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⇱ Exodus 23:11 but in the seventh year you must let it rest and lie fallow, so that the poor among your people may eat from the field and the wild animals may consume what they leave. Do the same with your vineyard and olive grove.

Bible > Exodus > Chapter 23 > Verse 11
◄ Exodus 23:11 ►
New International Version
but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused. Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what is left. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

New Living Translation
but let the land be renewed and lie uncultivated during the seventh year. Then let the poor among you harvest whatever grows on its own. Leave the rest for wild animals to eat. The same applies to your vineyards and olive groves.

English Standard Version
but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the beasts of the field may eat. You shall do likewise with your vineyard, and with your olive orchard.

Berean Standard Bible
but in the seventh year you must let it rest and lie fallow, so that the poor among your people may eat from the field and the wild animals may consume what they leave. Do the same with your vineyard and olive grove.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave, the beasts of the field may eat. In like manner you shall do with your vineyard and your olive grove.

New American Standard Bible
but in the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie uncultivated, so that the needy of your people may eat; and whatever they leave the animal of the field may eat. You are to do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

NASB 1995
but on the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, so that the needy of your people may eat; and whatever they leave the beast of the field may eat. You are to do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

NASB 1977
but on the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, so that the needy of your people may eat; and whatever they leave the beast of the field may eat. You are to do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

Legacy Standard Bible
but on the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, so that the needy of your people may eat; and whatever they leave the beast of the field may eat. Thus you shall do with your vineyard and your olive grove.

Amplified Bible
but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie uncultivated, so that the poor among your people may eat [what the land grows naturally]; whatever they leave the animals of the field may eat. You shall do the same with your vineyard and olive grove.

Christian Standard Bible
But during the seventh year you are to let it rest and leave it uncultivated, so that the poor among your people may eat from it and the wild animals may consume what they leave. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But during the seventh year you are to let it rest and leave it uncultivated, so that the poor among your people may eat from it and the wild animals may consume what they leave. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.”

American Standard Version
but the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie fallow; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beast of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.

Contemporary English Version
but let the land rest during the seventh year. The poor are to eat what they want from your fields, vineyards, and olive trees during that year, and when they have all they want from your fields, leave the rest for wild animals.

English Revised Version
but the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie fallow; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beast of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
but in the seventh year you must leave the land unplowed and unused. In that way the poor among your people will have food to eat, and wild animals may eat what the poor people leave. You must do the same with your vineyards and olive groves.

Good News Translation
But in the seventh year let it rest, and do not harvest anything that grows on it. The poor may eat what grows there, and the wild animals can have what is left. Do the same with your vineyards and your olive trees.

International Standard Version
but you are to let it rest the seventh year, leaving it unplanted. The poor of your people may eat from it, and the wild animals may eat what they leave. You are to do the same with your vineyards and olive groves.

NET Bible
But in the seventh year you must let it lie fallow and leave it alone so that the poor of your people may eat, and what they leave any animal in the field may eat; you must do likewise with your vineyard and your olive grove.

New Heart English Bible
but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the animal of the field shall eat. In like manner you shall deal with your vineyard and with your olive grove.

Webster's Bible Translation
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 olive-yard.
Majority Text Translations
Majority Standard Bible
but in the seventh year you must let it rest and lie fallow, so that the poor among your people may eat from the field and the wild animals may consume what they leave. Do the same with your vineyard and olive grove.

World English Bible
but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the animal of the field shall eat. In the same way, you shall deal with your vineyard and with your olive grove.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and [in] the seventh you release it, and have left it, and the needy of your people have eaten, and the beast of the field eats their remainder; so you do to your vineyard [and] to your olive-yard.

Young's Literal Translation
and the seventh thou dost release it, and hast left it, and the needy of thy people have eaten, and their leaving doth the beast of the field eat; so dost thou to thy vineyard -- to thine olive-yard.

Smith's Literal Translation
And the seventh thou shalt remit, and let it be; and the poor of thy people shall eat; and the remains, the beast of the field shall eat. So shalt thou do to thy vineyard and to thy olive tree.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But the seventh year thou shalt let it alone, and suffer it to rest, that the poor of thy people may eat, and whatsoever shall be left, let the beasts of the field eat it: so shalt thou do with thy vineyard and thy oliveyard.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But in the seventh year, you shall release it and cause it to rest, so that the poor of your people may eat. And whatever remains, let the beasts of the field eat it. So shall you do with your vineyard and your olive grove.

