Leviticus 26:35 (LSB)

Passage

All the days of its desolation it will observe the rest which it did not observe on your sabbaths, while you were living on it.

Nearby Context

Leviticus 26:33 You, however, I will scatter among the nations and will draw out a sword after you, as your land becomes desolate and your cities become waste.

Leviticus 26:34 ‘Then the land will make up for its sabbaths all the days of the desolation, and you will be in your enemies’ land; then the land will rest and make up for its sabbaths.

Leviticus 26:35 All the days of its desolation it will observe the rest which it did not observe on your sabbaths, while you were living on it.

Leviticus 26:36 As for those of you who may remain, I will also bring weakness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies. And the sound of a driven leaf will pursue them, and even when no one is pursuing they will flee as though from the sword, and they will fall.

Leviticus 26:37 They will therefore stumble over each other as if running from the sword, although no one is pursuing; and you will have no strength to stand up before your enemies.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "days", "desolation", "observe", "rest", "sabbaths", and "living". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "days" and "desolation", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 34's "Then the land will make up for..." into verse 36's "As for those of you who may...", so "days" and "desolation" belong inside that flow. In Leviticus context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "days" and "desolation" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.