What Does Leviticus 19:24 Mean in the King James?

But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy to praise the LORD withal.

Leviticus 19:24 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

THE KEY

The harvest itself becomes praise when it is set apart for the LORD.

THE MEANING

The fruit you receive is more than something to consume: it is also held as something set apart, carrying praise to the LORD. Praise is present in the harvest’s dedication, not only in words spoken about it.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

This undoes the belief that a harvest matters only for what it provides to consume: here, the yield itself is marked for praise.

THE ROOT

הִלּוּלִים

hillulim

GROWS FROM

הלל

Praise, celebrate, make much of.

The Hebrew hillulim means “praises” or “celebrations” and comes from the root halal, praise. The fruit is not merely designated as sacred; its set-apart purpose is praise itself.

ALSO GROWS

halal: Praise, celebrate, or boast.

הָלַל

This verb supplies the seed of hillulim: the harvest is set apart for praise.

tehillah: Praise or a song of praise.

תְּהִלָּה

This related noun shows the same root taking form as expressed praise, while hillulim makes the fruit’s dedication an act of praise.

קֹדֶשׁ

qōdesh

GROWS FROM

קדשׁ

Set apart for a distinct purpose.

“holy” in this verse is qōdesh. Qōdesh names the fruit as claimed for a purpose beyond ordinary use. Paired with hillulim, that purpose is specific: the harvest is set apart as praise to the LORD.

ALSO GROWS

qādōsh: Set apart; sacred.

קָדוֹשׁ

This form makes the same set-apart quality explicit, showing that the fruit’s purpose, not just its condition, is changed.

miqdāsh: Sanctuary; a set-apart place.

מִקְדָּשׁ

The shared root links the dedicated harvest with a place set apart: both are claimed for the LORD.

THE PATTERN

What grows honors the LORD when its yield is set apart and recognized as belonging to him.

And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O LORD, hast given me. And thou shalt set it before the LORD thy God, and worship before the LORD thy God:

Deuteronomy 26:10 · KJVThe firstfruits are presented before the LORD as acknowledgment that the land’s yield is given by him.

Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

Proverbs 3:9 · KJVThe first portion of the increase becomes a concrete way of honoring the LORD.

Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

John 15:8 · KJVFruitfulness becomes the means through which the Father is glorified.

THE THREAD

Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

Psalm 150:6 · KJV

Leviticus names the fourth-year fruit hillulim, “praises,” from the root halal, praise. Psalm 150 uses that same praise-root to gather every breath-bearing creature into praise, opening the harvest as one expression of a wider pattern.

Read the SDV Bible.

Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.

Get Selah Verse

The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.

Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us