In ancient Israel, the treatment of strangers, or foreigners, was a significant aspect of the Mosaic Law, reflecting the broader ethical and social values of the Israelite community. The laws concerning the gleaning of the harvest were particularly notable, as they provided for the welfare of the less fortunate, including strangers residing among the Israelites.

The practice of gleaning is rooted in several passages within the Torah, where God commands the Israelites to leave portions of their harvest for the poor and the foreigner. 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 directive underscores the importance of compassion and provision for those who are marginalized, including strangers.

Similarly, Deuteronomy 24:19-21 reiterates this command: "When you reap the harvest in your field and overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it 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. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow. When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, do not glean the vines after you. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow."

These laws served multiple purposes. They were a means of social justice, ensuring that the vulnerable members of society, including strangers, had access to basic sustenance. The Israelites were reminded of their own history as strangers in Egypt, fostering empathy and a sense of shared humanity. Exodus 22:21 commands, "You must not exploit or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt."

The account of Ruth, a Moabite woman, provides a practical example of these laws in action. Ruth 2:2-3 describes how Ruth, a foreigner, was able to glean in the fields of Boaz, an Israelite, highlighting the inclusivity and provision embedded in the law: "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."

The laws concerning gleaning reflect a divine mandate for generosity and care for the stranger, emphasizing the broader biblical principle of loving one's neighbor. These provisions were not merely acts of charity but were integrated into the agricultural and economic practices of Israel, ensuring that the needs of the stranger were met with dignity and respect.Leviticus 19:10
And you shall not glean your vineyard, neither shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Leviticus 23:22
And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not make clean riddance of the corners of your field when you reap, neither shall you gather any gleaning of your harvest: you shall leave them to the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Deuteronomy 24:19-22
When you cut down your harvest in your field, and have forgot a sheaf in the field, you shall not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

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