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Deuteronomy Chapter Twenty-four                            

 

Deuteronomy 24 Outlines

Law Concerning Divorce (v.1~4)

Miscellaneous Laws (v.5~22)

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 24

This chapter contains various laws concerning divorces Deuteronomy 24:1; the discharge of a newly married man from war and business Deuteronomy 24:5; about taking pledges Deuteronomy 24:6; man stealing Deuteronomy 24:7; the plague of leprosy Deuteronomy 24:8; and giving servants their hire in due time Deuteronomy 24:14; concerning doing justice in capital cases and towards the stranger fatherless and widow Deuteronomy 24:16; and of charity to the poor in allowing them the forgotten sheaf and the gleanings of their oliveyards and vineyards Deuteronomy 24:19.

 

Deuteronomy 24:1   “When a man takes a wife and marries her and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some uncleanness in her and he writes her a certificate of divorce puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house

   YLT  1`When a man doth take a wife and hath married her and it hath been if she doth not find grace in his eyes (for he hath found in her nakedness of anything) and he hath written for her a writing of divorce and given [it] into her hand and sent her out of his house

When a man hath taken a wife and married her .... That is when a man has made choice of a woman for his wife and has obtained her consent and the consent of her parents; and has not only betrothed her but taken her home and consummated the marriage:

and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes; is not agreeable to him he takes no delight in her person nor pleasure in her company and conversation; but on the contrary his affections are alienated from her and he cannot bear the sight of her:

because he hath found some uncleanness in her; something that he disliked and was disagreeable to him and which made their continuance together in the marriage state very uncomfortable; which led him on to be very ill-natured severe and cruel to her; so that her life was exposed to danger or at least become very uneasy; in which case a divorce was permitted both for the badness of the man's heart and in favour of the woman that she might be freed from such rigorous usage. This word "uncleanness" does not signify adultery or any of the uncleannesses forbidden in Leviticus 18:6; because that was punishable with death when it could be proved; and where there was only a suspicion of it the husband might make use of the bitter water: though the house of Shammai seem to take it in this sense; for they say a man might not divorce his wife unless he found her in some unclean thing something dishonest and wicked and which they ground upon these words; but the house of Hillell say if she burnt his food or spoiled it by over salting or over roasting it; and Akiba says even if he found another woman more beautiful than her or more agreeable to him. But neither his sense nor that of the house of Shammai are approved of by the Jews in general but that of the house of HillellF13Misn. Gittin c. 9. sect. 10. & Maimon. & Bartenora in ib. ; and they suppose a man might divorce his wife for any ill qualities of mind in her or for any ill or impudent behaviour of hers; as if her husband saw her go abroad with her head uncovered and spinning in the streets and so showing her naked arms to men; or having her garments slit on both sides; or washing in a bath with men or where men use to wash and talking with every man and joking with young men; or her voice is sonorous and noisy; or any disease of body as the leprosy and the like; or any blemishes as warts are upon her; or any disagreeable smell that might arise from any parts of the body from sweat or a stinking breathF14T. Bab. Gittin fol. 90. 1. 2. Misn. Cetubot c. 7. sect. 6 7. & Maimon. & Bartenora in ib. :

then let him write her a bill of divorcement; Jarchi says this is a command upon him to divorce her because she finds not favour in his eyes; and so the JewsF15 generally understand it and so they did in the time of Christ Matthew 19:7; whereas it was no more than a permission for reasons before given. A man might not dismiss his wife by word of mouth which might be done hastily in a passion of which he might soon repent; but by writing which was to be drawn up in form; and as the Targum of Jonathan before the sanhedrim in a court of judicature which required time during which he might think more of it and either recede from his purpose before the case was finished or do it upon mature deliberation; and a firm resolution. The Jews sayF16Misn. Gittin c. 2. sect. 2 3 4 5. many things of the witnesses before whom it was to be written and sealed and at what time and upon what and with what it was to be written and who were proper persons to write it or not in a treatise of theirs called Gittin or divorces. In the Hebrew text this bill is called "a bill of cutting off"F17ספר כריתת "libellum excidii" Montanus Fagius; "succisionis" Munster; "abscissionis" Tigurine version. ; because the marriage was rescinded and man and wife were cut off and separated from one another for ever; of the form of such a bill; see Gill on Matthew 5:31

