Glean Definition
Have you ever wondered what it meant when you heard a fellow believer say, “I’ve gleaned so much from the Bible.”? You may actually be gleaning from the Bible and may not even realize it. The Merriam Webster dictionary defines the word glean as to obtain, to get, to draw, to take. It was first used in the English language in the early 14th century with the definition of “to gather by acquisition, scrape together,” andthe Hebrew root word originates from “laqat,” according to BibleHub.com.
Gleaning in the Bible
The biblical concept of gleaning is first found in Leviticus 19:9. When wheat and barley fields were ready to be harvested, some of the grain was allowed to fall to the ground so that the poor could gather what they needed for provision. Israelite law also required that the corners of the fields were not to be harvested. The purpose of the law was to feed the poor, the orphans, the widows, and the foreigners. It served as a safety net and resource.
“When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the LORD your God” (Leviticus 19:9-10).
Gleaning Example 1: Ruth
Gleaning the fields are central to the story of Ruth found in the Old Testament. Ruth was a Moabite, widowed daughter-in-law of the widow Naomi. To prevent starvation, Ruth gleaned the fields of Boaz: “And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, ‘Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.’ Naomi said to her, ‘Go ahead, my daughter,’” (Ruth 2:2).
The example is found again in Ruth 2:23 “So she stayed close by the maids of Boaz in order to glean until the end of the barley harvest and the wheat harvest. And she lived with her mother-in-law.”
Because Ruth was a widow, she had no husband to provide for her. She took the initiative and went out into the fields to take care of herself and Naomi. She was not afraid of admitting her need or working hard. Furthermore, she made this effort as a foreigner among Naomi’s people.
Gleaning Example 2: Imagery of Devastation
Gleaning however also had negative connotations. It was used figuratively to describe how men who fled from battle were killed.
“And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them,” (Judges 20:45, KJV).
While the book of Jeremiah, used the word differently, it took on the imagery of complete devastation when the Israelites had been stripped of its possessions because of their disobedience to God.
“This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Let them glean the remnant of Israel as thoroughly as a vine; pass your hand over the branches again, like one gathering grapes,’” (Jeremiah 6:9, KJV).
The prophet Isaiah applied gleaning symbolically about the ultimate day of judgment: “In that day from the river Euphrates to the Brook of Egypt the LORD will thresh out the grain, and you will be gleaned one by one, O people of Israel,” (Isaiah 27:12, ESV).
Is Gleaning Still Relevant Today?
Here are two ways modern Christians can practice the biblical concept of gleaning.
1. Allow Others to Glean from Your Abundance.
Throughout Scripture we see God blessing people and promising to bless people. But abundance isn’t only for the wealthy. As we turn back to the book of Ruth, Boaz set this example. He was wealthy and richly blessed. When he learned of Ruth’s story and her dedication to her mother-in-law Naomi, he instructed his field workers to drop extra grain on the ground for Ruth to collect. Boaz is an ancient example of sharing abundance that modern Christians can apply today.
People often talk about God doing “exceeding abundantly, beyond all we can ask or think (Ephesians 3:20, KJV). What does this look like in your current lifestyle? What corners of your field or extra margins could you share?
- It could be sharing your talents and gifts with the church by leading a Bible study.
- It could be giving your extra time to disciple third grade girls on a Wednesday night.
- It could be bringing groceries to the local food pantry.
- It could be giving free space or donations to non-profits if you’re a business owner.
The commandment of gleaning reflects God’s desire for people of means to create opportunities for the poor and marginalized to be productive and contribute to their own well-being. In the Bible, gleaning created a safety net for those who are in need.
Business owners like Eric Strumberg of TengoInternet are finding that gleaning is a timeless commmand and a good businesses model. At TengoInternet, owner Eric Stumberg followed Boaz’s example by inviting gleaners to share his office space.
“This is what the kingdom of God looks like,” Stumberg told Christianity Today. “It’s like Boaz—he got people to notice the dignity of the gleaners.”
Stumberg felt compelled to intentionally leave office space open for nonprofits. In the Christianity Today article, authors Bruce Baker and Tom Parks indenfity five components of modern day gleaning:
“(1) establishing shared spaces, (2) inviting people from the margins into these shared spaces, (3) cultivating transformation in those spaces by confronting cycles of injustice, (4) allowing incarnational relationships to transform employees and the company, and (5) allowing the company and its people to transform its stakeholders and thereby the greater community.”
2. Glean from God’s Word.
We glean from the Bible too. We gather, we acquire, we obtain and extract. And what we acquire becomes a provision of God’s word for our spiritual nourishment. It becomes words to live by. It applies to us today because like Ruth, we are among foreigners, gleaning the living word of God to sustain us as we apply his truth and teachings in a fallen world. However, we can only gather what we glean on a daily basis. We must keep in mind the latter references that God will glean us one by one, threshing out the righteous from the unrighteous.
We should take note that we will glean different concepts, lessons, and boundaries, depending on the season we are in. Notice that Ruth gathered for the whole harvesting season. From March to May, she gathered barley and gathered wheat from May through July. As we grow in our faith, we will have different seasons of harvest. Like Ruth, we need to stay in the fields with other experienced believers in order to glean what we can from their wisdom. In Ruth 2:8, we see the wisdom and example set for Ruth in this manner. The Lord might say to you what Boaz said to Ruth; “Listen my daughter, do not go and glean in any other field, and do not go away from here, but stay close by my maidens.”
Gleaning in the Bible is an important concept believers should take to heart and remember each time we open the word of God, ask Him what He wants you to glean from His Word today.
Heather Riggleman calls Nebraska home (Hey, it’s not for everyone) with her three kids and husband of 20 years. She writes to bring bold truths to marriage, career, mental health, faith, relationships, celebration and heartache. Heather is a former national award-winning journalist and is the author of Mama Needs a Time Out and Let’s Talk About Prayer. Her work has been featured on Proverbs 31 Ministries, MOPS, Today's Christian Woman and Focus On the Family. You can find her at www.heatherriggleman.com.
Photo Credit: Unsplash/Paz Arando
