NTS 507 WEALTH AND POVERTY IN THE BIBLE Class II: Wealth and Poverty in Pentateuch I © Dr. Esa Autero

NTS 507 WEALTH AND POVERTY IN THE BIBLE

Class II: Wealth and Poverty in Pentateuch I

© Dr. Esa Autero

Wealth and Poverty in the Bible

1.1 Introduction – Wealth and poverty in Pentateuch What does the Bible teach about wealth… …poverty?

Just by looking at the

words “poor” and

“rich” is not enough.

Many vulnerable

groups in the Bible

are not called “poor”

though they were

often poor or

destitute

Wealth and Poverty in Pentateuch I

2.1 Wealth and poverty in GenesisIn the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…31 God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good (Gen 1:1, 31) Affirmation of goodness of creation 26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (1:26-27) Humans as God’s image bearers

Imago Dei: relationship & God’s vice regents – God the owner and ruler Human responsibility: rule and subdue with care and consideration (cf. ANE kings)


15 Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it…from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” (2:15)

Humans in harmony with their environment Work and stewardship of the Garden environment Death as a result of disobedience


To Adam…Cursed is the ground because of you;In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life.18 “Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you;And you will eat the plants of the field;19 By the sweat of your face You will eat bread,Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken;For you are dust, And to dust you shall return.” (Gen 3:15, 18-19) Ground cursed Work became a burden – just to produce food

Disintegration of human relations Physical and spiritual death


What does Gen 1-3 tell us…before and after the Fall about? God’s and human role in creation and material things

God the Creator of all things – human created being and image bearers Human role in regards to creation and material things

Rule, subdue – but with care and consideration of the environment No material thing is inherently evil After Fall ruling – exploitation or nature worship

Dignity of human beings Image of God – male and female; image remains after the Fall (Gen 9:6)

Work and leisure Work becomes struggle and burden after the Fall

Relationship between humans & humans and the nature After the Fall breach in relationships – humans & nature


Wealth and poverty – the Patriarchs and Joseph story Abraham and the patriarchs were wealthy

2 Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver and in gold (13:2*) All patriarchs, including Joseph are (or become) wealthy Abraham promised: land, progeny, greatness, blessing (12:1-2)

Wealth of the patriarchs tied to covenantal promise to them Further observations on patriarchs’ wealth

Abraham let’s Lot get more fertile land – receives confirmation of promise (13:9-15) Abraham gives voluntary tithe & refuses wealth from kings of Sodom (14:20-24) Jacob – deceives & is deceived (Jacob & Esau; Jacob & Laban) Jacob eventually receives God’s blessing & wealth (31:38-42; 32:13-16; 33:11) Joseph – from favorite to prison, and as wealthy Egyptian official

to preserve the world and the chosen family from famine How should these promises of wealth be applied today?


Anything about poverty in Genesis?3 After Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Abram’s wife Sarai took Hagar the Egyptian, her maid, and gave her to her husband Abram as his wife. 4 He went in to Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her sight…6 But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your maid is in your power; do to her what is good in your sight.” So Sarai treated her harshly, and she fled from her presence…7 Now the angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. 8 He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from and where are you going?” And she said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.” 9 Then the angel of the LORD said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her authority.” 10 Moreover, the angel of the LORD said to her, “I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count.” (16:3-4, 6-10)


9 Now Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking. 10 Therefore she said to Abraham, “Drive out this maid and her son, for the son of this maid shall not be an heir with my son Isaac.”…14 So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar, putting them on her shoulder, and gave her the boy, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered about in the wilderness of Beersheba. 15 When the water in the skin was used up, she left the boy under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went and sat down opposite him, about a bowshot away, for she said, “Do not let me see the boy die.” And she sat opposite him, and lifted up her voice and wept. 17 God heard the lad crying; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter with you, Hagar? Do not fear, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. 18 Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him by the hand, for I will make a great nation of him.” 19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water; and she went and filled the skin with water and gave the lad a drink. 20 God was with the lad, and he grew; and he lived in the wilderness and became an archer. 21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt. (21:9-10, 14-21) God’s care for the slave Hagar – received a blessing & God’s provision