and give it in her hand; which was to be done before witnesses and which is one of the ten things requisite to a divorceF18See Ainsworth in loc. ; though it made no difference whether it was delivered by himself or by a messenger; or whether to her or to her deputy appointed by her before witnesses; or whether it was put into her hand or in her bosom so be it that she was but possessed of it; with which agrees the Jewish canon "if he casts a bill to his wife and she is within the house or within the court she is divorced; if he casts it into her bosom or into her work basket she is divorcedF19Misn. Gittin c. 8. sect. 1. :"

and send her out of his house; which was a visible token and public declaration of her divorce; besides were she to be continued in his house afterwards it would give suspicion of cohabitation which after a divorce was not lawful.

 

Deuteronomy 24:2   2 when she has departed from his house and goes and becomes another man’s wife

   YLT  2and she hath gone out of his house and hath gone and been another man's

And when she is departed out of his house .... With her bill of divorce by which departure out of his house it is notified to all:

she may go and be other man's wife; it was permitted her to marry another man she being by her divorce freed from the law of her former husband; and who indeed in express words contained in the divorce gave her leave so to do; which ran thus "thou art in thine own hand and hast power over thyself to go and marry any other man whom thou pleasest; and let no man hinder thee in my name from this day forward and for ever; and lo thou art free to any man;'See Gill on Matthew 5:31.

 

Deuteronomy 24:3   3 if the latter husband detests her and writes her a certificate of divorce puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house or if the latter husband dies who took her as his wife

   YLT  3and the latter man hath hated her and written for her a writing of divorce and given [it] into her hand and sent her out of his house or when the latter man dieth who hath taken her to himself for a wife:

And if the latter husband hate her .... Or less loves her than another woman and she is disliked by him as she was by her former husband:

and write her a bill off divorcement and giveth it into her hand

and sendeth her out of his house: as he had by this law a permission in like manner as her former husband had; See Gill on Deuteronomy 24:1

or if her latter husband die which took her to be his wife; and she survives him; as she is then by death loosed from the law of an husband she may lawfully marry another man but not her former husband as follows.

 

Deuteronomy 24:4   4 then her former husband who divorced her must not take her back to be his wife after she has been defiled; for that is an abomination before the Lord and you shall not bring sin on the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.

   YLT  4`Her former husband who sent her away is not able to turn back to take her to be to him for a wife after that she hath become defiled; for an abomination it [is] before Jehovah and thou dost not cause the land to sin which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee -- an inheritance.

Her former husband which sent her away may not take her again to be his wife .... Though ever so desirous of it and having heartily repented that he had put her away: this is the punishment of his fickleness and inconstancy and was ordered to make men cautious how they put away their wives; since when they had so done and they had been married to another they could not enjoy them again even on the death of the second husband; yea though she was only espoused to him and he had never lain with her as Ben Melech observes it was forbidden the former husband to marry her; though if she had only played the whore according to the same writer and othersF1Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Sotah c. 2. sect. 6. she might return to him:

after that she is defiled; not by whoredom for in that case she was not forbidden as it is interpreted but by her being married to another man; when she was defiled not by him or with respect to him nor with regard to any other man whom she might lawfully marry after the decease of her latter husband; but with respect to her first husband being by her divorce from him and by her marriage to another entirely alienated and separated from him and so prohibited to him; and thus R. Joseph Kimchi interprets this defilement of prohibition things prohibited being reckoned unclean or not lawful to be used:

for that is abomination before the Lord; for a man to take his wife again after she had been divorced by him and married to another man; and yet such is the grace and goodness of God to his backsliding people that he receives them when they return unto him their first husband and forsake other lovers Jeremiah 3:1

and thou shalt not cause the land to sin which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance; since if this was allowed that men might put away their wives and take them again at pleasure and change them as often as they thought fit no order could be observed and the utmost confusion in families introduced and lewdness encouraged and which would subject the land and the inhabitants of it to many evils and calamities as the just punishment thereof.

 

Deuteronomy 24:5   5 “When a man has taken a new wife he shall not go out to war or be charged with any business; he shall be free at home one year and bring happiness to his wife whom he has taken.

   YLT  5`When a man taketh a new wife he doth not go out into the host and [one] doth not pass over unto him for anything; free he is at his own house one year and hath rejoiced his wife whom he hath taken.

