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17 You must not pervert justice[a] due a resident foreigner or an orphan, or take a widow’s garment as security for a loan. 18 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I am commanding you to do all this. 19 Whenever you reap your harvest in your field and leave some unraked grain there,[b] you must not return to get it; it should go to the resident foreigner, orphan, and widow so that the Lord your God may bless all the work you do.[c] 20 When you beat your olive tree you must not repeat the procedure;[d] the remaining olives belong to the resident foreigner, orphan, and widow. 21 When you gather the grapes of your vineyard you must not do so a second time;[e] they should go to the resident foreigner, orphan, and widow. 22 Remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt; therefore, I am commanding you to do all this.

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 24:17 sn Besides not oppressing the resident foreigner (גֵּר; ger) (Exod 22:21; Deut 24:14, 17; 27:19), Israel was told to love them (Lev 19:33-34; Deut 10:18-19).
  2. Deuteronomy 24:19 tn Heb “in the field.”
  3. Deuteronomy 24:19 tn Heb “of your hands.” This law was later applied in the story of Ruth who, as a poor widow, was allowed by generous Boaz to glean in his fields (Ruth 2:1-13).
  4. Deuteronomy 24:20 tn Heb “knock down after you.”
  5. Deuteronomy 24:21 tn Heb “glean after you.”

17 Do not be unfair to a ·foreigner [resident alien] or an orphan. Don’t take a widow’s coat ·to make sure she pays you back [as a pledge; 24:10–13]. 18 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt, and the Lord your God ·saved [ransomed; redeemed] you from there. That is why I am commanding you to do this.

19 When you are ·gathering [reaping] your harvest in the field and ·leave behind [L forget] a bundle of grain, don’t go back and get it. Leave it there for ·foreigners [resident aliens], orphans, and widows so that the Lord your God can bless everything you do [Ruth 2]. 20 When you beat your olive trees to knock the olives off, don’t ·beat the trees a second time. Leave […strip] what is left for ·foreigners [resident aliens], orphans, and widows. 21 When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, don’t ·pick the vines a second time [glean what is left]. Leave what is left for foreigners [resident aliens], orphans, and widows. 22 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt; that is why I am commanding you to do this [Ex. 23:11; Lev. 19:9–10; 23:22].

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17 Do not deprive the foreigner or the fatherless(A) of justice,(B) or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge. 18 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt(C) and the Lord your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this.

19 When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it.(D) Leave it for the foreigner,(E) the fatherless and the widow,(F) so that the Lord your God may bless(G) you in all the work of your hands. 20 When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time.(H) Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. 21 When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. 22 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. That is why I command you to do this.(I)

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