all practices savouring of dishonesty? To make a profession of Christianity may entail the loss of position and worldly esteem.

IV GOD PROMISES THAT NOTHING SHALL BE LOST THROUGH OBEDIENCE TO his STATUTES. "I will command my blessing upon you." The sixth year shall bring forth fruit for three years. Of course, this supposes a supernatural association of conduct and prosperity which is not to be looked for in the ordinary course of providence. Yet the promise of blessing upon the faithful is for every generation. There is a full recompense guaranteed for all tribulation endured in the service of righteousness. Nor are the instances few in number where men have in modern times experienced the truth of the assertion that God withholds no good thing from them that walk uprightly, that the righteous are not forsaken, nor have their poor been obliged to beg for bread.

Recently a Greek newspaper owned that since it had discontinued its Sunday issue, its profits had increased rather than diminished. This, at least, is certain, that he makes a good investment who takes shares in God"s companies formed for righteous purposes. Such shall realize the double assurance of" safety" and "abundance" (verse 19). Note our Lord"s reply to Peter asking, "What shall we have then?" Moses esteemed "the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt." Let the promises of God"s Word scatter all doubt and hesitation! His counsel may appear strange as it did to King Zedekiah, (Jer_38:20) but the result shall verify his wisdom. "What shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" In keeping his commandments there is great reward. It is good for this life, and even better for the life to come. S.R.A.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

ונתנה הארץ וגו' וישבתם לבטח עליה AND THE LAND SHALL YIELD [HER PRODUCE AND YE SHALL EAT YOUR FILL], AND ABIDE THEREIN IN SAFETY — The latter words imply that ye shall not have to worry about years (lit., a year) of drought.

ואכלתם לשבע AND YE SHALL EAT YOUR FILL — [even if you eat only a little — cf. Rashi on Leviticus 26:5] it will be blessed in your stomach.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

And you will eat your fill. The produce will be abundant in nourishment, as it was with the omer [of manna], which was enough for a grown-up just as for a child, as the Sages said: “One eats a little and there will be a blessing in one’s stomach.” The produce of the sixth year will be sufficient for the seventh year as well. And you will live securely on it.

You will not bear the humiliation of hunger among the nations of the world, for you will not need to travel to other countries to buy produce.

Sforno on the Tanakh — English translation: “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.