Exodus 23:9

KJV

Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

KJV (with Strong's)

Also thou shalt not oppress {H3905} a stranger {H1616}: for ye know {H3045} the heart {H5315} of a stranger {H1616}, seeing {H3588} ye were strangers {H1616} in the land {H776} of Egypt {H4714}.

Complete Jewish Bible

"You are not to oppress a foreigner, for you know how a foreigner feels, since you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

Berean Standard Bible

Do not oppress a foreign resident, since you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners; for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

American Standard Version

And a sojourner shalt thou not oppress: for ye know the heart of a sojourner, seeing ye were sojourners in the land of Egypt.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Exodus 23:9 stands as a pivotal command within the Mosaic Law, compelling the nascent nation of Israel to treat resident aliens with profound justice and compassion. This ethical injunction is uniquely grounded in Israel's own collective memory of severe oppression and vulnerability as strangers in Egypt. It serves as a foundational principle for their societal structure, reflecting God's own character and establishing a moral imperative for equitable treatment of all, particularly the marginalized, within their covenant community.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Exodus 23:9 is situated within the "Book of the Covenant" (Exodus 20:22-23:33), a detailed collection of divine statutes given to Moses immediately following the Ten Commandments. This section elaborates on how Israel is to embody its covenant relationship with God in daily life, covering civil, social, and ceremonial laws. The preceding verses in [Exodus 23](/exodus/23 "Exodus 23 - Social and Religious Laws") deal extensively with social justice, including fair legal proceedings (e.g., [Exodus 23:1-3](/exodus/23-1-3 "Exodus 23:1-3 - Justice in Court")), protection for the poor and vulnerable (e.g., [Exodus 23:6](/exodus/23-6 "Exodus 23:6 - Do Not Deny Justice to the Poor")), and even kindness to enemies (e.g., [Exodus 23:4-5](/exodus/23-4-5 "Exodus 23:4-5 - Kindness to Enemies")). The command regarding the stranger is thus not an isolated decree but an integral part of a comprehensive legal framework designed to establish a righteous and compassionate society, reflecting God's own character and setting Israel apart from surrounding nations.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The command in Exodus 23:9 is deeply rooted in Israel's recent and traumatic history. Having been enslaved and severely oppressed for centuries in the land of Egypt (as vividly recounted in [Exodus 1:11-14](/exodus/1-11-14 "Exodus 1:11-14 - Israel's Hard Bondage in Egypt")), they had firsthand experience of what it meant to be a powerless "stranger" in a foreign land. In the ancient Near East, resident aliens (often called "sojourners" or _gerim_) typically lacked tribal or familial protection, land rights, and full legal standing, making them highly susceptible to exploitation and injustice. Unlike many surrounding cultures where such individuals were often marginalized or abused, God's law for Israel provided explicit and repeated protections for the _ger_. This command was a radical departure from the norm, demanding that Israel's unique historical experience of suffering transform into a wellspring of empathy and a foundation for a just society, distinguishing them as a people whose laws reflected the compassionate heart of their deliverer God.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in Exodus and the Pentateuch. It highlights the theme of **Justice and Righteousness**, demonstrating that God's covenant demands not only ritual obedience but also ethical conduct in all social interactions, particularly towards the vulnerable. It underscores **Compassion and Empathy**, calling Israel to remember their own suffering as a basis for extending mercy to others, thereby reflecting God's own compassionate nature seen in their deliverance from Egypt ([Exodus 3:7-8](/exodus/3-7-8 "Exodus 3:7-8 - God Hears Israel's Cry")). Furthermore, it reinforces the theme of **Israel's Unique Identity as God's People**, setting them apart from surrounding nations whose legal codes often permitted or even encouraged the exploitation of foreigners. Their experience as "strangers" in Egypt becomes a defining aspect of their national memory, intended to shape their future behavior and solidify their commitment to a society founded on divine principles.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **stranger (Hebrew, _gêr'_):** This Hebrew term specifically refers to a resident alien or sojourner—an individual who has left their homeland and settled permanently or semi-permanently in a foreign land. Unlike a casual visitor (_zar_) or a foreigner passing through (_nokri_), the _gêr_ was integrated into the community but lacked the inherent protections and land rights of native-born Israelites. The law's focus on the _gêr_ highlights their inherent vulnerability and the need for specific legal and social safeguards to ensure their dignity and prevent exploitation.
* **oppress (Hebrew, _lâchats'_):** This verb carries a strong connotation of pressing, squeezing, afflicting, or exploiting. It describes an active, unjust hardship inflicted by a stronger party upon a weaker one. It implies not merely neglect, but a deliberate act of causing distress, withholding rights, or taking advantage of someone's vulnerable position. The prohibition against _lâchats_ underscores the severity of such actions in God's eyes and the absolute necessity of fair and equitable treatment.
* **know (Hebrew, _yâdaʻ'_):** More than mere intellectual understanding, _yâdaʻ_ signifies a deep, experiential, and intimate knowledge. When God says "ye know the heart of a stranger," it implies a profound, empathetic understanding derived from their shared history of suffering. It's a call to remember not just the facts of their Egyptian bondage, but the feelings of fear, powerlessness, longing, and dependence that accompanied being an alien in a hostile land. This experiential knowledge is presented as the very foundation for their required compassion and just action.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger":** This is a direct, emphatic command, a negative imperative that prohibits any form of exploitation or unjust treatment against the resident alien. It establishes a fundamental ethical boundary, making it clear that the vulnerable _ger_ is under God's protective care and must be afforded justice and dignity within Israelite society. This command reflects God's own character as a protector of the vulnerable.
* **"for ye know the heart of a stranger":** This clause provides the profound rationale for the command, appealing directly to the Israelites' empathetic understanding. It is a call to introspect and recall the emotional and psychological experience of being an outsider, vulnerable and dependent. This "knowing" is not theoretical but deeply personal and formative, designed to stir compassion and prevent indifference, transforming their past into a moral compass.
* **"seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt":** This final clause anchors the ethical command firmly in Israel's national history and identity. Their collective memory of severe oppression as aliens in Egypt is presented as the ultimate basis for their responsibility to treat others justly. Having experienced the very injustice they are now commanded to prevent, they are uniquely positioned to understand and act with empathy, transforming their past suffering into a catalyst for righteous behavior and distinguishing them as a people set apart by God's mercy.