2.2 Wealth and Poverty in Exodus 1-19 Exodus the foundational event of God’s people

Socio-economic oppression “triggers” God (Ex 2:23-25) Socio-political, economic, spiritual freedom (Ex 6:7; 9:16; 12) Promise of good land & abundance (cf. Deut 15:6) Entry into the land with some wealth (Ex 11:2-3; 12:35-36)

Some/all to make the Tabernacle Golden calf incident – wealth & idolatry (32:1-6)

Daily sustenance of manna (16:15-21) Faith in God – miraculous provision on the Sabbath (16:22-30) Hoarding and failure to trust in God (16:20; cf. 16:18) as it is written, “HE WHO gathered MUCH DID NOT HAVE TOO

MUCH, AND HE WHO gathered LITTLE HAD NO LACK.” (2Cor 8:15)

Paul: equal distribution & avoiding extremes in congregation


2.3 Wealth and Poverty – Legislation in Pentateuch

Introduction – Ownership of property God is the owner of all things – esp. the land (cf. Ps 24:1) God promised the Land to His people (Num 14:8; Deut 6:3; 8:18)

Divided according to size of the clans (Num 26:52-56; Josh 15-19) Laws and regulations to safeguard ownership of property

Theft and covetousness forbidden (Ex 20:15, 17) Regulation of boundary markers (Deut 19:14; 27:17) Inheritance rights (Deut 21:15-17) Honest business practices – e.g. honest scales (Lev 19:35-36)

Laws that relativized ownership of property Land ownership never absolutized (cf. Lev 25:23; cf. Ps 24:1) Cancellation of debts (Deut 15) & other provisions to the poor & slaves Tithes, offerings, sacrifices – costly to maintain relation w/ God


2.3.1 Vulnerable groups in Israel (slaves, resident aliens, widows, orphans*)

Slaves and slavery Slavery a taken-for-granted institution of the ancient world

Also in Israel (Ex 21:1-11) Old Babylonian social class hierarchy:

No formal social stratification in Israel (ideally – practically “marginalized groups” existed)

Elite citizen or freemen Subordinate citizens or serfs Chattel slaves

Priests, nobility, officials, merchants,

landowners

Craftsmen, shepherds, laborers, tenant farmers

Slaves as property of owners;

purchased or born slaves

Ruler


Degrees of slavery – chattel slaves & “semi-slaves” Chattel slavery – master’s property

Sources: wars, trafficking, born, selling/abandonment of children Gen 14:14; 15:3; 34:29; Num 31:7-12; Josh 9:23; 16:10; Ex 12:44; Ezek 27:13) 15% of postexilic community slaves (Ezra 2:64-65)* Manumission possible but quite rare

Exodus and Deuteronomy Kidnapping (=theft) and selling fellow Israelites forbidden (Ex 21:16; Deut

24:7) – incurs death penalty God’s people cannot be enslaved – Exodus precedent

Holiness Code ([= Lev 17-26]; esp. Lev 25:44-46) Chattel slavery limited to foreigners (non-Israelites)

Possibly also “resident aliens” (v. 45) but probably a different group here meant


Treatment of slaves ANE laws & treatment of slaves – laws protect masters’ property from loss

Book of the Covenant/Covenant Code (= Exod 20-23) Rules against abuse of slaves – master not free to treat slaves as property

Beating slave with a stick to death (21:20-21) – discipline but not abuse to death* Legal protection of the slave & punishment of the master (possibly death penalty) Permanent injury to the slave (21:26-27) – “eye…tooth” most & least severe abuse

Master’s right to discipline excludes abuse and maiming (contra e.g. CH #282) Deterrent to slave brutality

Freedom granted to the slave in case of excessive discipline (even knocking a tooth) In Code of Hammurabi, no compensation to the slave (CH #199)

Two other laws on slaves Ox gores a slave to death – compensation to master (21:32) Guilt offering for required to atone for sexual relations w/ a slave engaged to another

(Lev 19:20-22)


Fugitive slaves – how to stop slaves from running away ANE laws – forbidden to harbor fugitive slaves; always return Code of Hammurabi – harboring fugitive slave = death penalty (CH #22-24)

Deuteronomic laws 15 “You shall not hand over to his master a slave who has escaped from his master to you. 16 He shall live with you in your midst, in the place which he shall choose in one of your towns where it pleases him; you shall not mistreat him (Deut 23:15-16) Help, hospitality – not oppression striking contrast: in Babylon death penalty in Jerusalem opportunity to hospitality*

Fugitive slaves were vulnerable to oppression and maltreatment The law likely about foreign slaves who flee to Israel for safety (cf. Isa 16:3-4)


Various “semi-slaves” and their treatment Groups: temporary slaves, concubines, and bonded laborers

Status somewhere between free person and chattel slave

Temporary slaves (chattel slavery is permanent) Free citizen incurs debt – forced to sell family member (or self)

Debtor becomes a slave though for limited time

If a man’s slave contests his slave status against his master, and it is proven that his master has been compensated…two-fold, that slave shall be free (Laws of Lipit Ishtar #14) Service that amounts to twice the payment In CH three years of service and released on the 4th year (CH #117)

If debt paid earlier, freedom or if there was a general debt release (per king) Practice: difficult know how widely practiced

Often granting loans to poor was a means to make them permanent debt-slaves


Covenant Code (Ex 21:2-6)“If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve for six years; but on the seventh he shall go out as a free man without payment. 3 If he comes alone, he shall go out alone; if he is the husband of a wife, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 If his master gives him a wife, and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall belong to her master, and he shall go out alone.5 But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife and my children; I will not go out as a free man,’ 6 then his master shall bring him to God, then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently (Ex 21:2-6) “Hebrew” (often derogatory term Ex 1:15-16, 19; 2:6-7; 1Sam 4:6, 9; 13:19-20; Jon 1:9)

Israelite in financial difficulty – most likely poor landless Israelite Temporary slavery/bonded labor for max. 6 yrs. (Lev 25:39-43) Free in the seventh year

Is this from the time bonded labor started or national Sabbath yr.? (Dt 15:15)


Wives and children Wife and children owned by master (if given by him)

Common practice in ANE to have “home-bred” slaves (cf. 1 Chr 2:34-35) Wife and children released if married prior to bonded labor stint

Voluntary extension – slave choose to stay w/ master Presupposes good and humane treatment of the slave

Attractive to landless poor; aged, disabled; those w/o family network Love of master unprecedented in ANE law codes Ear piercing ceremony

Public acknowledgment b/f God & people – probably sanctuary door Demonstrate master’s completed obligation to slave & freewill of slave

Ear piercing symbolizes obedience (=Hb. shama) & attachment to the master’s household


Deuteronomic Laws (15:12-18) – landless Israelite 12 “If your kinsman, a Hebrew man or woman, is sold to you, then he shall serve you six years, but in the seventh year you shall set him free. 13 When you set him free, you shall not send him away empty-handed. 14 You shall furnish him liberally from your flock and from your threshing floor and from your wine vat; you shall give to him as the LORD your God has blessed you.15 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today. 16 It shall come about if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he fares well with you; 17 then you shall take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Also you shall do likewise to your maidservant. 18 “It shall not seem hard to you when you set him free, for he has given you six years with double the service of a hired man; so the LORD your God will bless you in whatever you do.

“kinsman” or brother member of the covenant community fallen on hard times “semi-slave”


Freedom on 7th yr. (v. 12) – in practice, see Jer 34:8-10 Includes legislation of male & female slaves (comp. Exodus)

Female may also become temporary slave (debt of husband/father) Freedom on 7th yr. and release with “open-handed” generosity

Freed slave gets share of the produce – to have a “start-up” capital to start over

How much? “liberally…as the LORD has blessed you” – voluntary generosity Motivation and encouragement to be free & self-sustaining Break the cycle of poverty, servitude & bondage

Based on liberation of bondage from Egypt Option to stay w/ master – less likely due to provision Blessing and provision for generosity

“Do not consider hardship…to let go” & “LORD will bless…in all you do” “served six years…half the cost of hired worker” Three yrs. service rough price for having a slave – 6 yrs. is ½ the cost

Slavery is discouraged due to Exodus experience but practiced as a necessity


Concubines – work, sex, children (taken-for-granted institution)7 “If a man sells his daughter as a female slave, she is not to go free as the male slaves do. 8 If she is displeasing in the eyes of her master who designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He does not have authority to sell her to a foreign people because of his unfairness to her.9 If he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her according to the custom of daughters. 10 If he takes to himself another woman, he may not reduce her food, her clothing, or her conjugal rights. 11 If he will not do these three things for her, then she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money. (Ex 21:7-11) Status b/w free woman and slave

Daughter sold as concubine – presumably due to debt (cf. Isa 50:1) Not as temporary slave but permanent concubine for master (or his son)

Master changes mind – concubine redeemed by family, not sold to slavery* For son as concubine – to be treated as family (not “full” wife necessarily) Master takes another concubine – concubine still rights for sustenance and

good treatment OR concubine is granted complete freedom


“War” concubine – obtained as a spoil of war (Deut 21:10-14) Right to mourn for parents (1 month) and adjust to new situation

Not asked to provide pleasure during the mourning & rape is forbidden May become wife or concubine of the captor If he is dissatisfied with her – let her go as free (not sold as slave)

Laws are more humane than “war spoil” in ANE or even today in many places

Concubine practice taken for granted and made more humane


Bonded laborers – arrangement for Israelite who lost land 39 ‘If a countryman of yours becomes so poor with regard to you that he sells himself to you, you shall not subject him to a slave’s service. 40 He shall be with you as a hired man, as if he were a sojourner; he shall serve with you until the year of jubilee. 41 He shall then go out from you, he and his sons with him, and shall go back to his family, that he may return to the property of his forefathers. 42 For they are My servants whom I brought out from the land of Egypt; they are not to be sold in a slave sale. 43 You shall not rule over him with severity, but are to revere your God (Lev 25:39-43) Three stage descent into poverty (vv. 35-43)

Mortgaging land (25:25-28) – inters-free loan (vv. 35-38) – bonded labor Bonded laborer to be treated as “employee”* (not slave or semi-slave)

What is being sold is not the person but service for specified period Released during Jubilee to return to family and clan (vv. 39-41)

People and land belong to LORD – returned at Jubilee God’s people & Exodus experience – only fear one Master, the LORD (v. 43)


Right of redemption 47 ‘Now if the means of a stranger or of a sojourner with you becomes sufficient, and a countryman of yours becomes so poor with regard to him as to sell himself to a stranger who is sojourning with you, or to the descendants of a stranger’s family, 48 then he shall have redemption right after he has been sold. One of his brothers may redeem him, 49 or his uncle, or his uncle’s son, may redeem him, or one of his blood relatives from his family may redeem him; or if he prospers, he may redeem himself. 50 He then with his purchaser shall calculate from the year when he sold himself to him up to the year of jubilee; and the price of his sale shall correspond to the number of years. It islike the days of a hired man that he shall be with him. 51 If there are still many years, he shall refund part of his purchase price in proportion to them for his own redemption; 52 and if few years remain until the year of jubilee, he shall so calculate with him. In proportion to his years he is to refund the amount for his redemption. (Lev 25:47-52)

Family retains the right of redemption – esp. in case of foreign master


Redemption price – based on number of yrs. until next Jubilee Responsibility of redemption from closest to more distant relative

Does the redeemed person become… Completely free

How to sustain oneself without land? Bonded laborer within his clan/family – dependent until next Jubilee

Better conditions than under a foreigner (or another Israelite family)

Either option is possible


Humane treatment of bonded laborers 53 Like a man hired year by year he shall be with him; he shall not rule over him with severity in your sight. 54 Even if he is not redeemed by

these means, he shall still go out in the year of jubilee, he and his sons with him. 55 For the sons of Israel are My servants; they are My servants whom I brought out from the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God. (Lev 25:53-55)

Ideally every Israelite is redeemed Family/clan as the first line of defense against poverty & hardship Jubilee release as a backup for non-redemption by relatives or self

Theological justification – “my servants…I brought out of Egypt”


Release of slaves – 7th or 50th year? (Ex 21; Lev 25; Deut 15) Three possible theories*

Documentary hypothesis – all stem from different periods and reflect changing traditions

Harmonization – already by Philo (Spec. Laws 2:122) Difficulty – not released “until next Jubilee”

Two distinct situations and people Ex 21 & Deut 15 – temporary slavery of landless Israelites Lived as hired workers – unable to pay debt temporary slavery

Redemption not mentioned b/c not possible by poor families** Max. of six yrs. of servitude – then released

Given provisions to “start again” in Deut 15 after servitude


Lev 25 – Israelite landholder Forced by poverty to mortgage land & then (family) go into servitude Not slavery proper but bonded labor Probably had more “fixed” hours and better provision (clothing, housing) Jubilee release (max. 50yrs. of service)

Return of freedom and land as a means of provision No need for “generosity of the master” No option to continue with the master (cf. Ex 21 & Deut 15)

What did God not forbid slavery altogether? OT Laws realistic rather than idealistic Focus on limited term & humane conditions Israel did not obey these Laws though often

https://youtu.be/3oe0yB5Kwdo - modern-day slavery

https://youtu.be/3oe0yB5Kwdo

https://youtu.be/3oe0yB5Kwdo


Resident aliens Relatively little concern in ANE Laws in general

Some foreign citizens included in debt release (Edict of Ammi-saduqa #3, 5-6, 8, 20-21)

Also Eastern tradition of hospitality At Ugarit resident aliens have rights and responsibilities (Baker, 177)

Generally foreigners vulnerable due to being outsiders Left b/c war, famine, oppression

The importance of legislation on resident aliens in the Law Rabbis: concern for resident aliens in Law mentioned 36x

More than love of God, Sabbath observance, circumcision or theft Israelite precedent as resident aliens

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob; people in Egypt (Exile later on)


Who is considered “resident alien” (Hb. ger)? “reside as alien” (Hb. gur) – Israelites outside of their tribal territory Levites who do not have land (Deut 18:6; Judg 17:7-9; 19:1) Israelites (north) who live in Judah (2 Chr 15:9; Judg 19:16) Wandering Rechabites who are nomadic (Jer 35:7) Individual traveler (Job 31:32) Esp. non-Israelite living in Israel (Ex 12:19; Lev 17:10-16; 18:26; Num 15:13-16)

Same laws apply to both (Ex 12:19; Lev 17:10-16; 18:26) May participate in ceremonies/festivals* (Ex 12:48-9; Lev 17:8; 16:29; Deut 5:14)

Cannot/do not own land – land not for sale Distinguished from foreigner (Hb. nokri; Deut 17:15; 29:22)

From another country, no relationship to covenant community; different religion

Status of resident alien somewhere b/w native and foreigner


Resident alien different from “temporary resident (Hb. toshaw)” Sometimes synonymous other times distinguished (Ps 32:11; Num 35:15)

Temporary resident NOT allowed to celebrate Passover (Ex 12:45-48) May be enslaved (Lev 25:45) Cannot worship in assembly & doesn’t possess legal equality (Lev 16:29;

24:16, 22)

Difficult to find a proper English equivalent for Hb. ger Suggestions: sojourner, stranger, immigrant, refugee, ethic minorities


Covenant Code on resident aliens21 “You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. (Ex 22:21)

“You shall not oppress a stranger, since you yourselves know the feelings of a stranger, for you also were strangers in the land of Egypt. (23:9)

No oppression or wronging – Exodus as a rationale Protection in everyday life and legal proceedings


Holiness Code Social equality

33 ‘When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong.34 The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the LORD your God. (Lev 19:33-34) RA (=resident alient) treated as natives Love RA as oneself – divine authority of the Law

Remarkable statement to “love” in ANE


Legal equality 22 There shall be one standard for you; it shall be for the stranger as well as the native, for I am the LORD your God.’” (24:22) RA have same rights and responsibilities Not identical privileges and obligation

Same prohibitions but not same performative obligations Passover mandatory for Israelites, voluntary for RA (Ex 12:47-8) Laws of slaughtering applies to both (Lev 17) Prohibition to eat blood applies to all (17:10-14)


Deuteronomic Code17 “You shall not pervert the justice due an alien or an orphan, nor take a widow’s garment in pledge. 18 But you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and that the LORD your God redeemed you from there; therefore I am commanding you to do this thing. (Deut 24:17-18; cf. 16:18-20; 19:15-21)

