Deuteronomy 24.17, 18
¹⁷ “You shall not pervert justice due the stranger or the fatherless, nor take a widow’s garment as a pledge. ¹⁸ But you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this thing.”

Deuteronomy 10.18, 19; Malachi 3.5

Exodus 22.21-24
²¹ “You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. ²² You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. ²³ If you afflict them in any way, and they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry; ²⁴ and My wrath will become hot, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.”

Leviticus 19.33, 34   
³³ “‘And if a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him. ³⁴ The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.’”

Deuteronomy 10.17-19

Exodus 23.9
“Also you shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the heart of a stranger, because you were strangers in the land of Egypt.”

God understood full well that Israel would be the envy of the nations (cf. Deut. 4.1-8). It was to be expected, therefore, that foreigners would be found within the borders of the nation from time to time. Some of these would be temporary – on official business, whether of commerce or state – while others might seek a longer-term status among the people.

All people from foreign nations were expected to abide by the laws of the Israel while they were within in the nation. And all Israelites were expected to show strangers and sojourners the same kind of neighbor love they were to give to one another. Israel’s own experience of being taken advantage of in a foreign land should remind them that this is not a condition pleasing to God.

In our country today foreigners continue to be attracted to the prospects of liberty and prosperity which abound in the nation. Restrictive immigration laws and the threat of terrorism have complicated entry to the nation and its opportunities, and encourage oppression, law-breaking, and division within the population. We do not today have an immigration policy based on love for the sojourner, and many who come to America do so fully aware that their manner of entry is a violation of our laws.

Still, we might be able to find some guidance in these statutes guiding the people of Israel in how to make the most, for a just and prosperous society, of the inevitable presence of strangers and sojourners in our midst.

We note also the special attention given to caring for widows and orphans. Both Paul (1 Tim. 5) and James (Jms. 1.27) explained that true religion cares for “the least of these”, especially when they are members of the believing community (Gal. 6.10). Christians took the lead, early on in Church history, in caring for those who could not care for themselves, including widows, orphans, travelers, the poor, and strangers. Jesus commended those who showed love for the least of these because, in so doing, they showed love for God and His Law. Conversely, those who think to practice true religion without an active concern for those in need actually demonstrate contempt for Christ and His Law and, in spite of their professions of orthodoxy, can expect to meet with judgment on the day Christ returns (Matt. 25.31-46).

T. M. Moore

The Law of God is the soil which, fertilized by the rest of God’s Word and watered by His Spirit, brings forth the fruit of Christian life. If you’d like to understand this process better, and how to make best use of the Law in your walk with and work for the Lord, order the book, The Ground for Christian Ethics, from our online store.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.