When a man hath taken a new wife .... A wife he has lately married new to him though a widow as Jarchi observes; but the Targum of Jonathan says a virgin; however this is opposed to his old wife and divorced; for this as Jarchi and Ben Melech say excepts the return of a divorced wife who cannot be said to be a new one:

he shall not go out to war; this is to be understood of a man that had not only betrothed but married a wife; a man that had betrothed a wife and not married her who went out to war might return if he would Deuteronomy 20:7; but one that had married a wife was not to go out to war:

neither shall be charged with any business; as betrothed ones were; they though they had a liberty of returning yet they were to provide food and drink for the army and to prepare or mend the highways as Jarchi observes; but these were not obliged to such things nor even to keep watch on the walls of the city or to pay taxes as MaimonidesF2Hilchot Melachim c. 7. sect. 10 11. writes:

but he shall be free at home one year; not only from all tributes and taxes and everything relative to the affairs of war but from public offices and employments which might occasion absence from home. Jarchi remarks that his house or home comprehends his vineyard; and so he thinks that this respects his house and his vineyard that if he had built a house and dedicated it or planted a vineyard and made it common yet was not to remove from his house because of the necessities of war:

and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken; or rejoice with his wife which he hath taken and solace themselves with love; and thereby not only endear himself to her but settle his affections on her and be so confirmed in conjugal love that hereafter no jealousies may arise or any cause of divorce which this law seems to be made to guard against. So it is saidF3Arrian. Expedit Alex. l. 1. that Alexander after the battle of Granicus sent home to Macedonia his newly married soldiers to winter with their wives and return at spring; which his master Aristotle had taught him and as he was taught by a Jew.

 

Deuteronomy 24:6   6 “No man shall take the lower or the upper millstone in pledge for he takes one’s living in pledge.

   YLT  6`None doth take in pledge millstones and rider for life it [is] he is taking in pledge.

No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone to pledge .... The first word being of the dual number takes in both stones wherefore Vatablus renders the words "ye shall not take for a pledge both the millstones nor indeed the uppermost;'which is the least; so far should they be from taking both that they were not allowed to take the uppermost which was the shortest meanest and lightest; and indeed if anyone of them was taken the other became useless so that neither was to be taken:

for he taketh a man's life to pledge; or with which his life is supported and the life of his family; for if he has corn to supply them with yet if his mill or millstones are pawned he cannot grind his corn and so he and his family must starve: and in those times and countries they did as the Arabs do to this day as Dr. ShawF4Travels p. 231. Edit. 2. relates "most families grind their wheat and barley at home having two portable millstones for that purpose; the uppermost whereof is turned round by a small handle of wood or iron that is placed in the rim;'and these millstones being portable might be the more easily taken for pledges which is here forbidden for the above reason; and this takes in any other thing whatever on which a man's living depends or by which he gets his breadF5Misn. Bava Metzia c. 9. sect. 13. .

 

Deuteronomy 24:7   7 “If a man is found kidnapping any of his brethren of the children of Israel and mistreats him or sells him then that kidnapper shall die; and you shall put away the evil from among you.

   YLT  7`When a man is found stealing a person of his brethren of the sons of Israel and hath tyrannized over him and sold him then hath that thief died and thou hast put away the evil thing out of thy midst.

If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel .... Whether grown up or little male or female an Israelite or a proselyte or a freed servant; all as MaimonidesF6Hichot Genibah c. 9. sect. 6. says are included in this general word "brethren"; though Aben Ezra observes that it is added "of the children of Israel" for explanation since an Edomite is called a "brother". Now a man must be "found" committing this fact; that is it must plainly appear there must be full proof of it by witnesses as Jarchi explains this word:

and maketh merchandise of him; or rather uses him as a servant and employs him in any service to the least profit and advantage by him even to the value of a farthing; yea if he does but lean upon him and he supports him though he is an old man that is stolen; this is serving a man's self by him as MaimonidesF7Ib. sect. 2. which is what is forbidden as distinct from selling him as follows:

or selleth him: to others; and both these according to the above writerF8Ib. sect. 3. using him for service and selling him are necessary to make him guilty of death; not the one without the other; but reading them disjunctively as we do gives the better sense of the words:

then that thief shall die; by strangling with a napkin as the Targum of Jonathan; and so MaimonidesF9Hilchot Genibah c. 9. sect. 1. So R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed fol. 67. 1. interprets it of service. says his death is by strangling:

and thou shall put evil away from among you; both him that does evil as the Targum of Jonathan and the guilt of it by inflicting due punishment for it; and so deter from such practices and prevent evil coming upon the body of the people should such a sin be connived at; see Exodus 21:16.

