Topical Encyclopedia
Gleanings refer to the practice of collecting leftover crops from farmers' fields after they have been commercially harvested or on fields where it is not economically profitable to harvest. This practice is deeply rooted in the agricultural laws and social welfare systems of ancient Israel, as outlined in the Old Testament. Gleaning was a provision made by God to ensure that the poor, the widows, the orphans, and the foreigners could find sustenance and support.
Biblical FoundationThe concept of gleanings is primarily found in the Pentateuch, where God commands the Israelites to leave the corners of their fields unharvested and not to pick up what is left after the initial harvest. This is clearly articulated in
Leviticus 19:9-10 : "When you reap the harvest of your land, you are not to reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You must not strip your vineyard bare or gather its fallen grapes. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the LORD your God."
Similarly,
Deuteronomy 24:19-21 reinforces this command: "When you reap the harvest in your field and forget a sheaf there, do not go back to get it. It is to be left for the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches again. What remains will be for the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow. When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. What remains will be for the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow."
Social and Theological ImplicationsThe practice of gleaning reflects the heart of God for justice, mercy, and compassion. It underscores the importance of caring for the marginalized and providing for those who are less fortunate. By instituting gleaning laws, God ensured that the community would take responsibility for its vulnerable members, promoting a sense of unity and mutual care.
Gleaning also served as a reminder to the Israelites of their dependence on God's provision. By leaving part of their harvest for others, they acknowledged that their land and its produce ultimately belonged to God. This act of obedience was a demonstration of faith and trust in God's continued blessing.
The Book of RuthThe Book of Ruth provides a vivid narrative of the practice of gleaning. Ruth, a Moabite widow, gleans in the fields of Boaz, a relative of her deceased husband. Boaz's kindness and adherence to the gleaning laws allow Ruth to gather enough grain to support herself and her mother-in-law, Naomi.
Ruth 2:2-3 states: "And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, 'Please let me go into the fields and glean heads of grain after someone in whose sight I may find favor.' 'Go ahead, my daughter,' Naomi replied. So Ruth departed and went out into the field and gleaned after the harvesters. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech."
Boaz's actions exemplify the spirit of the gleaning laws, as he goes beyond the minimum requirements by instructing his workers to leave extra grain for Ruth and ensuring her safety. This account not only highlights the practical application of gleaning but also foreshadows the redemptive work of Christ, as Boaz becomes a kinsman-redeemer for Ruth, ultimately leading to the lineage of King David and, eventually, Jesus Christ.
Contemporary ReflectionsWhile the specific agricultural practices of ancient Israel may not directly apply today, the principles behind gleaning remain relevant. Modern Christians are called to care for the poor and marginalized, reflecting God's love and justice in their communities. The spirit of gleaning can inspire acts of generosity, hospitality, and social responsibility, encouraging believers to share their resources and blessings with those in need.
Strong's Hebrew
5955. oleloth -- a gleaning... a gleaning. Transliteration: oleloth or oleloth Phonetic Spelling: (o-lay-law')
Short Definition:
gleanings.
... gleaning of the grapes, grape-
gleanings.
...3951. leqet -- a gleaning
... Word Origin from laqat Definition a gleaning NASB Word Usage gleaning (1),gleanings
(1). gleaning. From laqat; the gleaning -- gleaning. see HEBREW laqat....
3219. yalqut -- receptacle, perhaps a wallet
... a travelling pouch. From laqat; a travelling pouch (as if forgleanings):-scrip.
see HEBREW laqat. 3218, 3219. yalqut. 3220 . Strong's Numbers.
Library
The Antichrist
... by Arthur W. Pink. Author ofGleanings in Genesis, The Seven Sayings of the Saviour
on the Cross, Exposition of John's Gospel, Why Four Gospels?, etc., etc....
The Faithful Promiser.
... The following are a fewgleanings from the Promise Treasury,"a few crumbs from
"the Master's Table," which may serve to help the thoughts in the hour of...
Muhlenbberg's Pietism.
... dead," people who had not yet experienced any "true change of heart"; that in
present-day congregations one must "be content with thegleanings while looking...
This is the Reason, Then, Why Christians are Counted Public...
... Yes, and persons who are now daily brought to light as confederates or approvers
of these crimes and treasons, the still remnantgleanings after a vintage of...
A Liberal Church
... as an offering to the Lord. Thegleanings and the corners of the field
were reserved for the poor. The first fruits of the wool...
Ep. Xlvi. To Basil.
... the latter writes again.) How can any affairs of yours be mere grape-gleanings
to me, O dear and sacred friend? "What a word has...
How under Eli's Government of the Israelites Booz Married Ruth...
... kin to them, and perhaps was so pious a man as to make some provision for them,
she went out again on the days following, to gather thegleanings with Booz's...
Hearn
... and Lyrics of the Blessed Life, 1861; Poems, 1865; Morning and Evening Hymns for
the Week, 1870; Song of Sunshine, 1878; and HarvestGleanings and Gathered...
Burton
... He is the author of the commentary on St. Luke in the Expositor's Bible series of
commentaries and also ofGleanings in the Gospels and Wayside Songs, 1886....
Naomi is an Instance of a Widow Receiving Back from Her Daughter...
... 33. Does the widow Naomi seem to you of small account, who supported her widowhood
on thegleanings from another's harvest, and who, when heavy with age, was...
Thesaurus
Gleanings (8 Occurrences)... Multi-Version Concordance
Gleanings (8 Occurrences).
... are not the
gleanings of Ephraim better than the harvest of Abi-Ezer? (YLT NIV).
...Grape-gleanings (1 Occurrence)
Grape-gleanings. Grape-gatherers, Grape-gleanings. Grapes .
Multi-Version Concordance Grape-gleanings (1 Occurrence)....
Gleaning (10 Occurrences)
... The generosity of the master of the crop determined the value of thegleanings,
as the story of Ruth well illustrates (Ruth 2:16)....
Wholly (67 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 19:9 "'When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap
the corners of your field, neither shall you gather thegleanings of your...
Compassing (6 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 17:6 And left in him have beengleanings, As the compassing of an olive,
Two -- three berries on the top of a branch, Four -- five on the fruitful boughs...
Sufficiency (18 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 49:9 If gatherers have come in to thee, They do not leavegleanings, If
thieves in the night, They have destroyed their sufficiency! (YLT)....
Olive-tree (17 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 17:6 Yet there shall be left thereingleanings, as the shaking of an
olive-tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five...
Reap (35 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 19:9 "'When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap
the corners of your field, neither shall you gather thegleanings of your...
Beating (31 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 17:6 Yet there shall be left thereingleanings, as the shaking of an
olive-tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five...
Corner (60 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 19:9 "'When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap
the corners of your field, neither shall you gather thegleanings of your...
Resources
What is the meaning of gleaning in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the Feast of Weeks? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does the Bible say about seeking/granting asylum? | GotQuestions.orgGleanings: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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