Leviticus 19:24 · Bible study
Leviticus 19:24 Commentary: Fourth-Year Fruit
Hebrew · 6 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explores the meaning of fourth-year fruit as holy for praise in Leviticus 19:24, its role in Israel's worship, and principles for consecrating firstfruits
Research Summary
- Meaning: The fourth-year fruit is consecrated as a praise offering to Yahweh, acknowledging Him as owner of the harvest.
- Key words: Qodesh (holy, set apart) and hillulim (praise offerings) combine to show the fruit's dedicated purpose.
- Main debate: Whether the fruit was given to the priests (Gill) or also shared with the poor (Wesley), reflecting differing emphases on sacred vs. communal use.
- Theological theme: God owns the land and its increase; His people respond with patient trust, firstfruits dedication, and joyful praise.
- Best use: As a window into OT worship and a principle for consecrating the first portion of our resources to God.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
In the fourth year all its fruit must be consecrated as a praise offering to the LORD.
WEB World English Bible 2000
But in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, for giving praise to Yahweh.
KJV King James Version 1769
But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy to praise the Lord withal.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy, for giving praise unto Jehovah.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and in the fourth year all its fruit is holy--praises for Jehovah.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
and in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy for praise to Jehovah;
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
But in the fourth year, all their fruit shall be sanctified, to the praise of the Lord.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y el cuarto año todo su fruto será santidad de loores á Jehová.
E o quarto ano todo seu fruto será santidade de louvores ao SENHOR.
La quatrième année, tous leurs fruits seront consacrés à l’ Éternel au milieu des réjouissances.
im vierten Jahr aber sollen alle ihre Früchte heilig sein, ein Preisopfer dem HERRN;
Maar in het vierde jaar zal al zijn vrucht een heilig ding zijn, ter lofzegging voor den HEERE.
Ma il quarto anno tutti i loro frutti saranno consacrati all’Eterno, per dargli lode.
Ale roku czwartego wszystek owoc ich poświęcony będzie na ofiarę chwały Panu.
а в четвертый год все плоды его должны быть посвящены для празднеств Господних;
但第四 年 所結的果子 全 要成為 聖，用以讚美 耶和華。
And in the fourth year all the fruit will be holy as a praise-offering to the Lord.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Leviticus 19:24
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that the fourth-year fruit is consecrated to God and functions as a praise offering. Gill explains that the fruit was 'holy, separated and devoted to the service of God, to be given to the priest, or to be bought again of him.' Wesley adds that it was 'consecrated to the Lord, as the first-fruits and tithes were, therefore given to the priests and Levites,' yet also shared with the poor. The Hebrew word hillulim (praise offerings) indicates the fruit was used in joyful thanksgiving. The core agreement: the fruit belongs to God and is set apart for praising Him, whether consumed in Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 12:17-18) or distributed to the priests.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The fruit is holy, set apart for praising Yahweh, and belongs to God — whether distributed to priests or shared with the community, its purpose is worship.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose of the fourth-year fruit | It is holy and dedicated to God as a praise offering. | Some commentators (Gill) see it as given entirely to the priest or redeemed; others (Wesley) describe it as shared with the poor and strangers, like the tithe. |
| The 'uncircumcised' fruit metaphor | It signifies the fruit is forbidden and unfit for use in the first three years. | Whether the metaphor is entirely about ceremonial fitness (Ellicott) or also implies a spiritual principle of readiness (see also the heart metaphor in Lev 26:41). |
| Application for Christians | The principle of honoring God with the first of our increase is echoed in Proverbs 3:9 and remains a guiding pattern. | Whether this specific agricultural law should be applied literally or understood as a principle of proportionate giving and joyful praise. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This law appears in the Holiness Code (Leviticus 17, 26), a collection of instructions for Israel's life as God's holy people. Verses 23, 25 regulate newly planted fruit trees in the land of Canaan. The first three years the fruit is called 'uncircumcised' (orlah), a term used elsewhere for hearts and ears that are closed to God. It could not be eaten; the tree was to be left untouched. In the fourth year, all the fruit became holy (qodesh), set apart as a praise offering to Yahweh. The fifth year marked normal consumption, with the promise that the tree would yield increase.
The three-year wait served several purposes. It taught patience and trust that God would provide. It prevented greedy consumption of immature fruit. Most importantly, it acknowledged God as the true owner of the land and its produce. The fourth-year consecration echoed the firstfruits laws (Numbers 18:12-13; Deuteronomy 18:4) and the tithe system. The fruit was either given to priests, eaten in a sacred meal before the Lord, or, as Wesley notes, shared with the poor, widows, and strangers (Deuteronomy 14:28-29). The entire cycle pointed Israel back to dependence on God and joy in His provision.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Leviticus 19:24. The Hebrew text is consistent across manuscripts and versions, with only minor differences in word order (e.g., the LXX and Vulgate align with the majority Hebrew text).
Reception History
In Jewish tradition, this verse became part of the laws of orlah (uncircumcised fruit) and firstfruits. The fourth-year fruit was treated as a second tithe, to be eaten in Jerusalem or redeemed. Christian interpreters from the Reformation era, such as Matthew Henry and John Wesley, saw in this law a pattern for consecrating the first of one's labor to God, but they also read it as a reminder that God's timing is not our own. Wesley emphasized the communal dimension, sharing the holy fruit with the poor. The verse has been used to teach both the discipline of waiting for God's provision and the joy of offering the first portion back to Him in praise.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The discipline of waiting: Three years of forbidden fruit teach patience and faith that God will supply.
