The gleaning laws found in Leviticus and Deuteronomy were part of an overall system of political economy that God laid out for the Israelites. In Hebrew, to glean is the word “alal”, and a grape gleaner is referred to as “olelah.” The same word is also used in Arabic to represent a second drink to quench the remaining thirst that one might have after his first long drink. Generally, the law of gleaning describes the Bible's command to landowners, requiring them to leave excess to the poor in order to give them an opportunity to work for food. This commandment was given to show care for the poor and marginalized, specifically "the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow" (Deut. 24:19-21).
Laws benefiting the poor were also common outside of Israel. In fact, the practice of gleaning itself existed in Egypt and elsewhere in the Ancient Near East. Evidence of gleaning can be found in the Sumerian Famer’s Almanac (lines 79-86). Here, it is assumed that there would be gleaners during harvest time, and certain limits were placed to regulate their activity. Also, in the same section, the harvester is exhorted to leave fallen ears of barley on the ground for needy people with the promised reward of divine blessing. It should be noted, however, that only the regulations of Israel extended this treatment to the resident foreigner, not just the poor. This was yet another way that God’s people were to be distinct from the surrounding nations. Additionally, "Heathen peoples sometimes had regulations like these in order that some (crops) would be left for the gods, or the demons, but nothing like that is here, for Israel did not conceive of God as needing earthly food."
The law concerning gleaning is first found in Leviticus 19:9-10 and i...
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... not be done generally, not what should be done specifically.
First, this law suggests that all compassion, especially in dealing with possessions, is based on the principle that God owns the earth (Psalms 24:1). As stated previously, primary ownership of everything created belongs to God. He is entitled to establish any requirement He deems appropriate, and His subordinates are compelled to obey. Outside of God, all other ownership is secondary and derivative. This is important to remember, especially as giving and tithing is reflected upon. Another application that can be derived from this law is that God expects the more successful members of society to willingly provide charitable opportunities to the poor in order to help improve their overall condition. This can be directly applied to modern society. While the land was the primary economic tool of that day,
John Stapleford’s book, Bulls, Bears, and Golden Calves, provides a thorough overview with a Christian perspective of economic and ethical analysis. He reviews the moral challenges of macro, micro, and international economic issues. Stapleford covers a variety of important public policy issues such as self-interest, economic efficiency, and private property rights. He begins the book by laying a foundation of ethical thought and an analytical framework. Stapleford provides a Biblical perspective on the practical issues facing our current society. For example, there are three billion people in the world who live on less than $2 a day (Stapleford, 2009). The wealthy Americans continue to get richer. The greed and lawlessness of America’s corporate boardrooms is increasing. Legalized gambling continues to increase every year. The expansion of pornography and its accessibility to America’s younger generations has become a rapidly growing epidemic (Stapleford, 2009). This text is grounded solidly in biblical principles. A number of the problems he discusses are not specifically addressed in the Bible, but one of the author's strengths is to develop a Christian rationale for contemporary issues, based on biblical principles. An example of this skill is found in his forceful chapter on "False Hope . . . The Boom in Legalized Gambling" (Stapleford, 2009).
of solid use only those that provided luxury or perishables. They hungered so much for it that
“Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth…” (Exodus 22:16) . In the Code of Hammurabi, it says, “If a man put out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put out” (HC 196) Both are in agreeance that what has been taken, should be given, and what is done, should be done to the other. In many regards, it is to be given back in double or triple fold. “If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man’s house; if the thief be found, let him pay double,” as said in the law of Moses. (Exodus 22:7) An interesting aspect of the law of Moses are the sacrifices that can be performed to cleanse sins or transgressions. “And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.” (Leviticus 1:4) These can be a mediator in cleansing past wrongs. On the other side, many laws like those listed in the previous paragraph are harsher in the Law of Moses versus Hammurabi’s code while ones like this code, “If any one steal the property of a temple or of the court, he shall be put to death.”(HC 6) In the law of Moses, only the law that though shall not steal along with some sub rules where you pay back are
The Book of Job is one of the three books in the Hebrew bible whose genre is described as wisdom literature.1 Certainly the Book of Job satisfies the literary conventions that qualify a biblical book for such status. 2 Yet Job may be associated with wisdom in a much more literal sense. The Book of Job attempts to deal with a problematic question that confronts suffering humanity: why do bad things happen to good people? The variety and vehemence of commentators' contemporary responses to this chapter of the Bible is testament to the continued relevance of the Book of Job's wisdom thousands of years after it was written. Although the commentators examined herein arrive at differing and sometimes conflicting conclusions after reading the story of "the holy Arab"3, none are left indifferent.