New American Bible
But the seventh year you shall let the land lie untilled and fallow, that the poor of your people may eat of it and their leftovers the wild animals may eat. So also shall you do in regard to your vineyard and your olive grove.

New Revised Standard Version
but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, so that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the wild animals may eat. You shall do the same with your vineyard, and with your olive orchard.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But the seventh year you shall leave it fallow, so that the poor of your people may eat of the fruits of it; and what is left the wild beasts may eat. You shall do in like manner with your vineyard and with your olive yard.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And in the seventh you shall plough it and you shall leave it and the poor of your people shall eat and the animals of the wilderness will devour their remainder and thus you shall do to your vineyards and to your olive yards.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
but the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of thy people may eat; and what they leave the beast of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But in the seventh year thou shalt let it rest, and leave it, and the poor of thy nation shall feed; and the wild beasts of the field shall eat that which remains: thus shalt thou do to thy vineyard and to thine oliveyard.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Sabbath Laws
10For six years you are to sow your land and gather its produce, 11but in the seventh year you must let it rest and lie fallow, so that the poor among your people may eat from the field and the wild animals may consume what they leave. Do the same with your vineyard and olive grove. 12For six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you must cease, so that your ox and your donkey may rest and the son of your maidservant may be refreshed, as well as the foreign resident.…

Cross References
Leviticus 25:3-7
For six years you may sow your field and prune your vineyard and gather its crops. / But in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of complete rest for the land—a Sabbath to the LORD. You are not to sow your field or prune your vineyard. / You are not to reap the aftergrowth of your harvest or gather the grapes of your untended vines. The land must have a year of complete rest. ...

Deuteronomy 15:1-2
At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. / This is the manner of remission: Every creditor shall cancel what he has loaned to his neighbor. He is not to collect anything from his neighbor or brother, because the LORD’s time of release has been proclaimed.

Leviticus 25:20-22
Now you may wonder, ‘What will we eat in the seventh year if we do not sow or gather our produce?’ / But I will send My blessing upon you in the sixth year, so that the land will yield a crop sufficient for three years. / While you are sowing in the eighth year, you will be eating from the previous harvest, until the ninth year’s harvest comes in.

Deuteronomy 24:19-22
If you are harvesting in your field and forget a sheaf there, do not go back to get it. It is to be left for the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. / When you beat the olives from your trees, you must not go over the branches again. What remains will be for the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow. / When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you must not go over the vines again. What remains will be for the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow. ...

Nehemiah 10:31
When the people of the land bring merchandise or any kind of grain to sell on the Sabbath day, we will not buy from them on a Sabbath or holy day. Every seventh year we will let the fields lie fallow and will cancel every debt.

Isaiah 58:6-7
Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to break the chains of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and tear off every yoke? / Isn’t it to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your home, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Jeremiah 34:14
Every seventh year, each of you must free his Hebrew brother who has sold himself to you. He may serve you six years, but then you must let him go free. But your fathers did not listen or incline their ear.

2 Chronicles 36:21
So the land enjoyed its Sabbath rest all the days of the desolation, until seventy years were completed, in fulfillment of the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah.

Leviticus 19:9-10
When you reap the harvest of your land, you are not to reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. / You must not strip your vineyard bare or gather its fallen grapes. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the LORD your God.

Deuteronomy 14:28-29
At the end of every three years, bring a tenth of all your produce for that year and lay it up within your gates. / Then the Levite (because he has no portion or inheritance among you), the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow within your gates may come and eat and be satisfied. And the LORD your God will bless you in all the work of your hands.

Matthew 6:25-34
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? / Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? / Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? ...

Luke 6:35-36
But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. / Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Matthew 25:35-40
For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, / I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me.’ / Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? ...

Luke 12:22-31
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. / For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. / Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than the birds! ...

James 5:4-5
Look, the wages you withheld from the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts. / You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in the day of slaughter.


Leviticus 25:2-7,11,12,20,22
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…

Leviticus 26:34,35
Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and ye be in your enemies' land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy her sabbaths…

olive-yard.

