Leviticus 26:34

KJV

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.

KJV (with Strong's)

Then shall the land {H776} enjoy {H7521} her sabbaths {H7676}, as long {H3117} as it lieth desolate {H8074}, and ye be in your enemies {H341}' land {H776}; even then shall the land {H776} rest {H7673}, and enjoy {H7521} her sabbaths {H7676}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Then, at last, the land will be paid its Shabbats. As long as it lies desolate and you are in the lands of your enemies, the land will rest and be repaid its Shabbats.

Berean Standard Bible

Then the land shall enjoy its Sabbaths all the days it lies desolate, while you are in the land of your enemies. At that time the land will rest and enjoy its Sabbaths.

American Standard Version

Then shall the land enjoy its sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and ye are in your enemies’ land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy its sabbaths.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Leviticus 26:34 stands as a profound declaration of divine justice, revealing the consequences of Israel's persistent disobedience to the Mosaic Covenant, specifically their failure to observe the land's mandated Sabbath rests. This verse prophesies that during their period of exile in foreign lands, the land of Israel, left desolate and uncultivated, would finally "enjoy her sabbaths," forcibly receiving the rest it was denied by the people's neglect and greed. It underscores God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant warnings and His sovereignty over creation, ensuring that His design for rest and stewardship would ultimately be fulfilled, even through judgment.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated within the climactic section of Leviticus 26, which outlines the blessings for covenant obedience (Leviticus 26:3-13) and the severe curses for disobedience (Leviticus 26:14-45). Following a detailed list of escalating judgments—including disease, defeat by enemies, famine, and the destruction of their cities and sanctuaries—Leviticus 26:34-35 specifically addresses the land's desolation as a direct consequence of Israel's failure to observe the Sabbath years. This particular judgment serves as a divinely imposed "catch-up" for the neglected rests, highlighting the interconnectedness of the people's spiritual state, their relationship with the land, and their national destiny. The passage culminates in a glimmer of hope for repentance and restoration (Leviticus 26:40-45), but not before the full weight of the covenant curses is articulated.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Central to the Mosaic Law was the command for Israel to observe a Sabbath year (שְׁמִטָּה, _shemittah_), where the land was to lie fallow every seventh year, and its produce was for the poor and wild animals (as detailed in [Leviticus 25:1-7](/leviticus/25-1 "Leviticus 25:1-7 - The Sabbath Year")). This was not merely an agricultural practice but a profound theological statement, demonstrating Israel's trust in God's provision and their recognition that the land belonged to Him ([Leviticus 25:23](/leviticus/25-23 "Leviticus 25:23 - The Land Belongs to God")). Historically, Israel struggled greatly with this command, often prioritizing immediate gain over divine instruction. Prophets like Jeremiah warned of the consequences of this neglect, linking future desolation and exile to the unkept sabbaths (e.g., [Jeremiah 25:8-11](/jeremiah/25-8 "Jeremiah 25:8-11 - Prophecy of Babylonian Captivity")). Leviticus 26:34 thus serves as a prophetic declaration that the accumulated debt of neglected land rests would be paid during the period of their forced exile, when the land would be left uninhabited and uncultivated, thereby "enjoying" its long-overdue sabbaths.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Sabbaths (שַׁבְּתֹתֶיהָ, _shabb'toteha'_):** This is the plural form of שַׁבָּת (_shabbat_), meaning "rests" or "cessations." While the general term for the Sabbath year is שְׁמִטָּה (_shemittah_), the use of _shabbat_ here emphasizes the concept of divinely mandated cessation from work, specifically applied to the land. The suffix -_oteha_ means "her," personifying the land as having its own inherent right to rest, a right that was violated by Israel's continuous cultivation.
* **Desolate (שָׁמֵם, _shamem'_):** This verb signifies to be appalled, devastated, laid waste, or uninhabited. It describes the state of the land after the people have been removed, emphasizing its emptiness and abandonment. This desolation is not merely a natural consequence but a divinely ordained judgment, creating the necessary conditions for the land to finally receive its neglected rests.
* **Enjoy (רָצָה, _ratsah'_):** This verb means "to be pleased with," "to accept," "to delight in," or "to be favorable toward." Its application to the land is a striking anthropomorphism. It suggests that the land, as part of God's creation, has a "right" to its rest, and that God Himself is pleased when His created order is honored. Even in the context of judgment, there is a sense of divine satisfaction in the restoration of balance and the fulfillment of His original design for the earth.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths":** This clause introduces the primary consequence of Israel's disobedience regarding the land's rest. The land, personified, will finally receive the cessation from cultivation that was commanded but neglected. This "enjoyment" is not a pleasant experience for Israel, but a forced, divinely imposed rest for the earth itself, fulfilling God's original intention.
* **"as long as it lieth desolate, and ye [be] in your enemies' land":** This specifies the conditions under which the land will "enjoy" its sabbaths. The land's rest is directly tied to Israel's exile and the desolation of their homeland. The duration of the desolation and the exile will precisely correspond to the period required for the land to "catch up" on its neglected rests, emphasizing God's meticulous justice and the direct link between sin and its consequences.
* **"[even] then shall the land rest, and enjoy her sabbaths":** This final phrase serves as a powerful reiteration and emphatic confirmation of the preceding declaration. The repetition underscores the certainty and inevitability of this judgment. It highlights that God's will for His creation, specifically regarding the land's rest, will ultimately be fulfilled, regardless of human disobedience, even if it requires severe disciplinary action.

