And if ye shall say, What shall we eat the seventh year? behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase:
Parallel translations
- WEB If you said, “What shall we eat the seventh year? Behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase”;
- BSB Now you may wonder, ‘What will we eat in the seventh year if we do not sow or gather our produce?’
- NKJV ‘And if you say, “What shall we eat in the seventh year, since we shall not sow nor gather in our produce?”
- NASB But if you say, “What are we going to eat in the seventh year if we do not sow nor gather in our produce?”
- NLT But you might ask, ‘What will we eat during the seventh year, since we are not allowed to plant or harvest crops that year?’
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
God anticipated Israel's anxious question about what they would eat in the seventh year. He addressed their fear of obedience head-on.
Overview
The LORD voiced the natural worry of a people told not to plant or harvest in the Sabbath year. By raising the question himself, God showed he understood and would answer their fears. This tender anticipation of human anxiety mirrors Jesus' call not to be anxious about food but to trust the Father's provision (Matthew 6:31-33).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Lev 25:4But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the LORD: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.
- Luke 12:29And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
- 2 Kgs 6:15–17And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
- 2 Chr 25:9And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The LORD is able to give thee much more than this.
- Isa 1:2Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.
- Matt 6:25–34Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
- Num 11:4And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?
- Num 11:13Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.
- Phil 4:6Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
- Heb 13:5–6Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
- Ps 78:19–20Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?
- Matt 8:26And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
- 2 Kgs 7:2Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.
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 25:20 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.