 

Deuteronomy 24:8   8 “Take heed in an outbreak of leprosy that you carefully observe and do according to all that the priests the Levites shall teach you; just as I commanded them so you shall be careful to do.

   YLT  8`Take heed in the plague of leprosy to watch greatly and to do according to all that the priests the Levites teach you; as I have commanded them ye observe to do;

Take heed in the plague of leprosy .... Whether in the bodies of men or in houses or in garments not to hide and conceal it; or as Jarchi weaken the signs of it or cut out the bright spot; so the Targum of Jonathan:

that thou observe diligently and do according to all the priests the Levites shall teach you: according to the laws and rules given in such cases whether they order to shut up persons houses or clothes or pronounce unclean or clean; in all things they were to do as they directed which appeared to be agreeably to the said rules; for the judgment management and ordering of these things belonged to the priests: of which see Leviticus 13:1

as I commanded them so shall ye observe to do: which shows the they were not to comply with their orders and conform to them any further than they agreed with the commands of God and the instructions he had given them in the places referred to.

 

Deuteronomy 24:9   9 Remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam on the way when you came out of Egypt!

   YLT  9remember that which Jehovah thy God hath done to Miriam in the way in your coming out of Egypt.

Remember what the Lord thy God did unto Miriam .... Who was stricken with leprosy for speaking against Moses and was shut up seven days; and they are reminded of this instance partly to warn them against entertaining evil suspicions and surmises of persons in power and authority and speaking evil of them; and partly to expect that punishment would certainly be inflicted on them should they be guilty of the same crime; nor should they think it hard either to be smitten with leprosy or to be shut up for it; since Miriam a prophetess and the sister of Moses was so used; and that when

by the way after that ye were come out of Egypt: when upon their journey and were retarded in it and obliged to stay at least seven days before they could proceed on in it; see Numbers 12:14.

 

Deuteronomy 24:10   10 “When you lend your brother anything you shall not go into his house to get his pledge.

   YLT  10`When thou liftest up on thy brother a debt of anything thou dost not go in unto his house to obtain his pledge;

When thou dost lend thy brother anything .... Any sum of money he stands in need of or demanded a debt of him as Jarchi; money he is indebted to thee which is the sense of the Septuagint version; and he is not able to pay it but offers something: in pawn till he can pay it:

thou shall not go into his house to fetch his pledge; which would be an exercise of too much power and authority to go into a neighbour's house and take what was liked; and besides as no doubt he would take the best so he might take that which the poor man could not spare: and indeed according to the Jewish canonsF11Misn. Bava Metzia c. 9. sect. 13. he could not take any pledge at all but with the knowledge and by the leave of the sanhedrim or court of judicature.

 

Deuteronomy 24:11   11 You shall stand outside and the man to whom you lend shall bring the pledge out to you.

   YLT  11at the outside thou dost stand and the man on whom thou art lifting [it] up is bringing out unto thee the pledge at the outside.

Thou shall stand abroad .... Without doors in the street as the Targum of Jonathan while the borrower or debtor looks out and brings forth what he can best spare as a pledge:

and the man to whom thou dost lend shall bring out the pledge abroad unto thee; now as on the one hand if the lender or creditor had been allowed to go in and take what he pleased for a pledge he would choose the best; so on the other hand the borrower or debtor would be apt to bring the worst what was of the least value and use; wherefore the Jews made it a rule that it should be of a middling sort between both lest it should be a discouragement and hinderance to lend upon pledgesF12Misn. Gittin c. 5. sect. 1. Maimon. & Bartenora in ib. .

 

Deuteronomy 24:12   12 And if the man is poor you shall not keep his pledge overnight.