#### Literary Devices
Exodus 23:9 powerfully employs **Historical Allusion** by directly referencing Israel's past bondage in Egypt, making their formative national experience the very foundation of an ethical imperative. This creates a strong **Ethical Appeal (Pathos)**, as the command is not merely a legal dictate but a profound call to empathy, urging the Israelites to remember their own suffering and allow it to shape their treatment of others. The verse also functions as **Didacticism**, serving as a clear instruction and moral lesson on how a covenant people should live in accordance with God's character, transforming their shared trauma into a source of compassion and justice. The repetition of the concept of "stranger" (both the object of the command and the past identity of Israel) creates a resonant **Echo**, reinforcing the central theme of empathetic identification and reminding Israel of their divinely ordained responsibility.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Exodus 23:9 reveals a core aspect of God's character: His unwavering commitment to justice and compassion, particularly for the vulnerable and marginalized. It establishes that true righteousness for Israel is not merely about ritual purity but about embodied ethics in their social interactions. By commanding Israel to treat the stranger justly, God was teaching them to reflect His own divine attributes, demonstrating that their unique experience of deliverance from oppression was not for their sole benefit, but to transform them into a people who would extend that same mercy and justice to others. This command underscores the universal principle of human dignity, asserting that every person, regardless of their origin or status, is worthy of equitable treatment and protection as an image-bearer of God.

* [Deuteronomy 10:18-19](/deuteronomy/10-18-19 "Deuteronomy 10:18-19 - God's Love for the Sojourner")
* [Leviticus 19:33-34](/leviticus/19-33-34 "Leviticus 19:33-34 - Love the Sojourner as Yourself")
* [Matthew 25:35-40](/matthew/25-35-40 "Matthew 25:35-40 - The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Exodus 23:9 transcends its ancient context to offer timeless principles for how we, as individuals and communities, are called to interact with those who are different, vulnerable, or new among us. It challenges us to move beyond mere tolerance to active empathy and justice. This verse compels us to remember our own experiences of feeling like an "outsider," of vulnerability, or of needing grace, and to allow those memories to cultivate genuine compassion for others. In a world often marked by xenophobia, discrimination, and the marginalization of immigrants, refugees, or those simply perceived as "other," this command calls us to advocate for fair treatment, to extend hospitality, and to actively work against any form of oppression. It reminds us that our faith is not merely personal but has profound social implications, urging us to reflect God's character by championing the dignity and rights of all people, especially those on the fringes of society who may lack a voice or protection. Our past experiences of God's grace should fuel our present actions of grace towards others.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does remembering your own past struggles or experiences of feeling like an "outsider" cultivate empathy for others today?**
* **In what specific ways can we, as individuals or communities, actively work against oppression and advocate for the rights and dignity of vulnerable people in our society?**
* **How does this command challenge our natural inclination towards self-preservation or tribalism, and what does it mean to truly "know the heart" of someone different from us?**

