Deuteronomy 24:20 Meaning and Explanation
“When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →When harvesting olives, leave the branches for the poor to gather; do not gather a second time.
The Context of Deuteronomy 24:20
Gleaning laws for olive harvest.
What Does Deuteronomy 24:20 Mean?
Beating olive trees was the harvest method; the law forbids a second pass to gather fallen olives. What drops naturally is left for the vulnerable. Like the grain law, this creates a systematic mechanism for poor relief without requiring the owner to make a separate gift—the poor glean what remains.
The repetition of 'stranger, fatherless, and widow' across multiple verses embeds this protection into daily economic practice. Harvest seasons become times when the community remembers its most vulnerable members.
Deuteronomy 24:20 in the Original Language
זַיִת (zayit), 'olive'—fruit-bearing tree central to Mediterranean diet and economy; its harvest is thus economically significant.
Frequently Asked Questions About Deuteronomy 24:20
What does Deuteronomy 24:20 mean?
When harvesting olives, leave the branches for the poor to gather; do not gather a second time.
What is the context of Deuteronomy 24:20?
Gleaning laws for olive harvest.