Gleaning is an agricultural practice mentioned in the Bible, primarily in the context of the Old Testament. It refers to the act 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 social and religious fabric of ancient Israelite society and is associated with themes of charity, justice, and provision for the poor and marginalized.

Biblical Foundation

The concept of gleaning is established in the Mosaic Law, where it is presented as a divine commandment to ensure the welfare of the less fortunate. In Leviticus 19:9-10 , the Israelites are instructed: "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 reiterates 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."

These passages highlight the importance of leaving portions of the harvest for those in need, reflecting God's concern for social justice and compassion.

Historical and Cultural Context

In ancient Israel, agriculture was the backbone of the economy, and the majority of the population was involved in farming. The practice of gleaning provided a means for the poor, widows, orphans, and foreigners to sustain themselves. It was a form of social welfare that allowed the needy to maintain their dignity by working for their food rather than relying solely on charity.

The Book of Ruth provides a vivid narrative of gleaning in action. Ruth, a Moabite widow, gleans in the fields of Boaz, a relative of her deceased husband. 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 kindness and adherence to the gleaning laws not only provide for Ruth and Naomi but also set the stage for Ruth's eventual marriage to Boaz, which is significant in the lineage of King David and ultimately, Jesus Christ.

Theological Significance

Gleaning is more than an agricultural practice; it is a tangible expression of God's covenantal love and justice. It underscores the biblical principle that the land ultimately belongs to God, and His people are stewards of His creation. By commanding the Israelites to leave portions of their harvest for the needy, God instills a sense of community responsibility and compassion.

The practice of gleaning also foreshadows the New Testament teachings on generosity and care for the poor. Jesus' ministry often emphasized helping the marginalized, and the early church continued this tradition of caring for those in need.

In summary, gleaning in the Bible is a profound example of God's provision and care for all people, particularly the vulnerable, and serves as a model for social justice and charity within the community of faith.Gleaning

The gleaning of fruit trees, as well as of corn-fields, was reserved for the poor. [CORNER]

1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Glean.

2. (n.) The act of gathering after reapers; that which is collected by gleaning.

GLEANING

glen'-ing (laqat, `alal): The custom of allowing the poor to follow the reapers in the field and glean the fallen spears of grain is strikingly illustrated in the story of Ruth (Ruth 2:2-23). This custom had back of it one of the early agricultural laws of the Hebrews (Leviticus 19:9; Leviticus 23:22 Deuteronomy 24:19-21). Breaking this law was a punishable offense. The generosity of the master of the crop determined the value of the gleanings, as the story of Ruth well illustrates (Ruth 2:16). A reaper could easily impose upon the master by leaving too much for the gleaners, who might be his own children. The old Levitical law no longer holds in the land, but the custom of allowing the poor to glean in the grain fields and vineyards is still practiced by generous landlords in Syria. The writer has seen the reapers, even when they exercised considerable care, drop from their hands frequent spears of wheat. When the reapers have been hirelings they have carelessly left bunches of wheat standing behind rocks or near the boundary walls. The owner usually sends one of his boy or girl helpers to glean these. If he is of a generous disposition, he allows some needy woman to follow after the reapers and benefit by their carelessness. It is the custom in some districts, after the main crop of grapes has been gathered, to remove the watchman and allow free access to the vineyards for gleaning the last grapes.

Gideon touched the local pride of the men of Ephraim when he declared that the glory of their conquest surpassed his, as the gleanings of their vineyards did the whole crop of Abiezer (Judges 8:2). Gleaned is used of a captured enemy in Judges 20:45.

Figurative: Israel, because of her wickedness, will be utterly destroyed, even to a thorough gleaning and destruction of those who first escape (Jeremiah 6:9). The same picture of complete annihilation is given in Jeremiah 49:9, 10.

James A. Patch

3951. leqet -- a gleaning
... 3950, 3951. leqet. 3952 . a gleaning. Transliteration: leqet Phonetic
Spelling: (leh'-ket) Short Definition: gleaning. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/3951.htm - 6k

5955. oleloth -- a gleaning
... a gleaning. Transliteration: oleloth or oleloth Phonetic Spelling: (o-lay-law')
Short Definition: gleanings. ... gleaning of the grapes, grape-gleanings. ...
/hebrew/5955.htm - 6k

3491. yethur -- range
... Word Origin another reading for tur, qv. range Passive participle of yathar; properly,
what is left, ie (by implication) a gleaning -- range. see HEBREW yathar. ...
/hebrew/3491.htm - 5k

3950. laqat -- to pick or gather up, glean
... Word Origin a prim. root Definition to pick or gather up, glean NASB Word Usage
gather (15), gathered (8), glean (8), gleaned (4), gleaning (1), picked (1). ...
/hebrew/3950.htm - 6k

