Practice of allowing the poor to follow reapers in a field to pick up missed spears of grain (cf. Lv 19:9; 23:22; Dt 24:19; Ru 2:2–23). Vineyards, as well as fields of grain, were to be available for gleaning (Lv 19:10; Dt 24:20–21). Olive trees, however, were not to be gone over a second time (cf. Jgs 8:2; Is 17:6; 24:13; Jer 6:9; Mi 7:1). The word “gleaned” is also used to describe the killing of men who fled from a battle (Jgs 20:45, kjv).
Glean, Gleaning
From Tyndale Bible Dictionary, adapted by Mission Mutual. CC BY-SA 4.0.