And in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit thereof, that it may yield unto you the increase thereof: I am the LORD your God.

LEVITICUS 19:25KJV
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Leviticus 19:25 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 19:25 mean?

Leviticus 19:25 tells the Israelites that in the fifth year after planting a fruit tree, they are allowed to eat its fruit, and doing so will bring a greater harvest. This instruction comes from God, who identifies Himself as their LORD and God.

In this verse, God is speaking to the people of Israel through Moses as part of a set of laws about holiness and daily life. The context is about how to treat newly planted fruit trees: the fruit is not to be eaten for the first four years, but in the fifth year, it becomes available for eating. The verse connects obedience to this rule with the promise of increased fruitfulness, highlighting both practical and spiritual reasons for the command.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 19:25

  • "Fifth" (חֲמִישִּׁי, ḥamishi): This word marks a specific waiting period, emphasizing patience and a set time before enjoying the fruit.
  • "Eat" (אָכַל, akhal): The permission to eat in the fifth year is a clear shift from the earlier restriction, showing a transition from dedication to practical use.
  • "Yield" (יָסַף, yasaf): This word often means "to add" or "to increase," suggesting that following this command is connected to God’s blessing of greater abundance.
  • "Increase" (תְּבוּאָה, tevu'ah): This refers to produce or harvest, underlining that the promised benefit is a tangible, agricultural blessing.
  • "LORD" (יְהוָה, YHWH) and "God" (אֱלֹהִים, Elohim): These names stress God’s authority and covenant relationship with Israel, reminding them that these instructions come from their divine ruler.

Why Leviticus 19:25 matters

  • Leviticus 19:25 clarifies that the restriction on eating fruit from new trees is not permanent, but has a set end point, showing God’s concern for both spiritual dedication and practical provision.
  • The verse connects obedience to God’s instructions with a promise of increased harvest, highlighting a link between faithfulness and blessing in daily life.
  • This instruction fits into a broader passage about holiness and distinctiveness for Israel, showing how even agricultural practices were meant to reflect their relationship with God.

Where else these words appear

“increase” Hebrew H8393 · used in 40 verses

  • Genesis 47:24 And it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give the fifth part unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them of your households, and for food for your little ones.
  • Deuteronomy 14:28 At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates:
  • Proverbs 3:14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

“fifth” Hebrew H2549 · used in 44 verses

  • Genesis 1:23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
  • Numbers 33:38 And Aaron the priest went up into mount Hor at the commandment of the LORD, and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the first day of the fifth month.
  • 1 Chronicles 26:4 Moreover the sons of Obededom were, Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nethaneel the fifth,

“fruit” Hebrew H6529 · used in 107 verses

  • Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
  • Nehemiah 10:37 And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.
  • Isaiah 37:31 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward: