This section of Deuteronomy, if you left off the label, would strike most people as a likely pericope from the Koran. Fits in perfectly with the ethic of Muhammad and the Four Rightly-Guided Caliphs, and their successors.
In the full sweep of of Hebrew scriptures, it ends up showing the ultimate futility of a desert raider-wsrlord ethic, and the need of a divine Savior.
Which I think is pretty much the point of the Old Testament.
It would be nice to get back to the topic of this thread --- wasting food --- from which we went far astray.
My own observation on that is, I don't trust the utter and complete sincerity of anyone who natters on about wasting food and fuel, who still engages in air travel.
That includes Mr. Ag Sec'y Vilsack and all his class, and yes, the pope!
The whole premise of berating people who are "wasting" food, is the idea that someone cannot do what he wants with food that he has purchased. I buy food, I generally don't waste it, but I will decide what happens with what I buy.