When you enter your neighbor’s vineyard, you may eat your fill of grapes, but you must not put any in your basket.
Since God here concedes a great indulgence to the poor, some restrict it to the laborers in the harvest and vintage, “The Chaldee translateth, when thou art hired; and of such do the Hebrews understand this Law, that laborers hired to work in a vineyard are to eat of the fruit thereof.” — Ainsworth. So also Vatablus from the Chaldee and Arabic, in Poole’s Synopsis.
Orders are here given about five several things which have no relation one to another: - I. The land of Israel is here made a sanctuary, or city of refuge, for servants that were wronged and abused by their masters, and fled thither for shelter from the neighbouring countries, Deu 23:15, Deu 23:16.
Commenting on Deuteronomy 23:15-25
When thou comest into thy neighbour's vineyard,.... To take a walk in it for recreation, and to see how the vines flourish, and what sort of fruit and what quantity of it they bear; being invited thither by the owner, or occasionally passing that way stepped in, and even it may be on purpose to taste the fruits of the vine and quench thirst and...