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Animal Beast Beasts Deal Eat Fallow Field Grove Lie Manner Needy Olive Oliveyard Olive-Yard Orchard Poor Rest Seventh Unplowed Unused Vineyard Wild
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Exodus 23
1. Of slander, false witness, and partiality
4. Of charitableness
6. Of justice in judgment
8. Of taking bribes
9. Of oppressing a stranger
10. Of the year of rest
12. Of the Sabbath
13. Of idolatry
14. Of the three feasts
18. Of the blood and the fat of the sacrifice
20. An angel is promised, with a blessing, if they obey him














but in the seventh year you must let it rest and lie fallow
This command is part of the Sabbatical Year, a practice rooted in the creation narrative where God rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2-3). It reflects the principle of rest and trust in God's provision. The land's rest every seventh year is a reminder of God's sovereignty over creation and His provision for His people. This practice also has agricultural benefits, allowing the soil to recover and maintain its fertility. Historically, this command set Israel apart from other ancient cultures, emphasizing their reliance on God rather than continuous human effort.

so that the poor among your people may eat from the field
This provision underscores God's concern for social justice and care for the marginalized. The poor were given access to the land's produce during the Sabbatical Year, ensuring their sustenance. This reflects the broader biblical theme of caring for the needy, as seen in Leviticus 19:9-10 and Deuteronomy 15:7-11. It also prefigures the New Testament teaching of generosity and sharing with those in need (James 2:15-16).

and the wild animals may consume what they leave
This phrase highlights the inclusivity of God's provision, extending even to the animals. It reflects the harmony intended in creation, where all creatures are cared for. This aspect of the law demonstrates God's comprehensive care for His creation, aligning with passages like Psalm 104:14-21, which describe God's provision for all living things.

Do the same with your vineyard and olive grove
The inclusion of vineyards and olive groves indicates that the Sabbatical Year applied to all forms of agriculture, not just grain fields. This comprehensive application ensured that all aspects of agricultural life were subject to God's command. Vineyards and olive groves were significant sources of sustenance and economic activity in ancient Israel, and their inclusion in this law emphasizes the importance of trusting God with all resources. This practice also foreshadows the spiritual rest and renewal found in Christ, who invites believers to abide in Him (John 15:1-8).

Persons / Places / Events
1. Israelites
The primary audience of the command, God's chosen people, who are to follow His laws and commandments.

2. The Seventh Year (Sabbatical Year)
A specific time period in the agricultural cycle where the land is to rest, reflecting God's design for creation and His provision.

3. The Poor
Those in need within the community who benefit from the produce of the land during the sabbatical year.

4. Wild Animals
Creatures that also partake in the bounty of the land during its rest, highlighting God's care for all creation.

5. Vineyard and Olive Grove
Specific types of agricultural produce mentioned, indicating the comprehensive nature of the command across different types of farming.
Teaching Points
God's Provision and Trust
The command to let the land rest is a test of faith, trusting God to provide for the community's needs.

Care for the Needy
The sabbatical year is a practical expression of God's heart for the poor, ensuring they have access to food.

Environmental Stewardship
Allowing the land to rest reflects a divine principle of sustainability and care for creation.

Rhythms of Rest
The sabbatical year teaches the importance of rest and renewal, not just for the land, but for individuals and communities.

Community Responsibility
This command highlights the collective responsibility to care for one another, especially the vulnerable.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1. What is the meaning of Exodus 23:11?

2. How does Exodus 23:11 encourage stewardship of God's creation in our lives?

3. What spiritual lessons can we learn from letting the land "lie fallow"?

4. How does Exodus 23:11 connect to the concept of Sabbath rest in Scripture?

5. In what ways can we apply the principle of rest to our daily routines?

6. How can we support the needy, as instructed in Exodus 23:11, today?

7. What is the significance of the sabbatical year in Exodus 23:11 for modern believers?

8. How does Exodus 23:11 reflect God's concern for the poor and marginalized?

9. Why is land rest important in Exodus 23:11, and how does it apply today?

10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Exodus 23?

11. What is the purpose of the Shemitah year?

12. Does the sabbatical land rest of Exodus 23:10-11 have any archaeological or historical substantiation of its widespread observance?

13. (Exodus 11:2-3) Why would Egyptians willingly give their precious metals to the Israelites if they were supposedly in conflict?

14. How did Israel test God ten times?
What Does Exodus 23:11 Mean
but in the seventh year

• Scripture introduces the “Sabbath year,” mirroring the weekly Sabbath rest (Genesis 2:2; Exodus 20:8-11).

• Leviticus 25:4 echoes the same command: “In the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of complete rest for the land.”

• God sets time apart to remind His people that the land—and every blessing—belongs to Him (Psalm 24:1).

