For six years is literally “And six years.” The idea is for the duration of six years. You shall sow your land uses the singular you, so your land refers to “the fields” (New International Version), or the portion of land, for which each Israelite was responsible. Sow your land means to plant seed and cultivate the soil. And gather its yield means to “harvest the crops,” or whatever that land “produces” (Good News Translation).

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .