And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.

LEVITICUS 23:22KJV
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Leviticus 23:22 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 23:22 mean?

Leviticus 23:22 commands landowners in ancient Israel not to harvest the very edges of their fields or pick up leftover crops after reaping, but to leave these for the poor and for foreigners living among them. This law ties generosity and care for the vulnerable directly to the harvest, reminding the people that their land and produce ultimately belong to God.

In Leviticus 23, God is speaking to the Israelites through Moses, giving instructions about holy days and how to honor God with their work and resources. This verse interrupts the festival instructions to emphasize social responsibility, showing that worship includes practical care for others, especially those in need.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 23:22

  • "corners" (פֵּאָה, pe'ah): This word means the edges or corners of a field. The instruction is not to harvest these areas, ensuring that some produce is always left for others.
  • "gleaning" (לֶקֶט, leqet): This refers to the bits of grain or produce that fall to the ground during harvest. The law says not to gather these leftovers, but to leave them for the poor and the stranger.
  • "poor" (עָנִי, 'ani): This word is used for those who are needy or afflicted, highlighting that the law is meant to provide for people who cannot provide for themselves.
  • "stranger" (גֵּר, ger): This term refers to a foreigner or resident alien, someone not originally from Israel but living among them. The law includes them in the community’s care.

Why Leviticus 23:22 matters

  • Leviticus 23:22 clarifies that worship of God in Israel was never just about rituals and festivals, but also about daily actions that showed kindness and justice.
  • The verse interrupts a list of sacred times to stress that generosity to the poor and outsider is as much a part of honoring God as any religious observance.
  • This law sets a pattern for practical compassion, making sure that the vulnerable always have a share in the community’s blessings, and reminding everyone that the land and its produce are gifts from God.

Where else these words appear

“gleaning” Hebrew H3951 · used in 2 verses

  • Leviticus 19:9 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest.

“gather” Hebrew H3950 · used in 34 verses

  • Genesis 31:46 And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.
  • Leviticus 19:9 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest.
  • Ruth 2:17 So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley.

“reap” Hebrew H7114 · used in 46 verses

  • Leviticus 19:9 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest.
  • Ruth 2:14 And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left.
  • Isaiah 17:5 And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; and it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim.

“harvest” Hebrew H7105 · used in 49 verses

  • Genesis 8:22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
  • 1 Samuel 8:12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.
  • Isaiah 16:9 Therefore I will bewail with the weeping of Jazer the vine of Sibmah: I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon, and Elealeh: for the shouting for thy summer fruits and for thy harvest is fallen.