   YLT  12`And if he is a poor man thou dost not lie down with his pledge;

And if the man be poor .... Which may be thought to be the case of everyone that gives pledges for a debt he owes or a sum of money he borrows; yet there might be a difference: some might be so very destitute of goods and raiment in their houses that whatever they parted with was distressing to them and they could not well do without it:

thou shalt not sleep with his pledge; nor keep it a night; but deliver it to him before he went to bed and laid himself down to sleep.

 

Deuteronomy 24:13   13 You shall in any case return the pledge to him again when the sun goes down that he may sleep in his own garment and bless you; and it shall be righteousness to you before the Lord your God.

   YLT  13thou dost certainly give back to him the pledge at the going in of the sun and he hath lain down in his own raiment and hath blessed thee; and to thee it is righteousness before Jehovah thy God.

In any case thou shalt deliver him the pledge again when the sun goeth down .... If it was a night covering as Jarchi remarks; but if it was his day clothes he was to return it in the morning when the sun arose; and this was to be done every day which resist occasion a great deal of trouble and the pledge of little use; so that it seems as though they might as well be without it as have it and lend freely; but the Jews say that there was an advantage by it; for it is said in answer to such a question "of what profit is the pledge? by this means the debt is not released on the seventh year (when all other debts were released Deuteronomy 15:1) nor could the borrower dispose of his goods to his children but payment was made from the pledge after his deathF13Maimon Hilchot Milvah Velovah c. 3. sect. 5. :'now this delivery of the pledge at sun setting was ordered:

that he may sleep in his own raiment; have his night covering to sleep in his pillow and bolster and bedding to lie on and bed clothes to cover him; and indeed the clothes they wore were made in such form as would serve for covering to sleep in at night as well as to wear in the day; and such is the clothing of the Arabs now which they call "hykes"."The usual size of them (Dr. Shaw saysF14Travels p. 224. Ed. 2. ) is six yards long and five or six feet broad serving the Arab for a complete dress in the day; and as they "sleep in their raiment" it serves likewise for his bed and covering by night:"

and bless thee: for using him so mercifully and kindly as to return him his pledge which is so necessary to his comfortable repose in the night; and not only will he praise him and speak well of him for it and give him thanks; but will pray to God to bless him in soul body and estate for such kindness shown him:

and it shall be righteousness unto thee before the Lord thy God; not his justifying righteousness before God for by the deeds of the law shall no flesh living be justified in his sight; but it shall be owned and approved of as a good and righteous action and answerable to the intention of this law which is that mercy should be shown to persons in distress; in which sense the word "righteousness" is sometimes used even for a merciful action Psalm 112:9; so alms is called δικαιοσυνη "righteousness" Matthew 6:1 in some copies.

 

Deuteronomy 24:14   14 “You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy whether one of your brethren or one of the aliens who is in your land within your gates.

   YLT  14`Thou dost not oppress a hireling poor and needy of thy brethren or of thy sojourner who is in thy land within thy gates;

Thou shall not oppress an hired servant .... That is hired by the day as appears by Deuteronomy 24:15; though the law may include such as are hired by the week or month or year; neither of whom are to be oppressed by any means and chiefly by detaining their wages; so the Jerusalem Targum explains the phrase "ye shall not detain by force the hire of the hired servant;'nor by fraud as in James 5:4

that is poor and needy; and so cannot bear the lest oppression of this kind nor to have his wages detained from him any time and much less wholly to be defrauded of them:

whether he be of thy brethren; an Israelite and so a brother both by nation and religion:

or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates; Jarchi interprets this both of proselytes of righteousness and of proselytes of the gate; which latter are plainly described by this clause and the former must be included; for if proselytes of the gate are not to be oppressed much less proselytes of righteousness who were in all respects as Israelites the same law was to them both. Jarchi says the phrase "in thy land" is intended to comprehend the hire of beasts and of vessels; and these in the MisnahF15Bava Metzia c. 9. sect. 12. are said to be comprehended in this precept as well as the hire of man.

 

Deuteronomy 24:15   15 Each day you shall give him his wages and not let the sun go down on it for he is poor and has set his heart on it; lest he cry out against you to the Lord and it be sin to you.

   YLT  15in his day thou dost give his hire and the sun doth not go in upon it for he [is] poor and unto it he is lifting up his soul and he doth not cry against thee unto Jehovah and it hath been in thee -- sin.

