| Barnes' Notes on the Bible Vine undressed - That is, "unpruned"; literally "Nazarite vine", the figure being taken from the unshorn locks of the Nazarite. Numbers 6:5. Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThat which groweth of its own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not reap,.... That which sprung up of itself from grains of corn, shed in the harvest of the preceding year, without any ploughing or sowing; he might reap it, but not as at other times, the whole of it, and gather it as his own property, but only somewhat of it in common with others for his, present use: neither gather the grapes of thy vine undressed; which was on this year forbid to be dressed; the grapes of which he might gather in common with others, but not as in other years, all of them, and as peculiarly his own: the words may be rendered, "the grapes of thy separations" (p); either such as in other years he used to separate for himself, and forbid others gathering them, but now made them common; or which he did not labour in the cultivation of, but abstained from it: for it is a year of rest unto the land; which is repeated, that it may be observed. (p) "uvas tuarum separationum", Pagninus, Montanus; so Drusius & Ainsworth. Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament"That which has fallen out (been shaken out) of thy harvest (i.e., the corn which had grown from the grains of the previous harvest that had fallen out) thou shalt not reap, and the grapes of thine uncut thou shalt not gather." נזיר, the Nazarite, who let his hair grow freely without cutting it (Numbers 6:5), is used figuratively, both here and in Leviticus 25:11, to denote a vine not pruned, since by being left to put forth all its productive power it was consecrated to the Lord. The Roman poets employ a similar figure, and speak of the viridis coma of the vine (Tibull. i. 7, 34; Propert. ii. 15, 12). Geneva Study BibleThat which groweth of its {b} own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not reap, neither gather the grapes of thy vine {c} undressed: for it is a year of rest unto the land. (b) Because of the corn that fell out of the ears the previous year. (c) Or, which you have separated from yourself, and consecrated to God for the poor. Wesley's Notes 25:5 Of its own accord - From the grains that fell out of the ears the last reaping time. Thou shalt not reap - That is, as thy own peculiarly, but only so as others may reap it with thee, for present food. Undressed - Not cut off by thee, but suffered to grow for the use of the poor. King James Translators' Notesof thy vine...: Heb. of thy separation Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary25:1-7 All labour was to cease in the seventh year, as much as daily labour on the seventh day. These statues tell us to beware of covetousness, for a man's life consists not in the abundance of his possessions. We are to exercise willing dependence on God's providence for our support; to consider ourselves the Lord's tenants or stewards, and to use our possessions accordingly. This year of rest typified the spiritual rest which all believers enter into through Christ. Through Him we are eased of the burden of wordly care and labour, both being sanctified and sweetened to us; and we are enabled and encouraged to live by faith. |