In the fifth year you shall eat its fruit, that it may yield its increase to you. I am Yahweh your God.
Parallel translations
- KJV And in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit thereof, that it may yield unto you the increase thereof: I am the LORD your God.
- BSB But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit; thus your harvest will be increased. I am the LORD your God.
- ESV But in the fifth year you may eat of its fruit, to increase its yield for you: I am the LORD your God.
- NKJV And in the fifth year you may eat its fruit, that it may yield to you its increase: I am the Lord your God.
- NASB But in the fifth year you shall eat its fruit, so that its yield may increase for you; I am the Lord your God.
- NLT Finally, in the fifth year you may eat the fruit. If you follow this pattern, your harvest will increase. I am the Lord your God.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
In the fifth year after planting, Israel could finally eat the tree's fruit, having honored God with the firstfruits the year before. It teaches that patient obedience leads to blessing.
Overview
This concludes the law of the orchard (vv. 23-25): the first three years' fruit was forbidden, the fourth year's was holy to the Lord, and only in the fifth year could it be eaten freely. Honoring God first secures His promise that the trees would 'yield their increase.' The recurring 'I am Yahweh your God' grounds the whole law in covenant relationship, anticipating the principle that those who seek God's kingdom first receive all good things added to them (Matt. 6:33).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Hag 1:9–11“You looked for much, and, behold, it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” says Yahweh of Armies, “Because of my house that lies waste, while each of you is busy with his own house.
- Prov 3:9–10Honor Yahweh with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase:
- Eccl 11:1–2Cast your bread on the waters; for you shall find it after many days.
- Lev 26:3–4“‘If you walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them;
- Hag 2:18–19‘Consider, please, from this day and backward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, since the day that the foundation of Yahweh’s temple was laid, consider it.
- Mal 3:8–10Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In tithes and offerings.
- Hag 1:4–6“Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies waste?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Every sacrifice, every priest, and every day of atonement points beyond itself to the one perfect offering and the great High Priest who, by his own blood, makes the unclean holy once for all.
How Leviticus 19:25 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.