Dr. Richards develops the claim about the importance of loving your neighbor by first writing about his personal anecdote. He talks about how he began to understand the patterns in the Bible, which was “God’s abiding concern for the poor,” and how God awaits us to be concerned about the poor. By stating those patterns, the author emphasizes the importance of caring for the poor. Then, he inserts evidences to support his claim about God’s concern using some Bible verses such as Matthew 22:34-40 and Luke 10:30-35; the author uses these two verses to explain how “love your neighbor as yourself” is
The Bible clearly explains the role of government in society and the framers of our nation built America on Biblical principles. Since economics is the science that deals with production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, Christian economics entails how men use God-given resources, ideas, and energy to meet their human needs and to glorify the Lord. Christianity produces internal liberty in man, which is the foundation for a Christian economy. The internal change of heart that Christ brings produces Christian character and self-government which is necessary for an economy to be prosperous. Christian character and self-government produce people who do not steal, who have a strong work ethic, and who save and invest to
1985. “An Interpretation of Sacrifice in Leviticus” in Anthropological Approaches to the Old Testament. Ed., Bernhard Lane.
Throughout time, food has always played a large role in every day life. One aspect of life that food really plays a large role in is religious life. It is important to recognize that the first commandment that God gave to us was a restriction on eating. Many religions have dietary laws or restrictions that explain to the people of their religion what they can and cannot eat. The first commandments that God gave to us were related to eating. In the Bible, we see the Mosaic dietary laws. These laws were set and regulated by Moses, as explained by God’s law. The Old Testament is full of restrictions regarding food consumption and what types of foods should not be consumed. I will be further examining the Mosaic dietary laws and the role they continue to play in the modern-day and in many people lives.
In understanding the Mosaic dietary laws maintained in the books of the Old Testament, it is necessary to consider the early restrictions placed on certain types of food consumption, the restrictions outlined by Moses for the people of God, and the implications of these eating restrictions both then and in the modern era. What must be recognized is that “To this day, these rules—with variations, but always guided by Mosaic laws—are followed by many orthodox Jews” (2). Jewish religious practices, then, are based not only in their ancestral ordinances, but in the specificity of Mosaic law in terms of dietary limitations and circumcision (3). Relating the significance, then, of early restrictions and their application to Mosaic law, as well as an understanding of the role of Moses, are elements important in understanding Mosaic dietary laws.
The stronger will do anything in their power to make a profit, leaving the weak with nothing. Kuyper says, “…the more powerful exploited the weaker by means of a weapon against which there was no defense” (Kuyper, Abraham, and James W. Skillen 26). Additionally, he states that “…the idolization of money killed the nobility in the human heart” (Kuyper, Abraham, and James W. Skillen 31). Kuyper talks about how Jesus felt bad for the rich and sided with the poor (Kuyper, Abraham, and James W. Skillen 32). Matthew 6:19-21 says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Earthly materials mean nothing because the real treasure awaits in
The laws in Exodus were given to the Israelites in order for them to function as a society. Slavery along with the Lex Talionis protected the person’s right and provided some form of human dignity and justice. As society changed, the initial purpose for slavery and the Lex Talionis changed and became distorted. Although slavery and justice have differed from the meaning of ancient times, one can still observed some relationship between these customs and issues.
While Exodus gives rules that govern certain aspect of society, Genesis gives a reason for these beliefs and value. Exodus places many rules protecting live stock but not crops, Genesis show God favored the meat offering rather than the fruit offering; thus revealing a society that value meat over vegetation. The Hebrew society also saw men superior over women. Genesis explain this gender inequality by saying that Eve was created from Adam and she is the reason for the fall of humanity, thus, deserving of her punishment to be under the control of her husband. Also, with a society that have rules protecting slaves, Genesis provides these citizens with reasoning why slavery came into existence. This society values animals, male dominance, slavery, but most importantly religion; therefore, literature like The Book of Genesis was created to state why these values came into existence using religious
Cindy Pereyra The Pentateuch Dr. Luther 5 May 2014 Deuteronomy Study Assignment 1. Read Deuteronomy 16:18-20. a. Describe the requirements of judges in Israel based on this passage. In this passage, the requirements of judges in Israel are shown. The people are told to appoint judges and officers for themselves in all the towns that the Lord is giving to them according to their tribes.
Clifford, Richard J., A Commentary by… Proverbs, The Old Testament Library. Editorial Advisory Board; James L. Mays, Carol A. Newsom, David I. Petersen. Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville, Kentucky, 1999.