Deuteronomy 23:24-25

Eating standing crops 23:24-25

God permitted traveling Israelites to glean the grapes and wheat from fields they passed through, but they were not to harvest their neighbors’ crops (Deuteronomy 23:24-25; cf. Matthew 12:1; Mark 2:23; Luke 6:1). Harvesting them would amount to stealing them. Here is another way in which the Israelites were to love their neighbors as themselves.

God’s people should be gracious toward the needy and should not abuse the graciousness of their brethren (cf. Hebrews 13:5; 1 Timothy 6:8).