### FAQ
**What does "stranger" mean in this context, and how is it different from other terms for foreigners?**

Answer: In Exodus 23:9, the Hebrew word translated as "stranger" is _ger_ (גֵּר). This term specifically refers to a resident alien or sojourner, someone who has left their homeland and settled among the Israelites, often for an extended period. The _ger_ was distinct from a casual visitor (_zar_) or a transient foreigner (_nokri_). While not ethnically Israelite, the _ger_ was a permanent or semi-permanent resident who lived within the community and was expected to abide by many of its laws. The emphasis on the _ger_ highlights their particular vulnerability, as they often lacked the familial and tribal protections, land inheritance, and full legal standing afforded to native-born Israelites. God's law provided explicit protections for the _ger_, commanding Israel to treat them with justice and even to love them as themselves (as seen in [Leviticus 19:33-34](/leviticus/19-33-34 "Leviticus 19:33-34 - Love the Sojourner as Yourself")), distinguishing Israel's legal code from those of many surrounding nations.

**Why does God emphasize Israel's past in Egypt as the reason for this command?**

Answer: God emphasizes Israel's past as "strangers in the land of Egypt" because it serves as the foundational, experiential basis for their empathy and ethical conduct. Their centuries of slavery and oppression were not merely a historical event but a formative national trauma that God intended to transform into a source of compassion. By reminding them, "for ye know the heart of a stranger," God appeals to their deep, personal understanding of vulnerability, fear, and injustice. This is a call to embodied empathy: having personally suffered as outsiders, they are uniquely positioned to understand the plight of the _ger_ and are morally obligated to prevent such suffering for others. It teaches them that their deliverance was not just about their freedom, but about becoming a people who would reflect God's own just and compassionate character, especially towards the marginalized (as echoed in [Deuteronomy 10:19](/deuteronomy/10-19 "Deuteronomy 10:19 - Love the Sojourner")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Exodus 23:9 finds its ultimate fulfillment and deepest meaning in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While the Old Testament command compelled Israel to remember their past suffering to cultivate empathy for the stranger, Jesus embodies this principle perfectly. He himself became a "stranger" in many senses: born in a foreign land (Bethlehem, not Nazareth), fleeing as a child to Egypt as a refugee ([Matthew 2:13-15](/matthew/2-13-15 "Matthew 2:13-15 - Flight to Egypt")), and later declaring that the Son of Man had "nowhere to lay his head" ([Matthew 8:20](/matthew/8-20 "Matthew 8:20 - Jesus Has Nowhere to Lay His Head")). His entire ministry was characterized by an unparalleled compassion for the marginalized, the outcast, and those on the fringes of society—the sick, the poor, the Samaritans, the Gentiles, and the sinners. Jesus perfectly "knew the heart" of humanity, not by shared historical oppression, but by taking on human flesh and experiencing our weaknesses and temptations, yet without sin ([Hebrews 4:15](/hebrews/4-15 "Hebrews 4:15 - Jesus, Our Sympathetic High Priest")). His command to "love your neighbor as yourself" ([Mark 12:31](/mark/12-31 "Mark 12:31 - The Greatest Commandment")), and His identification with "the least of these" (including the hungry, thirsty, naked, and imprisoned, which often includes strangers and refugees) in [Matthew 25:35-40](/matthew/25-35-40 "Matthew 25:35-40 - The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats"), expands and elevates the Old Testament's ethical demand. Through Christ's atoning work, the dividing wall of hostility between "insider" and "outsider" is broken down, making those who were once "strangers and aliens" now "fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God" ([Ephesians 2:19](/ephesians/2-19 "Ephesians 2:19 - Fellow Citizens with the Saints")). Thus, Jesus not only perfectly fulfilled the spirit of Exodus 23:9 in His life and teachings but also inaugurated a new humanity where the concept of the "stranger" is ultimately transcended in the unity of His body, the Church.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Deuteronomy 27:19

Cursed [be] he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Exodus 22:21

Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Matthew 18:33

Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?

Hebrews 2:17

Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto [his] brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things [pertaining] to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

Hebrews 2:18

For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Deuteronomy 24:14

¶ Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant [that is] poor and needy, [whether he be] of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that [are] in thy land within thy gates:

Deuteronomy 24:18

But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I command thee to do this thing.