#### Literary Devices
Leviticus 26:34 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message. Most prominently, **Personification** is used as the land is depicted as actively "enjoying her sabbaths" and "resting." This anthropomorphic language imbues the land with a sense of agency and a right to its divinely ordained rest, making its deprivation by human neglect all the more poignant. This device underscores God's care for His entire creation, not just humanity. Furthermore, the passage exemplifies **Retribution Theology**, where a direct and proportional consequence is meted out for specific disobedience. Israel's failure to give the land its voluntary rest results in the land being forced to rest during their involuntary exile. The **Repetition** of "enjoy her sabbaths" within the verse serves to emphasize the certainty and inevitability of this judgment, reinforcing God's unwavering commitment to His covenant and His principles of order and justice.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Leviticus 26:34 powerfully illustrates several core theological truths. It demonstrates God's unwavering **divine justice** and **covenant faithfulness**, showing that His warnings are not idle threats but guaranteed outcomes for disobedience. The neglect of the land's sabbaths, a seemingly agricultural command, was a profound spiritual failure—a lack of trust in God's provision and a disregard for His ownership of creation. God's response highlights His **sovereignty over creation**, asserting that His design for the earth, including its need for rest, will ultimately be honored, even if it requires the displacement of His chosen people. This verse also underscores the **interconnectedness of sin and its consequences**, revealing how human actions (or inactions) can have far-reaching effects on the physical world and national destiny.

* [2 Chronicles 36:21](/2_chronicles/36-21 "2 Chronicles 36:21 - Fulfillment of Land Sabbaths")
* [Jeremiah 25:11-12](/jeremiah/25-11 "Jeremiah 25:11-12 - Prophecy of Seventy Years Exile")
* [Isaiah 1:7](/isaiah/1-7 "Isaiah 1:7 - Desolation of the Land")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Leviticus 26:34 serves as a timeless reminder that God's commands are not arbitrary, and their neglect carries tangible consequences, both individually and corporately. It challenges us to consider our own obedience, not just in grand spiritual acts, but in seemingly mundane areas like stewardship of resources, rest, and honoring God's design for creation. In a world driven by endless production and consumption, the principle of rest—for ourselves, for our communities, and for the earth—remains profoundly counter-cultural yet deeply biblical. This verse encourages us to trust in God's provision, rather than relying solely on our own efforts, and to recognize that true flourishing comes from aligning our lives with His wise and just order. Even in the face of judgment, God's ultimate purpose is to bring about His will, and we are called to discern and participate in that purpose.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life or our communal life might we be neglecting God's principles of rest and stewardship?**
* **How does this verse challenge my understanding of God's justice and His patience with disobedience?**
* **What does "trusting in God's provision" look like in practical terms, especially when it requires us to "rest" or "let go" of control?**
* **How can we, as individuals and as a community, better honor God's design for creation and its need for rest?**

### FAQ

**What was the "Sabbath Year" and why was it so important?**

Answer: The Sabbath Year, or _Shemittah_ (שְׁמִטָּה), was a command given to Israel in [Leviticus 25:1-7](/leviticus/25-1 "Leviticus 25:1-7 - The Sabbath Year") and [Exodus 23:10-11](/exodus/23-10 "Exodus 23:10-11 - The Sabbath Year Command"). Every seventh year, the land was to lie fallow; it was not to be sown or reaped. This command was crucial for several reasons: it demonstrated Israel's faith in God's provision (that He would provide enough in the sixth year to sustain them through the seventh), it allowed the land to recover its fertility, it provided for the poor and wild animals, and it served as a regular reminder that the land ultimately belonged to God, not to them ([Leviticus 25:23](/leviticus/25-23 "Leviticus 25:23 - The Land Belongs to God")).

**Did Israel actually neglect the Sabbath years, leading to the fulfillment of this prophecy?**

Answer: Yes, historical and prophetic texts strongly indicate that Israel largely neglected the Sabbath Year commands over centuries. The prophet Jeremiah, for instance, warned of the impending exile due to their disobedience, including this neglect. The most explicit fulfillment is found in [2 Chronicles 36:21](/2_chronicles/36-21 "2 Chronicles 36:21 - Fulfillment of Land Sabbaths"), which states that the seventy years of Babylonian exile were precisely "to fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years." This calculation implies that Israel had neglected approximately 70 Sabbath years over the preceding centuries, accumulating a "debt" of rest for the land that was paid during the exile.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Leviticus 26:34, with its emphasis on the land's forced rest due to broken covenant, powerfully foreshadows the ultimate rest and restoration found in Jesus Christ. The inability of Israel to provide rest for the land, rooted in their spiritual failure and lack of trust, points to humanity's deeper inability to achieve true rest or righteousness through self-effort. Christ, as the perfect covenant-keeper, fulfills the law entirely, including its demands for justice and rest. He is the one who invites all who are weary and burdened to find true rest in Him ([Matthew 11:28](/matthew/11-28 "Matthew 11:28 - Come to Me, All Who Are Weary")). His atoning sacrifice on the cross satisfied the righteous demands of God's justice, taking away the curse that fell upon creation due to sin ([Galatians 3:13](/galatians/3-13 "Galatians 3:13 - Christ Redeemed Us from the Curse")). The desolation of the land in Leviticus 26:34, a consequence of sin, finds its ultimate reversal in Christ's work, which inaugurates a new creation where righteousness dwells and all things are made new ([Revelation 21:1-5](/revelation/21-1 "Revelation 21:1-5 - New Heaven and New Earth")). The land's forced rest prefigures the eschatological Sabbath rest that awaits the people of God ([Hebrews 4:9-10](/hebrews/4-9 "Hebrews 4:9-10 - A Sabbath Rest Remains")), a rest secured not by human obedience to temporal laws, but by faith in the finished work of Christ, the Lord of the Sabbath.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

2 Chronicles 36:21

To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: [for] as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.

Leviticus 25:2

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 25:4

But 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.

Leviticus 26:43

The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes.

Leviticus 25:10

And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout [all] the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.