Boaz and Ruth.
... When Naomi returned to Bethlehem she was poor. The poor were allowed at harvest
time to follow the reapers; gleaning or gathering up the stray ears of corn. ...
/.../anonymous/mother stories from the old testament/boaz and ruth.htm

On the Words, and Rose Again from the Dead on the Third Day, and ...
... Prepare thyself, be rising at the dawn: all their gleaning is destroyed [1686] :
the gleaning, that is, of the Jews, with whom there is not a cluster, nay not ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/lecture xiv on the words.htm

The Story of Ruth, the Gleaner
... the reapers had left. It so happened that she was gleaning in the field
that belonged to Boaz, this rich man. Boaz came out from ...
/.../marshall/the wonder book of bible stories/the story of ruth the.htm

Ruth, the Gleaner
... should help her. He would begin by helping the sweet-faced daughter-in-
law who had chanced to come gleaning upon his land. So he ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/steedman/the babe in the bulrushes/ruth the gleaner.htm

Ruth
... Then he saw Ruth, who had happened to light upon his field, gleaning after the reapers,
and found out who she was, and bid her glean without fear, and abide by ...
/.../kingsley/the water of life and other sermons/sermon x ruth.htm

God, when one Believes in Him as You and I Do...
... of others with property only sufficient for their needs; there are some, finally,
without any personal possession but their hands, and gleaning for themselves ...
/.../lamartine/atheism among the people/v god when one believes.htm

The Son of the Maker is Like unto his Father as Maker!
... [460] She hasted and was a heifer to Boaz, that should bring forth Thee, the fatted
Calf. She went gleaning for her love of Thee; she gathered straw. ...
/.../ephraim/hymns and homilies of ephraim the syrian/hymn vii the son of.htm

The Pharisees' Sabbath and Christ's
... Moses had not forbidden such gleaning, but the casuistry which had spun its
multitudinous webs over the law, hiding the gold beneath their dirty films, had ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/the pharisees sabbath and christs.htm

Judges and Ruth.
... II. The Return to Jerusalem, 1:6-22. III. Ruth and Boaz, Chs.2-4. 1. Gleaning the
fields of Boaz, Ch.2. 2. Ruth married to Boaz, Chs.3-4. A. A bold act, Ch.3. ...
/.../the way of salvation in the lutheran church/chapter vii judges and ruth.htm

The Kingdom Conquering
... this book? 3. Write a paragraph of one hundred words about gleaning, based
upon this book and other portions of Scripture. 4. In ...
/.../palmer/a birds-eye view of the bible/iii the kingdom conquering.htm

Gleaning (10 Occurrences)
... 1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Glean. 2. (n.) The act of gathering after reapers; that
which is collected by gleaning. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. GLEANING. ...
/g/gleaning.htm - 12k

Grape (20 Occurrences)
... Isn't the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? ... If
grape pickers came to you, wouldn't they leave some gleaning grapes? ...
/g/grape.htm - 13k

Reaping (10 Occurrences)
... In John's vision he saw an angel reap the earth (Revelation 14:15, 16). See
AGRICULTURE; GLEANING. James A. Patch. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/r/reaping.htm - 13k

Grape-gatherers (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Grape-gatherers (2 Occurrences). Jeremiah 49:9 If
grape-gatherers came to thee, would they not leave some gleaning grapes? ...
/g/grape-gatherers.htm - 7k

Pickers (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Pickers (2 Occurrences). Jeremiah 49:9 If grape gatherers
came to you, would they not leave some gleaning grapes? ...
/p/pickers.htm - 7k

Grapes (74 Occurrences)
... (BBE). Judges 8:2 He said to them, "What have I now done in comparison with you?
Isn't the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? ...
/g/grapes.htm - 31k

Ruth (19 Occurrences)
... At Bethlehem Ruth employed herself in gleaning in the field during the harvest and
was noticed by Boaz, the owner of the field, a near kinsman of her father-in ...
/r/ruth.htm - 26k

Thieves (25 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). Jeremiah 49:9 If grape gatherers
came to you, would they not leave some gleaning grapes? ...
/t/thieves.htm - 14k

Gleanings (8 Occurrences)

/g/gleanings.htm - 9k

Wouldn't (67 Occurrences)
... your commandments. (WEB). Jeremiah 49:9 If grape gatherers came to you,
would they not leave some gleaning grapes? if thieves by ...
/w/wouldn't.htm - 26k

What is the meaning of gleaning in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Topical: Biblical Culture ' Article Index | GotQuestions.org

Who was Ruth in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Gleaning: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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