Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

GLEANING

The practice of gathering, mainly food. It is most often recognized in connection with the story of Ruth and Naomi (Ruth 2) where Ruth gleaned in the fields of Boaz to provide food for her mother-in-law Naomi and herself. The Torah makes provision for those in need (the poor, fatherless, aliens, widows) by commanding that the last bits of harvest be intentionally left for gleaners (Lev. 19:9-10; 23:22; Deut. 24:21).

Elsewhere, gleaning refers to a practice of collecting items that were originally put in place by someone other than the collector: the Israelites in the wilderness glean bread rained from heaven (Exod. 16); a prophet gleans herbs for stew and wild gourds (2 Kgs. 4:39); Joseph gleans money from Egypt and Canaan in preparation for dealing with the famine (Gen. 47:14); the Creator is thanked for all that is gleaned (Ps. 104:28); a lover gleans lilies (Cant. 6:2); Jonathan’s servant gleans arrows (1 Sam. 20:38); and others glean stones (Gen. 31:46), food scraps (Judg. 1:7), wood (Jer. 7:18), and grapes (Judg. 8:2).

Gleaning is used metaphorically in the prophetic writings, usually to generate an image of emptiness and despair (Isa. 24:13; Jer. 49:9 = Obad. 5; Mic. 7:1). In the only metaphorical use that generates a positive image, Isaiah speaks of God’s careful gleaning of each one of his people (Isa. 27:12).

Bibliography. O. Borowski, Agriculture in Iron Age Israel (Winona Lake, 1987).

Alice H. Hudiburg







Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)

Info Language Arrow Return to Top
Prayer Tents is a Christian mission organization that serves Christians around the world and their local bodies to make disciples ("evangelize") more effectively in their communities. Prayer Tents provides resources to enable Christians to form discipleship-focused small groups and make their gatherings known so that other "interested" people may participate and experience Christ in their midst. Our Vision is to make disciples in all nations through the local churches so that anyone seeking God can come to know Him through relationships with other Christians near them.

© Prayer Tents 2024.
Prayer Tents Facebook icon Prayer Tents Twitter icon Prayer Tents Youtube icon Prayer Tents Linkedin icon