At his day thou shalt give him his hire .... At the close of the day when his work is done the hire agreed for must be paid him; and by the same rule all such that were hired by the week month or year were to have their wages paid them at the day their time was up:

neither shall the sun go down upon it; it was to be paid before sun setting or at it; see Leviticus 19:13

for he is poor and setteth his heart upon it; being poor he cannot wait any longer for the payment of it; his personal and family wants are such as require immediate payment; and besides he has been eagerly expecting it and earnestly desiring it that he may satisfy the craving necessities of himself and family; and therefore it would be a great balk and disappointment to him to have his wages detained:

lest he cry against thee to the Lord; having none to apply unto but him who is the patron of the poor and needy not being able to help himself nor having interest in any to interpose on his behalf; and his cry and the cry of his hire too enter into the ears of the Lord of hosts and is regarded by him James 5:4

and it be sin unto thee: be imputed to him the guilt charged on him and punishment inflicted for it.

 

Deuteronomy 24:16   16 “Fathers shall not be put to death for their children nor shall children be put to death for their fathers; a person shall be put to death for his own sin.

   YLT  16`Fathers are not put to death for sons and sons are not put to death for fathers -- each for his own sin they are put to death.

The fathers shall not be put to death for the children .... By the civil magistrates for sins committed by them of a capital nature and which are worthy of death:

neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers; for sins committed by them that deserve it:

every man shall be put to death for his own sin: which is but just and reasonable; see Ezekiel 18:4; which is no contradiction to Exodus 20:5; that respects what God himself would do this what Israel or the civil magistrates in it should do; this is a command on Israel as Aben Ezra observes; that the declaration of the sovereign Being who is not bound by any law. Jarchi interprets these words differently as that the one should not be put to death by the testimony of the other; and it is a rule with the Jews "that an oath of witness is taken of men and not of women; of those that are not akin and not of those that are nearly relatedF16Misn. Shebuot c. 4. sect. 1. :'on which one of the commentators observesF17Bartenora in ib. that such that are near akin are not fit to bear testimony because it is written "the father shall not be put to death for the children"; that is for the testimony of the children. Jarchi indeed mentions the other sense for the sins of the children which has been given and is undoubtedly the true sense of the text. The Targum of Jonathan gives both;"fathers should not be put to death neither by the testimony nor for the sins of the children; and children shall not be put to death neither by the testimony nor for the sins of fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin by proper witnesses.'

 

Deuteronomy 24:17   17 “You shall not pervert justice due the stranger or the fatherless nor take a widow’s garment as a pledge.

   YLT  17`Thou dost not turn aside the judgment of a fatherless sojourner nor take in pledge the garment of a widow;

Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger nor of the fatherless .... Who are unable to defend themselves and have but few if any to take their part; and therefore particular care should be taken by judges and civil magistrates to do them justice or God will require it of them:

nor take a widow's raiment to pledge; nor anything else as her ox or cow Job 24:3; according to the Jewish canonsF18Misn. Bava Metzia c. 9. sect. 13. of a widow whether she is poor or rich a pledge is not taken; the reason given for which is that it would raise an ill suspicion and cause an evil report of her among her neighboursF19Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Bava Metzia c. 9. sect. 13. ; and which is suggested by the Targum of Jonathan"neither shall any of you take for a pledge the raiment of a widow lest wicked neighbours should arise and bring an evil report upon her when ye return the pledge unto her.'But no doubt a poor widow is meant and the design of the law is mercy to her and that she might not be distressed by taking that from her she needed.

 

Deuteronomy 24:18   18 But you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this thing.

   YLT  18and thou hast remembered that a servant thou hast been in Egypt and Jehovah thy God doth ransom thee from thence; therefore I am commanding thee to do this thing.

But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt .... The remembrance of which may cause sympathy with persons in distress; particularly the stranger the fatherless and the widow:

and the Lord thy God redeemed thee thence; the Targum of Jonathan "the Word of the Lord thy God;'which as it was an act of great kindness and mercy in God to them taught them and laid them under obligation to show favour to their fellow creatures in distress:

therefore I command thee to do this thing: not to pervert the judgment of the stranger and fatherless nor take a widow's raiment for a pledge; and it may be carried further into the context and respect the laws about the pledge of the poor man and giving the hired servant his wages in due time.

 

Deuteronomy 24:19   19 “When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field you shall not go back to get it; it shall be for the stranger the fatherless and the widow that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.