- The gift of firstfruits: The fourth year's holy portion dedicates the best to God as an act of praise.
- The promise of increase: The fifth year's blessing shows that honoring God leads to future provision (Lev 19:25).
Five-point outline
- Entering the land: The law assumes Israel will settle and plant, God provides the context for fruitfulness.
- Counting the years: Attention to time underscores that God's order matters; we do not rush His process.
- The 'uncircumcised' fruit: The first three years are off-limits, a metaphor for what is not yet ready, not yet dedicated.
- The holy fourth year: The entire yield is set apart as a praise offering (hillulim), the whole belongs to God.
- The abundant fifth year: Normal harvest resumes with a blessing, obedience leads to increase.
Illustration hooks
- Farming patience: A young apple tree takes three to five years to bear quality fruit. Farmers prune and wait; they do not pick the first small apples. The law validates that waiting is a spiritual discipline.
- First paycheque principle: Many cultures practice giving the first portion of income to God. This law offers a tangible pattern: before you enjoy the harvest, set aside the first yield for praise.
- Delayed gratification: A student must invest years of study before earning in a career. The first fruits of that career (the first paycheque, the first project) can be dedicated to God as an act of thanks.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this law apply to Christians today, or is it just for Old Testament Israel?
- What counts as 'firstfruits' in a world where we don't farm? How do I practically honor God with the first of my income, time, or energy?
- Why does God ask for a proportion? Isn't He generous? Doesn't He want us to enjoy His gifts?
Leading a Discussion
This small group guide walks through Leviticus 19:23-25, focusing on verse 24. The law surrounds a simple act of farming with layers of meaning, patience, holiness, praise, and blessing. As you discuss, keep the focus on what this teaches about God's character and our response.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What does the text command regarding fruit trees in each of the first five years? (verses 23-25)
- Observation: The first three years of fruit are called 'uncircumcised.' What does that comparison suggest about the fruit? (See also Leviticus 26:41, Jeremiah 6:10 for the metaphor.)
- Interpretation: The fourth-year fruit is holy and designated for praise. What does 'holy' mean in this context? How does setting something apart become an act of praise?
- Interpretation: Why do you think God required a three-year wait? What might He be teaching Israel about the land, about the fruit, and about their own hearts?
- Interpretation: Compare this law with Numbers 18:12-13 and Deuteronomy 14:28-29. How did the fourth-year gift support the priests, the poor, and the community? What does that distribution say about God's heart for provision?
- Application: In what areas of life might you be tempted to rush the 'harvest', to consume before the time? What would it look like to wait and then honor God with the first portion?
- Application: How could you set aside a 'holy portion' of your income, time, or talents this month as a tangible act of praise?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Numbers 18:12 | “I have given to you all the best of the oil, all the best of the vintage, and of the grain, the first fruits of them which they give to Yahweh. |
| Numbers 18:13 | The first-ripe fruits of all that is in their land, which they bring to Yahweh, shall be yours. Everyone who is clean in your house shall eat of it. |
| Deuteronomy 12:17 | You may not eat within your gates the tithe of your grain, or of your new wine, or of your oil, or the firstborn of your herd or of your flock, nor any of your vows which you vow, nor your free will offerings, nor the wave offering of your hand; |
| Deuteronomy 12:18 | but you shall eat them before Yahweh your God in the place which Yahweh your God shall choose: you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, and the Levite who is within your gates. You shall rejoice before Yahweh your God in all that you put your hand to. |
| Deuteronomy 14:28 | At the end of every three years you shall bring all the tithe of your increase in the same year, and shall store it within your gates. |
| Deuteronomy 14:29 | The Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, as well as the foreigner living among you, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your gates shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that Yahweh your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do. |
| Deuteronomy 18:4 | You shall give him the first fruits of your grain, of your new wine, and of your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep. |
| Proverbs 3:9 | Honor Yahweh with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase; |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible note observes that verses in this section are a collection of miscellaneous rules covering the ordinary circumstances of daily life. It specifically highlights the command to keep the sabbath and points to a parallel passage in Leviticus for comparison.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note emphasizes that the fruit in the fourth year is not merely acceptable but set apart as holy, given over entirely to the Lord's praise. This designates a specific year when what was previously forbidden becomes a dedicated offering, not just for personal use but for worship.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill draws attention to the practical details of this command: the fourth-year fruit was set apart for God, either given to the priest or bought back from him. He notes that, like the tithe, it could only be eaten in Jerusalem unless redeemed, and the whole practice was meant to stir praise for God's goodness.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees the repeated refrain "I am the Lord" as the key: it is both the basis for the command to be holy and the goal toward which Israel must strive. The call is to become hallowed personalities who reflect the holy personality of Jehovah Himself.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry reads the command against mixing kinds as a call to honor the order of creation. Because God made each creature after its kind, humans should not seek to combine what God separated. The prohibition targets the desire for unnatural mixtures, which he calls monsters.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that what is consecrated to the Lord is given to priests and Levites, yet part of it is also shared with the poor, widows, and strangers. The purpose is to bless God, whose power and goodness bring the fruit to perfection.