The Gleanings Must Be Left For The Poor (Deuteronomy 24:19-22).
One of Yahweh's means of ensuring provision for the poor in the land would be that Israelite farmers out of their prosperity were to leave in their fields, vineyards and orchards the remnants of what was gathered, which are termed ‘the gleanings'. A description was now given of these in rhythmic form.
“ When you reap your harvest in your field,
And have forgotten a sheaf in the field,
You shall not go again to fetch it.
It shall be for the resident alien,
For the fatherless, and for the widow,
That Yahweh your God may bless you,
In all the work of your hands.
When you beat your olive-tree,
You shall not go over the boughs again.
It shall be for the resident alien,
For the fatherless, and for the widow.
When you gather the grapes of your vineyard,
You shall not glean it after you,
It shall be for the resident alien,
For the fatherless, and for the widow.”
We have presented it in this way in order to bring out the pattern. Each section ends with, ‘it (the gleanings) shall be for the resident alien, for the fatherless and for the widow'. But above that in each case is described a type of gleanings.
Firstly came the grain harvest. When harvesting the grain and producing the sheaves in the field, which were then gathered in, a sheaf might easily be overlooked here and there because there was so much. This sheaf was to be left as gleanings. And in fact some further gleanings were to be left in the corners of the fields (Leviticus 19:9) and any that was dropped in gathering must be left (Leviticus 23:22). Compare here Ruth 2. This was so that Yahweh their God might see it and as a result bless them in the work of their hands.
Then came the olive gathering. The branches would be beaten in order to bring down the olives. But some obstinate olives would stay in place. They were not to make another attempt. What remained was to be left as gleanings. When gathering the grapes, which would be done swiftly and expertly, every now and then a bunch might escape notice. These were to be left as gleanings (compare Leviticus 19:10).
‘ But you shall remember that you were a bondsman in Egypt, and Yahweh your God redeemed you from there. Therefore I command you to do this thing.'
And they should do this because they remembered that they were bondsmen in Egypt, and had through it learned compassion for those worse off than themselves. And that is why they were commanded to do this thing.
Note how this phrase, ‘you shall remember that you were a bondsman in the land of Egypt' connects the perverting of justice for the weak and helpless (Deuteronomy 24:17 with Deuteronomy 24:18) with the leaving of gleanings for the weak and helpless (Deuteronomy 24:19-21 with Deuteronomy 24:22). Their experiences were to give them compassion for the weak and helpless in every way.