Leviticus 26:20 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 26:20 mean?

Leviticus 26:20 warns that the people’s hard work and energy will accomplish nothing, because the land will not produce crops and the trees will not bear fruit. This is described as a consequence for disobedience to God’s commands.

In this verse, God is speaking to the Israelites through Moses, laying out the results of not following the covenant. The verse describes a situation where, no matter how much effort the people put into farming and tending the land, their labor will be wasted because the land itself will not respond with a harvest. This is part of a larger section where blessings for obedience and consequences for disobedience are spelled out in detail.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 26:20

• The word "strength" (כֹּחַ, koach) refers to physical energy or ability. Here, it emphasizes that even the people’s best efforts will not change the outcome.
• "Spent" (תָּמַם, tamam) means to be used up or exhausted. The idea is that their energy will be completely drained with nothing to show for it.
• "Vain" (רִיק, riq) means emptiness or nothingness. This highlights the futility of their work—no matter how hard they try, it will be for nothing.
• "Yield" (נָתַן, natan) means to give or produce. The land and trees "not yielding" means they will withhold their normal produce, which would have been expected as a reward for labor.

Why Leviticus 26:20 matters

• Leviticus 26:20 clarifies that the consequences described are not just natural disasters, but a direct result of broken relationship with God, making the outcome personal and relational.
• The verse emphasizes that human effort alone cannot guarantee success; the land’s fruitfulness depends on God’s blessing, which is a key theme throughout the Old Testament.
• This warning connects to the broader context of Leviticus 26, where both blessings and curses are tied to the people’s faithfulness, underlining the seriousness of the covenant relationship.