Deuteronomy 24:19
in Deuteronomy 24If you are harvesting in your field and forget a sheaf there, do not go back to get it. It is to be left for the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
When thou reapest thy harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the sojourner, for the fatherless, and for the widow; that Jehovah thy God may bless thee in all the work of thy hands.
KJV
When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.
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This verse in Deuteronomy 24
Commentary
7 notes on this verseWhen thou cuttest down thine harvest - This is an addition to the law, Lev 19:9; Lev 23:22. The corners of the field, the gleanings, and the forgotten sheaf, were all the property of the poor. This the Hebrews extended to any part of the fruit or produce of a field, which had been forgotten in the time of general ingathering, as appears from the concluding verses of this chapter.
This site's exposition
When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field
on Deuteronomy 24:19-22
Leviticus 19:9-10 and 23:22 left the corners of the field and the gleanings, and this adds the sheaf a man forgot, so what is lost by accident becomes the portion of the poor. Ruth 2 is the same law in operation, since Ruth is both a stranger and a widow, two of the three named here, and Boaz at 2:16 orders handfuls let fall on purpose, which is past what the statute asks. The chapter closes on the ground verse 18 gave, that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
[Of old,] it was wicked and unlawful to gather the sheaves left after the harvest, or to glean the vines after the vintage or to gather up the olives that remain after the trees were picked, because these things were to be left for the …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
"Say not, 'What should the poor do with grapes and olives? It is enough for them to have bread and water;' for, since they have the same senses that the rich have, why should not they have so me little share of the delights of sense?" Boaz ordered handfuls of corn to be left on purpose for Ruth, and God blessed him. All that is left is not lost.
4 Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the L ORD : and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the L ORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. This is that permission which the Pharisees erroneously referred to as a precept, Matt. xix.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:27w-of-64
When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field--The grain, pulled up by the roots or cut down with a sickle, was laid in loose sheaves; the fruit of the olive was obtained by striking the branches with long poles; and the grape clusters, severed by a hook, were gathered in the hands of the vintager. Here is a beneficent provision for the poor.
The words behind it
21 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֣י | ki | if | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| תִקְצֹר֩ | tiktzor | you will harvest | H7114 → | |
| קְצִֽירְךָ֨ | ketzirecha | harvest your | H7105 → | |
| בְשָׂדֶ֜ךָ | vesadekha | in field your | H7704 → | 334 times |
| וְשָֽׁכַחְתָּ֧ | veshakhachta | and you will forget | H7911 → | 102 times |
| עֹ֣מֶר | ʾomer | a sheaf | H6016 → | |
| בַּשָּׂדֶ֗ה | basadeh | in the field | H7704 → | 334 times |
| לֹ֤א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תָשׁוּב֙ | tashuv | you will return | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| לְקַחְתּ֔וֹ | lekachto | to fetch it | H3947 → | 966 times |
| לַגֵּ֛ר | lager | to the sojourner | H1616 → | 92 times |
| לַיָּת֥וֹם | laiyatom | to the fatherless one | H3490 → | 42 times |
| וְלָאַלְמָנָ֖ה | velaalmanah | and to the widow | H490 → | 56 times |
| יִהְיֶ֑ה | yihyeh | it will belong | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לְמַ֤עַן | lemaan | so that | H4616 → | 272 times |
| יְבָרֶכְךָ֙ | yevarekha | he may bless you | H1288 → | 330 times |
| יְהוָ֣ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ | ʾeloheikha | God your | H430 → | 2601 times |
| בְּכֹ֖ל | bekhol | in all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה | maaseh | [the] work of | H4639 → | 236 times |
| יָדֶֽיךָ׃ | yadeikha | hands your | H3027 → | 1618 times |
כִּ֣יif
kiH3588 →4482 times
תִקְצֹר֩you will harvest
tiktzorH7114 →
קְצִֽירְךָ֨harvest your
ketzirechaH7105 →
בְשָׂדֶ֜ךָin field your
vesadekhaH7704 →334 times
וְשָֽׁכַחְתָּ֧and you will forget
veshakhachtaH7911 →102 times
עֹ֣מֶרa sheaf
ʾomerH6016 →
בַּשָּׂדֶ֗הin the field
basadehH7704 →334 times
לֹ֤אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
תָשׁוּב֙you will return
tashuvH7725 →1056 times
לְקַחְתּ֔וֹto fetch it
lekachtoH3947 →966 times
לַגֵּ֛רto the sojourner
lagerH1616 →92 times
לַיָּת֥וֹםto the fatherless one
laiyatomH3490 →42 times
וְלָאַלְמָנָ֖הand to the widow
velaalmanahH490 →56 times
יִהְיֶ֑הit will belong
yihyehH1961 →3559 times
לְמַ֤עַןso that
lemaanH4616 →272 times
יְבָרֶכְךָ֙he may bless you
yevarekhaH1288 →330 times
יְהוָ֣הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָGod your
ʾeloheikhaH430 →2601 times
בְּכֹ֖לin all
bekholH3605 →5413 times
מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה[the] work of
maasehH4639 →236 times
יָדֶֽיךָ׃hands your
yadeikhaH3027 →1618 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 19:17Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay the lender.
it leads to
- Proverbs 28:27
Whoever gives to the poor will not be in need, but he who hides his eyes will receive many curses.
- Hebrews 6:10
For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so.
- Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured…
- 2 Corinthians 9:6–8
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
- Matthew 25:40
And the King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’
- Proverbs 28:27
Through
Leviticus 23:22When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap all the way to the edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the…
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 24:19–21
If you are harvesting in your field and forget a sheaf there, do not go back to get it. It is to be left for the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, so that…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Leviticus 19:9–10
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.
- Proverbs 11:24–25
One gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor.
- Deuteronomy 24:19–21
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Pseudo-Basil, ON MERCY AND JUSTICE.