Leviticus 26:34

34 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.

Leviticus 26:34 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 26:34

Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths
The sabbatical years, or seventh year sabbaths, when, according to the law in the preceding chapter, it was to rest from tillage, ( Leviticus 25:2-4 ) : as long as it lieth desolate, and ye [be] in your enemies' land;
so long it should lie uncultivated, at least in part, there not being a sufficient number left to till it in general, or as it should be; this was the case during the seventy years' captivity in Babylon; [even] then shall the land rest, and enjoy her sabbaths;
or complete them, as Aben Ezra, which is a bitter sarcasm upon them for their neglect of observance of the law concerning the sabbatical years; but now the land should have its sabbaths of rest whether they would or not; and it seems as if it was on account of this sin, as well as others, that they were carried captive; and it is remarkable, if what Maimonides ^F24 says is right, that it was at the going out or end of a sabbatical year, that the first temple was destroyed, and the Jews carried captive, and endured a seventy years' captivity; which some say was because they had neglected seventy sabbatical years; see ( 2 Chronicles 36:21 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F24 Hilchot Shemitah Vejobel, c. 10. sect. 3.

Leviticus 26:34 In-Context

32 I will desolate the land, so that your enemies living in it will be astounded by it.

33 You I will disperse among the nations, and I will draw out the sword in pursuit after you; your land will be a desolation and your cities a wasteland.

34 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.

35 Yes, as long as it lies desolate it will have rest, the rest it did not have during your Shabbats, when you lived there.

36 As for those of you who are left, I will fill their hearts with anxiety in the lands of their enemies. The sound of a driven leaf will frighten them, so that they will flee as one flees from the sword and fall when no one is pursuing.