Leviticus 23:22

22 When you reap the harvest of your land, you are not to reap all the way to the edge of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the foreign resident;[a] I am the Lord your God."

Leviticus 23:22 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 23:22

And when ye reap the harvest of your land
This law is repeated from ( Leviticus 19:9 Leviticus 19:10 ) ; and as Aben Ezra observes, the feast of weeks being the feast of the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, it is repeated, that they might not forget what God had commanded them to do at that time, namely, to leave somewhat for the poor; and the Jewish writers F1 observe, that this law, being put among the solemn feasts of the passover, pentecost, and tabernacles, and the beginning of the year, and the day of atonement, teaches, that he that observes it, and leaves the corner of the field and the gleanings to the poor, it is as if he built the sanctuary, and offered his sacrifices in the midst of it; but a much better reason may be given for it, which was, to teach them that when they expressed their thankfulness to God, they should exercise charity and liberality to the poor;

thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when
thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest:
(See Gill on Leviticus 19:9);

thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I [am] the
Lord your God; (See Gill on Leviticus 19:10).


FOOTNOTES:

F1 In Torat Cohenim, apud Yalkut in loc. & Jarchi.

Leviticus 23:22 In-Context

20 The priest will wave the lambs with the bread of firstfruits as a presentation offering before the Lord; the bread and the two lambs will be holy to the Lord for the priest.
21 On that same day you are to make a proclamation and hold a sacred assembly. You are not to do any daily work. This is to be a permanent statute wherever you live throughout your generations
22 When you reap the harvest of your land, you are not to reap all the way to the edge of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the foreign resident; I am the Lord your God."
23 The Lord spoke to Moses:
24 "Tell the Israelites: In the seventh month, on the first [day] of the month, you are to have a day of complete rest, commemoration and jubilation-a sacred assembly.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Lv 19:9-10; Ac 6:1; 11:29
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