In biblical times, the concept of "sweepings" is often associated with agricultural practices and the laws concerning gleaning. The term refers to the remnants or leftovers of a harvest that are not collected during the initial gathering. These remnants were of particular importance in the socio-economic and religious life of ancient Israel, as they were directly linked to the care for the poor and the stranger.

Biblical References and Context

The primary biblical reference to sweepings can be found in the context of the Mosaic Law, which provided specific instructions on how the Israelites were to handle their harvests. In Leviticus 19:9-10 , the law states: "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."

This passage highlights the principle of leaving behind the sweepings or gleanings for those in need. The Israelites were commanded not to harvest the edges of their fields or to go back over their fields a second time to collect what was missed. This practice ensured that the poor, the widows, the orphans, and the foreigners residing among them could gather food for themselves.

Cultural and Theological Significance

The practice of leaving sweepings for the needy reflects the broader biblical theme of justice and compassion. It underscores the responsibility of the community to care for its vulnerable members and to act as stewards of God's provision. This principle is further illustrated in the account of Ruth, a Moabite woman who gleaned in the fields of Boaz. Ruth 2:2-3 narrates: "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."

Ruth's account exemplifies the practical application of the law concerning sweepings and highlights the kindness and generosity of Boaz, who allowed her to glean in his fields. This act of provision not only met Ruth's immediate needs but also played a crucial role in God's redemptive plan, as Ruth became the great-grandmother of King David and an ancestor of Jesus Christ.

Moral and Ethical Implications

The biblical instructions regarding sweepings serve as a reminder of the importance of generosity and social responsibility. They encourage believers to consider how they can use their resources to support those in need and to create a community where everyone is cared for. The principle of leaving sweepings for the poor challenges individuals and societies to prioritize compassion and justice, reflecting God's heart for the marginalized.

In summary, the concept of sweepings in the Bible is deeply intertwined with themes of provision, community responsibility, and divine justice. It calls believers to live out their faith through acts of kindness and to ensure that the blessings they receive are shared with those who are less fortunate.(n. pl.) Things collected by sweeping; rubbish; as, the sweepings of a street.4657. skubalon -- refuse
... from 2965 , "dog" and 906 , "throw") -- properly, thrown to dogs, like filthy scraps
of garbage (table-scraps, dung, muck, sweepings); (figuratively), what is ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4657.htm - 7k

Elucidation.
... great predecessor in Patristic research (Bishop Pearson), the learned and indefatigable
Bishop Lightfoot will leave us gold-dust in the mere sweepings of his ...
/.../urbanus/the extant writings of asterius urbanus/elucidation.htm

Protest of the Princes
... Said Melanchthon: "We are the execration and the sweepings of the world; but Christ
will look down on His poor people, and will preserve them.""Ibid., b.13 ...
/.../white/the great controversy/chapter 11 protest of the.htm

Protest of the Princes.
... Said Melanchthon, "We are the execration and the sweepings of the world; but Christ
will look down on His poor people, and will preserve them."(284) The ...
/.../the great controversy between christ and satan /11 protest of the princes.htm

The Angel
... They remained in the great city; they floated about there in a small street, where
lay whole heaps of straw, ashes, and sweepings, for it had been removal-day. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/wells/bible stories and religious classics/the angel.htm

The Old Store an the New
... True, we are often brought very low; there may not be much in the barn but
sweepings, and a few stray grains scattered over the floor. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the old store an the.htm

Of the Affectionate Languishing of the Heart Wounded with Love.
... [315] As though he had said we are so abject that if the world be a palace we are
held the sweepings thereof, if the world be an apple we are its parings. ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter xv of the affectionate.htm

The "Sayings" of Pythagoras.
... severed. [665] Saron. This word also signifies "sweepings" or "refuse."
Some say it means a Chaldean or Babylonian measure. The ...
/.../the refutation of all heresies/chapter xxii the sayings of pythagoras.htm

February 7. "Faithful in that which is Least" (Luke xvi. 10).
... the cuttings of his master's great work. The sweepings of the British mint
are worth millions. The little pivots on which the works ...
/.../simpson/days of heaven upon earth /february 7 faithful in that.htm

The Box of Ointment.
... Not as many, to give Him the mere dregs and sweepings of existence"the wrecks of
a "worn and withered love""but, like Mary, anxious to take every ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/macduff/memories of bethany/xvii the box of ointment.htm

To-Morrow
... he is everything; he is perfection." To-days"they are nothing; they are the very
sweepings of the floors; but to-morrows "they are the solid gold. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/sermons on proverbs/to-morrow.htm

Sweepings (2 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n. pl.) Things collected by sweeping; rubbish; as, the
sweepings of a street. Multi-Version Concordance Sweepings (2 Occurrences). ...
/s/sweepings.htm - 7k

Sweeps (10 Occurrences)

/s/sweeps.htm - 9k

Filth (21 Occurrences)
... doings, sin, "the filth of the daughters of Zion"; compare Proverbs 30:12); in the
New Testament we have perikatharma "cleansings" "sweepings," offscourings (1 ...
/f/filth.htm - 17k

Filthiness (16 Occurrences)
... doings, sin, "the filth of the daughters of Zion"; compare Proverbs 30:12); in the
New Testament we have perikatharma "cleansings" "sweepings," offscourings (1 ...
/f/filthiness.htm - 16k

Filthy (22 Occurrences)
... doings, sin, "the filth of the daughters of Zion"; compare Proverbs 30:12); in the
New Testament we have perikatharma "cleansings" "sweepings," offscourings (1 ...
/f/filthy.htm - 16k

Dunggate
... south-west quarter. "The gate outside of which lay the piles of sweepings
and offscourings of the streets," in the valley of Tophet. ...
/d/dunggate.htm - 6k

Dung-gate (4 Occurrences)
... "The gate outside of which lay the piles of sweepings and offscourings of the
streets," in the valley of Tophet. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/d/dung-gate.htm - 8k

Shakings (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n. pl.) Deck sweepings, refuse of cordage, canvas,
etc. Multi-Version Concordance Shakings (1 Occurrence). ...
/s/shakings.htm - 6k

Sweeping (3 Occurrences)

/s/sweeping.htm - 7k

Pair (18 Occurrences)
... Amos 8:6 that we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes,
and sell the sweepings with the wheat?'" (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV ...
/p/pair.htm - 14k

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