That the poor existed among the Hebrews we have abundant evidence (Exo 23:11; Deut. 15:11), but there is no mention of beggars properly so called in the Old Testament. The poor were provided for by the law of Moses (Lev. 19:10; Deut. 12:12;14:29). It is predicted of the seed of the wicked that they shall be beggars (Psa 37:25;109:10).
In the New Testament we find not seldom mention made of beggars (Mark 10:46; Luke 16:20, Luke 16: 21; Acts 3:2), yet there is no mention of such a class as vagrant beggars, so numerous in the East. "Beggarly," in Gal. 4:9, Gal. 4: means worthless.