Quotes About Community

When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you must not go over the vines again. What remains will be for the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow.

When brothers dwell together and one of them dies without a son, the widow must not marry outside the family. Her husbandís brother is to take her as his wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law for her.

But if the man does not want to marry his brotherís widow, she is to go to the elders at the city gate and say, “My husbandís brother refuses to preserve his brotherís name in Israel. He is not willing to perform the duty of a brother-in-law for me.”

Then the elders of his city shall summon him and speak with him. If he persists and says, “I do not want to marry her,”

his brotherís widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, remove his sandal, spit in his face, and declare, “This is what is done to the man who will not maintain his brotherís line.”

And his family name in Israel will be called “The House of the Unsandaled.”

So you shall rejoice—you, the Levite, and the foreigner dwelling among you—in all the good things the LORD your God has given to you and your household.

When you have finished laying aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you are to give it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat and be filled within your gates.

Then you shall declare in the presence of the LORD your God, “I have removed from my house the sacred portion and have given it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all the commandments You have given me. I have not transgressed or forgotten Your commandments.

Then Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: “Keep all the commandments I am giving you today.

There you are to sacrifice your peace offerings, eating them and rejoicing in the presence of the LORD your God.

Then Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel: “Be silent, O Israel, and listen! This day you have become the people of the LORD your God.

Then the Levites shall proclaim in a loud voice to every Israelite:

ëCursed is he who moves his neighborís boundary stone.í And let all the people say, ëAmen!í

ëCursed is he who lets a blind man wander in the road.í And let all the people say, ëAmen!í

ëCursed is he who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow.í And let all the people say, ëAmen!í

ëCursed is he who strikes down his neighbor in secret.í And let all the people say, ëAmen!í

ëCursed is he who does not put the words of this law into practice.í And let all the people say, ëAmen!í

You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.

Your basket and kneading bowl will be blessed.

You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.

The foreigner living among you will rise higher and higher above you, while you sink down lower and lower.

All of you are standing today before the LORD your God—you leaders of tribes, elders, officials, and all the men of Israel,

your children and wives, and the foreigners in your camps who cut your wood and draw your water—