   YLT  19`When thou reapest thy harvest in thy field and hast forgotten a sheaf in a field thou dost not turn back to take it; to the sojourner to the fatherless and to the widow it is; so that Jehovah thy God doth bless thee in all the work of thy hands.

When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field .... Whether barley harvest or wheat harvest when either of them are ripe for cutting mowing or reaping and are cutting down:

and hast forgot a sheaf in the field; Jarchi says the phrase "in the field" is to include standing corn some of which is forgotten in cutting down and so is subject to this law as well as a sheaf; and a sheaf claimed by this name is one that is forgotten both by the workman and the owner; if by the one and not by the other it could not be so called. The canon runs thusF20Misn. Peah c. 5. sect. 7. "a sheaf which the workmen forget and not the owner or the owner forgets and not the workman before which the poor stand or is covered with straw or stubble is not a forgotten sheaf.'And about this they have various other rules;"a sheaf that is near the gate (of a field) or to an heap (of sheaves) or to oxen or to instruments and left the house of Shammai say it is not to be reckoned a forgotten sheaf; but the house of Hillell say it is;--two sheaves are reckoned forgotten three are not; a sheaf in which there are two seahs (about a peck and a half) and they leave it it is not reckoned forgottenF21Misn. Peah c. 6. sect. 2 5 6. :"

thou shall not go again to fetch it; which supposes a remembrance of it or some intelligence about it when at home and after the field has been cleared and all carried in but this sheaf; then the owner might not go nor send to fetch it: the beginnings of the rows they say show when a sheaf is forgotten or not; particularly the adverse sheaf or that over against it shows itF23Ib. sect. 3 4. ; so Jarchi:

it shall be for the stranger; or proselyte; the proselyte of righteousness; of this there is no doubt but it seems to be for the proselyte of the gate also:

for the fatherless and for the widow; which of them soever should first find it:

that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands; in the culture of their ground the next year and give them large and fruitful crops; they either purposely leaving the sheaf for the poor or however suffer them to take it unmolested when found by them. The Targum of Jonathan is "that the word of the Lord thy God may bless thee" &c.

 

Deuteronomy 24:20   20 When you beat your olive trees you shall not go over the boughs again; it shall be for the stranger the fatherless and the widow.

   YLT  20`When thou beatest thine olive thou dost not examine the branch behind thee; to the sojourner to the fatherless and to the widow it is.

When thou beatest thine olive tree .... With sticks and staves to get off the olives when ripe:

thou shall not go over the boughs again; to beat off some few that may remain; they were not nicely to examine the boughs over again whether there were any left or not:

it shall be for the stranger for the fatherless and for the widow; who might come into their oliveyards after the trees had been beaten and gather what were left.

 

Deuteronomy 24:21   21 When you gather the grapes of your vineyard you shall not glean it afterward; it shall be for the stranger the fatherless and the widow.

   YLT  21`When thou cuttest thy vineyard thou dost not glean behind thee; to the sojourner to the fatherless and to the widow it is;

When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard .... Which was done much about the same time that the olives were gathered and both after wheat harvest about the latter end of June or beginning of July; for they were more forward in those hot countries:

thou shall not glean it afterwards; go over the vines a second time to pick off every berry or bunch that escaped them at first gathering:

it shall be for the stranger for the fatherless and for the widow; as the forgotten sheaf and the olive berries left; these are all supposed to be poor persons otherwise no doubt there were strangers and fatherless persons and widows in good circumstances; who as they needed not so neither would give themselves the trouble but think it beneath them to go into fields oliveyards and vineyards to gather what was left by the owners. These laws were made in favour of the poor that mercy and kindness might be showed to them and that they might have a taste of all the fruits of the earth.

 

Deuteronomy 24:22   22 And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I command you to do this thing.

   YLT  22and thou hast remembered that a servant thou hast been in the land of Egypt; therefore I am commanding thee to do this thing.

And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt .... When they would have been glad to have enjoyed the like favours as small as they might seem to be even to glean in their fields vineyards and oliveyards:

therefore I command thee to do this thing; to suffer the poor to take the forgotten sheaf and to come into their oliveyards and vineyards and gather what olives and grapes remained after the first beating of the one and the ingathering of the other.

 

──John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible