The word ‘Sabbath’ derives from the Hebrew verb ‘Shabbat’, which means ‘to cease’ or ‘to rest’, and refers to the seventh day of the week, beginning at sunset on Friday and ending at sunset on Saturday. The ancient Israelites, just like modern Jews, observed the Sabbath and rested from their work.

The biblical account of the origin of the Sabbath is found in Gen. 2:1-3. These verses, which appear at the end of the creation narrative, recount how God rested from His creative work on the seventh day and set that day apart as a special day of rest. In the Book of Exodus, there is a connection drawn between God’s rest from His creative work and the command to the Israelites to rest from their work on the Sabbath and to worship the Lord (Ex. 20:8-11, 31:17). This rest is not only for the Israelites, but also for their animals, their servants (including slaves), and the foreigners residing in Israel (Ex. 23:12; Deut. 5:14-15).

The observance of the Sabbath each week is also linked to the biblical commandment that once every seven years the land must be left to rest for a full year. During this Seventh Year (or ‘Sabbath year’), the land is neither ploughed nor sown. This is done to honour the Lord, the true owner of the land (Ex. 23:10-11; Lev. 25:1-7). Any crops that grow of their own accord must be left in the fields for the poor and for the working animals. The Seventh Year is also the time when debts are cancelled (Deut. 15:1-3).

The Bible also speaks of the Year of Jubilee. Every seventh Sabbatical Year (every forty-nine years), land that had been sold must be returned to its original owner, and all slaves must be returned to their families (Lev. 25:8-34). This year begins on the ‘Day of Atonement’ with the blowing of the trumpet.

The observance of the Sabbath is one of the most important elements of the religion of Israel. It reminds them of their special status as God’s chosen people and that God is the Creator of the world. The observance of these three Sabbaths of rest and release points to God’s desire to set all creation free. Celebrating these festivals reminds them of their own need to be continually recreated.

Source: Study Edition of the Bible