17 For the LORD your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe. 18 He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing. (10:17-19) Principle of just lawsuits for all – Exodus experience as motivation God is not partial – justice and provision to RA & other vulnerable groups

RA are classified with other vulnerable groups See also 1:16; 10:17-19; 27:19


RA as counted among the poor and vulnerable (Lev 19:20; 23:22) Often together w/ widows, orphans, hired workers (Deut 24:14) Recipient of charity – may prosper but unlikely (Lev 25:47; Deut 28:43) Landless, lack sustenance, no family/clan support to help in crisis

Beneficiaries of many laws like Holidays, gleaning rights, wages, cities of refuges

Details in the next sections (along with orphans and widows)


Widows and orphans Position & condition of widows and orphans

Vulnerable group – w/o sustenance and protector Sometimes able to live on husband’s land & be provided by (distant)

relatives ANE law codes – main concern is justice, not charity/sustenance

Uru-inimgina made a compact with the divine Nin-girsu that the powerful man would not oppress the orphan or widow (Reforms of Uru-inimga, c. 2300BC) Code of Hammurabi – “in order that the mighty not wrong the weak, to

provide just ways for the waif and the widow” Widows entitled to her dowry & to live husband’s estate (CH #150, 171-2)

Middle Assyrian law codes Widow may return to father’s house/stay w/ husband’s family (A#25; 28)

Provision for widow for up to two yrs. if husband taken as POW (A#45)


King’s responsibility to render just judgment (Sumerian Hymn to Nanshe)

Amenomope of Egypt allow gleaning w/o hindrance & not to steal widow’s land

Covenant Code22 You shall not afflict any widow or orphan. 23 If you afflict him at all, and if he does cry out to Me, I will surely hear his cry; 24 and My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless. (Ex 22:22-24) Emphatic warning w/ three inf. abs. “afflict, cry, hear”

Divine retribution to oppressor As God heard Israelites in Egypt, He’ll hear orphan & widow (Ex 2:23-5)


Deuteronomic Code17 “You shall not pervert the justice due an alien or an orphan, nor take a widow’s garment in pledge. 18 But you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and that the LORD your God redeemed you from there; therefore I am commanding you to do this thing. (Deut 24:17-18; 10:17-8; 27:19) Justice as priority to widows, orphans & RA Widow’s garment as pledge (Hb. beged)

More general word than “cloak” (Hb. shalmah) Two purposes of the law code

Widow would possess few clothing Protect the dignity of the widow (Sifre 281)

Theological motivation clause God’s redemption from Egypt


Gleaning rights for widows & orphans ANE has few parallels but little explicit laws Practice of gleaning common in ANE

I fill the storehouses of Mankind; even the orphan and the widows and the destitute take their reed baskets and glean my scattered grains (Sumerian “Disputation between the Hoe and the Plough”)

Also Amenomope (COS 1.181 lines 48-51)


Deuteronomic Laws19 “When you reap your harvest in your field and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be for the alien, for the orphan, and for the widow, in order that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. 20 When you beat your olive tree, you shall not go over the boughs again; it shall be for the alien, for the orphan, and for the widow. 21 “When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not go over it again; it shall be for the alien, for the orphan, and for the widow. 22 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I am commanding you to do this thing. (Deut 24:19-22; Lev 19:9-10; 23:22)

Grain: prohibition to pick a forgotten sheaf blessing (future) Olive: go through once – usually done by beating the tree (Isa 17:6) Grapes: go through once during main harvest – leave unformed

clusters for the vulnerable people Compassion to marginalized due to Exodus experience (past)


Gleaning rights reflect balance of generosity and dignity “donors” did not pick the recipients Ruth 2 tells ohow she gleaned the fields of Boaz who protected and

sustained her (Ruth 2:8-14)

Other provisions to widows and orphans Triennial tithes & holidays True religion by James (1:27)

27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.


Humane

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NTS 507 WEALTH AND POVERTY IN THE BIBLE Class II: Wealth and Poverty in Pentateuch I © Dr. Esa Autero