The Meaning of Leviticus 25:20 Explained

Leviticus 25:20

KJV: And if ye shall say, What shall we eat the seventh year? behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase:

YLT: 'And when ye say, What do we eat in the seventh year, lo, we do not sow, nor gather our increase?

Darby: And if ye say, What shall we eat in the seventh year? behold, we may not sow, nor gather in our produce;

ASV: And if ye shall say, What shall we eat the seventh year? Behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And if ye shall say,  What shall we eat  the seventh  year?  behold, we shall not sow,  nor gather  in our increase: 

What does Leviticus 25:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Leviticus 25:18-34 - Consideration For The Poor
It was good for the land to lie fallow for one year in seven; and it was a wise provision that it should not be sold in perpetuity. This enactment prevented the stamping out of the small land owners, and the accumulation of the land in the hands of a few wealthy families. Though a man might be compelled by stress of circumstances to sell his little farm to a wealthy creditor, when the fiftieth year came around it returned to his possession and there was no further claim on the part of the creditor against him and his estate.
With what joy must debtors and bondservants have heard the notes of the trumpet ring out. For us, the lesson is that our Lord has proclaimed "the acceptable year of the Lord." All that we lost in Adam is restored to us in the redemption; that is, in Christ Jesus. Nay, we have greatly gained! Where sin abounded, grace has super abounded. For innocence, we have purity; for a garden, a city; for the evening fellowship with God, the knowledge that we are sons and heirs. [source]

Chapter Summary: Leviticus 25

1  the Sabbath of the seventh year
8  The jubilee in the fiftieth year
14  Of oppression
18  A blessing of obedience
23  The redemption of land
29  Of houses
35  Compassion to the poor
39  The usage of bondmen
47  The redemption of servants

What do the individual words in Leviticus 25:20 mean?

And if you say what shall we eat in the year seventh since not we shall sow nor gather in - our produce
וְכִ֣י תֹאמְר֔וּ מַה־ נֹּאכַ֤֖ל‪‬ בַּשָּׁנָ֣ה הַשְּׁבִיעִ֑ת הֵ֚ן לֹ֣א נִזְרָ֔ע וְלֹ֥א נֶאֱסֹ֖ף אֶת־ ؟ תְּבוּאָתֵֽנוּ

וְכִ֣י  And  if 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
תֹאמְר֔וּ  you  say 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
נֹּאכַ֤֖ל‪‬  shall  we  eat 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common plural
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
בַּשָּׁנָ֣ה  in  the  year 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
הַשְּׁבִיעִ֑ת  seventh 
Parse: Article, Number, ordinal feminine singular
Root: שְׁבִיעִי  
Sense: seventh.
הֵ֚ן  since 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הֵן  
Sense: behold, lo, though hypothetical part.
נִזְרָ֔ע  we  shall  sow 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common plural
Root: זָרַע  
Sense: to sow, scatter seed.
וְלֹ֥א  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
נֶאֱסֹ֖ף  gather  in 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common plural
Root: אָסַף 
Sense: to gather, receive, remove, gather in.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
؟ תְּבוּאָתֵֽנוּ  our  produce 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common plural
Root: תְּבוּאָה  
Sense: produce, product, revenue.