Exo 23:10-12 | NET2full | STEP | “For six years you are to sow your land and gather in its produce .

‏ Exodus 23:10-12

Sabbaths and Feasts

10 ^{▼▼sn This section concerns religious duties of the people of God as they worship by giving thanks to God for their blessings. The principles here are: God requires his people to allow the poor to share in their bounty (10-11); God requires his people to provide times of rest and refreshment for those who labor for them (12); God requires allegiance to himself (13); God requires his people to come before him in gratitude and share their bounty (14-17); God requires that his people safeguard proper worship forms (18-19).} “For six years ^{▼▼tn Heb “and six years”; this is an adverbial accusative telling how long they can work their land. The following references to years and days in vv. 10-12 function similarly.} you are to sow your land and gather in its produce. 11 But in the seventh year ^{▼▼tn Heb “and the seventh year”; an adverbial accusative with a disjunctive vav (ו).} 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 ^{▼▼tn Heb “living thing/creature/beast of the field.” A general term for animals, usually wild animals, including predators (cf. v. 29; Gen 2:19-20; Lev 26:22; Deut 7:22; 1 Sam 17:46; Job 5:22-23; Ezek 29:5; 34:5).} may eat; you must do likewise with your vineyard and your olive grove. 12 For six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you must cease, in order that your ox and your donkey may rest and that your female servant’s son and the resident foreigner ^{▼▼tn Or “alien.” Several passages emphasize equal standing under Mosaic Law (Exod 12:49; 20:10; Lev 24:22; Num 9:14; 15:15, 16, 29) for the resident foreigner (גֵּר; ger) and the native born Israelite. The foreigners (גֵּר; ger, but not other types of non-Israelites) in Mosaic Law have joined the covenant (Deut 29:10-13) and worship the Lord. Israel was not to make these foreigners do the work which they themselves were not permitted to do on the Sabbath.} may refresh themselves. ^{▼▼tn The verb is וְיִנָּפֵשׁ (veyinnafesh); it is related to the word usually translated “soul” or “life.”}