Leviticus 26 43

Leviticus 26:43 kjv

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 26:43 nkjv

The land also shall be left empty by them, and will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies desolate without them; they will accept their guilt, because they despised My judgments and because their soul abhorred My statutes.

Leviticus 26:43 niv

For the land will be deserted by them and will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies desolate without them. They will pay for their sins because they rejected my laws and abhorred my decrees.

Leviticus 26:43 esv

But the land shall be abandoned by them and enjoy its Sabbaths while it lies desolate without them, and they shall make amends for their iniquity, because they spurned my rules and their soul abhorred my statutes.

Leviticus 26:43 nlt

For the land must be abandoned to enjoy its years of Sabbath rest as it lies deserted. At last the people will pay for their sins, for they have continually rejected my regulations and despised my decrees.

Leviticus 26 verses

Leviticus 26 43 Meaning

The land, having been profaned by Israel's inhabitants and denied its rightful sabbatical rests, would be forcibly left desolate during the period of exile. During this desolation, the land would finally receive its unkept Sabbath years. The people, driven from their land, would eventually acknowledge and consent to the justice of their punishment, a direct consequence of their profound contempt and abhorrence for God's divine decrees and statutes.

Leviticus 26 43 Context

Leviticus chapter 26 is a pivotal section within the book, acting as the concluding summary of the covenant established between God and Israel at Sinai. It meticulously lays out a system of divine rewards for obedience to God's commandments (v. 3-13) and severe punishments for disobedience (v. 14-45). Verse 43 falls within the latter, a detailed exposition of escalating curses that would befall the Israelites if they abandoned their covenant fidelity. Specifically, this verse describes a profound stage of judgment – the forced exile from their promised land and its desolation, directly linking this catastrophe to their specific neglect of God's land Sabbaths and their overarching contempt for His laws. This context provides a prophetic framework for the future Babylonian exile and subsequent periods of desolation for Israel.

Leviticus 26 43 Word analysis

• "The land" ('erets - אֶרֶץ): Refers specifically to the promised land of Canaan, Israel's inheritance given by God. Its state (fertility or desolation) is often depicted as intimately linked to the spiritual condition of its inhabitants.
• "also shall be left by them": Signifies forced abandonment and removal, indicating that the people's departure is not voluntary but a direct divine judgment resulting in exile.
• "and shall enjoy her Sabbaths": The Hebrew verb shalama (שָׁלַם) implies to be complete, to be paid, or to experience peace/fulfillment. This conveys that the land, which was due its prescribed sabbatical rests (every seventh year, Lev 25:2-7) but was denied them by the people, would finally receive these neglected rests during Israel's absence. This highlights God's justice extending even to the creation.
• "while she lieth desolate": Shamem (שָׁמֵם) means to be desolate, ruined, or astonished. This term emphasizes the severe state of barrenness and abandonment the land would experience, serving as a visible testament to the judgment.
• "without them": Explicitly connects the land's desolation and rest to Israel's absence, reinforcing the punitive nature of the exile.
• "and they shall accept of the punishment": The Hebrew ratsah (רָצָה) means to be pleased with, to accept, or to atone for. This suggests more than merely bearing suffering; it implies a willing acknowledgment and consent to the justice and deservedness of their chastisement. This inward change, or "acceptance," is a crucial step towards true repentance and eventual restoration.
• "of their iniquity": 'Awon (עָוֹן) encompasses perversity, guilt, and the punishment stemming from a moral turning away from what is right. It points to the intrinsic wickedness and corruption of their actions that warranted the judgment.
• "because, even because": The repetition of ya'an (יַעַן) creates a strong emphatic structure, underscoring the direct and undeniable causal link between their rebellious attitude towards God's law and the severe consequences that follow.
• "they despised my judgments": Na'ats (נָאַץ) signifies treating with contempt, spurning, or scorning. "Judgments" (mishpat - מִשְׁפָּט) refers to God's righteous ordinances, decrees, and rules for just living. This reveals a deep-seated spiritual rebellion and scorn for divine authority.
• "and because their soul abhorred my statutes": Ga'al (גָּעַל) means to reject, loathe, or detest, often with disgust. "Statutes" (chuqqah - חֻקָּה) are God's fixed laws and decrees. This indicates not merely intellectual disagreement but a visceral, profound repugnance within their very being ("soul") toward God's divine commands, pointing to a state of complete spiritual apostasy.

Leviticus 26 43 Bonus section

• The passage reveals a covenantal understanding where the land's health and rest are linked to the people's obedience, indicating a holistic framework where human actions have ecological consequences and vice versa. Disregarding the Sabbatical years was a denial of God's ultimate ownership and stewardship principles over the land (Lev 25:23).
• The crucial "acceptance of punishment" (Hebrew: ratsah) is seen by many scholars not just as resignation but as a transformative acknowledgment of God's righteousness in judgment. This act is pivotal, signaling a change of heart that allows God to remember His covenant promises for restoration as described in subsequent verses (Lev 26:44-45).
• This verse, and Leviticus 26 as a whole, serves as a predictive roadmap for Israel's historical trajectory, clearly outlining the Babylonian exile and later dispersions. The severe repetition "because, even because" reinforces the unbreakable link between spiritual disobedience and national calamity, underscoring God's justice and His commitment to His covenant.

Leviticus 26 43 Commentary

Leviticus 26:43 serves as a profound explanation for Israel's future exilic experiences. It clearly states that the land's desolation and the people's forced removal were not random occurrences but divinely appointed judgments. The land, intricately tied to the covenant and symbolizing Israel's spiritual state, would receive its owed Sabbath rests during the inhabitants' absence—a demonstration of God's just sovereignty over His creation. Critically, the verse stresses that this severe discipline aimed to lead the people to acknowledge the righteousness of their punishment. The core offense driving this catastrophic judgment was their deep spiritual rebellion: a contemptuous disdain for God's decrees and a visceral abhorrence for His holy statutes. This profound spiritual failing necessitated equally severe discipline to break their stubborn will, prompting genuine repentance and preparing the way for their eventual reconciliation and restoration.