Leviticus 19:23

“And when you come into the land and plant any tree for food, you shall regard its fruit as uncircumcised; three years it shall be uncircumcised to you; it shall not be eaten.”

Leviticus 19:23 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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23

Leviticus 19:23, word by word

you comeתָבֹאוּtavou

enter

To go into a place.

Where else “tavou” appears
the landאָרֶץarets

land

A region or nation, above all Israel's.

Where else “arets” appears
and plantנְטַעְתֶּםnetatem

plant

Plant; set firmly.

Where else “netatem” appears
treeעֵץets

tree

A tall plant with trunk and branches, giving fruit, shade or timber.

Where else “ets” appears
for foodמַאֲכָלmaachal

food

Food.

Where else “maachal” appears
you shall regardעֲרַלְתֶּםaraltem

regard as uncircumcised

To treat fruit as not to be touched in the first years.

Where else “araltem” appears
its fruitפִּרְיpiry

fruit

What a tree or the land produces, which is eaten.

Where else “piry” appears
as uncircumcisedעָרְלָתarlat

closed

What is closed, not given to God.

Where else “arlat” appears
threeשָׁלֹשׁshalosh

three

A quantity of three: three persons or things together.

Where else “shalosh” appears
yearsשָׁנִיםshanim

year

Each full turn of the seasons, by which time is counted.

Where else “shanim” appears
it shall beיִהְיֶהyihye

be

To be: "I will be their Elohim".

Where else “yihye” appears
uncircumcisedעֲרֵלִיםarelim

uncircumcised

A man without the covenant sign; said with scorn.

Where else “arelim” appears
be eatenיֵאָכֵלyeachel

eat

To bring food to the mouth and swallow it, above all at a shared table.

Where else “yeachel” appears

Translation note

“Uncircumcised” is said here of the fruit of the first three years, which is not eaten (v. 23); that of the fourth year is “holy” to YHWH (v. 24).

The context

22And the priest shall make expiation for him with the ram of the guilt offering before YHWH for his sin that he has committed, and he shall be forgiven for his sin that he has committed.

23 · This verse (above)

24And in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, an offering of praise to YHWH.

Read all of Leviticus 19

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