• Trust is required: six years of harvest must sustain the seventh (Leviticus 25:20-22).

you must let it rest and lie fallow

• “Rest” means no plowing, sowing, or harvesting for profit (Leviticus 25:3-5).

• Letting the soil lie fallow renews its fertility; the Creator designs rhythms that benefit both people and earth (Psalm 65:9-13).

• Ignoring this command later led to judgment—“the land enjoyed its Sabbaths” during Israel’s exile (2 Chronicles 36:21).

• Observing it expressed faith that God, not frantic effort, is our ultimate provider (Matthew 6:25-33).

so that the poor among your people may eat from the field

• The Sabbath year creates an open-handed economy: whatever grows belongs first to the needy (Leviticus 19:9-10; Deuteronomy 24:19-22).

• The gleaning rights Ruth enjoyed (Ruth 2) flow from this same heart of provision.

• God ties worship to compassion—loving Him means caring for those with least (Proverbs 14:31; James 2:15-17).

and the wild animals may consume what they leave

• The Lord’s concern stretches beyond humanity to every creature (Psalm 104:10-16).

• Even beasts share in the seventh-year abundance, showing the Creator’s expansive mercy (Jonah 4:11).

• Allowing wildlife access keeps ecosystems balanced and illustrates stewardship rather than exploitation (Proverbs 12:10).

Do the same with your vineyard and olive grove

• Vineyards and olive groves—long-term crops—also get a Sabbath (Leviticus 25:11).

• No corner of livelihood is exempt; generosity touches every revenue stream (Nehemiah 10:31).

• This levels social standing: both staple grains and luxury produce are surrendered to God’s timetable (Deuteronomy 8:17-18).

summary

Exodus 23:11 commands a literal, seventh-year rest for the land, intertwining worship, trust, and compassion. By ceasing cultivation, Israel acknowledged God’s ownership, let the soil recover, fed the poor, and even nourished wildlife. The principle urges believers today toward rhythmic rest, open-handed generosity, ecological care, and confident reliance on the Lord who provides more than enough for all.

(11) That the poor of thy people may eat.--For fuller particulars see Leviticus 25:1-7. The owner was to have no larger part of the seventh year's produce than any one else. He was to take his share with the hireling, the stranger, and even the cattle, which during this year were to browse where they pleased.

Thy vineyard . . . Thy oliveyard.--These would bear a full average produce, and the boon to the poor man would in these respects have been very considerable. Corn, wine, and oil were the staple commodities of Palestine (Deuteronomy 8:8; 2Kings 18:32, &c.).



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
but in the seventh [year]
וְהַשְּׁבִיעִ֞ת (wə·haš·šə·ḇî·‘iṯ)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Number - ordinal feminine singular
Strong's 7637: Seventh (an ordinal number)

you must let it rest
תִּשְׁמְטֶ֣נָּה (tiš·mə·ṭen·nāh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 8058: To fling down, to jostle, to let alone, desist, remit

and lie fallow,
וּנְטַשְׁתָּ֗הּ (ū·nə·ṭaš·tāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5203: To pound, smite, to disperse, to thrust off, down, out, upon

so that the poor
אֶבְיֹנֵ֣י (’eḇ·yō·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 34: In want, needy, poor

among your people
עַמֶּ֔ךָ (‘am·me·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

may eat
וְאָֽכְלוּ֙ (wə·’ā·ḵə·lū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 398: To eat

of the field,
הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה (haś·śā·ḏeh)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7704: Field, land

and the wild animals
חַיַּ֣ת (ḥay·yaṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 2416: Alive, raw, fresh, strong, life

may consume
תֹּאכַ֖ל (tō·ḵal)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 398: To eat

what they leave.
וְיִתְרָ֕ם (wə·yiṯ·rām)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3499: An overhanging, an excess, superiority, remainder, a small rope

Do
תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה (ta·‘ă·śeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

the same
כֵּֽן־ (kên-)
Adverb
Strong's 3651: So -- thus

with your vineyard
לְכַרְמְךָ֖ (lə·ḵar·mə·ḵā)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 3754: A garden, vineyard

and olive grove.
לְזֵיתֶֽךָ׃ (lə·zê·ṯe·ḵā)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 2132: An olive, the tree, the branch, the berry


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OT Law: Exodus 23:11 But the seventh year you shall let (Exo. Ex)