Leviticus 19:34

34 1You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and 2you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 19:34 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 19:34

[But] a stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as
one born among you
Especially if a proselyte of righteousness; for then he enjoyed the same privileges, civil and religious, the Israelites did, for there was one law for them both, ( Exodus 12:49 ) : and thou shalt love him as thyself;
and show it by doing all the good things for him they would have done for themselves in like circumstances: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt:
and therefore knew what hardships such were exposed unto; and it became them to put on bowels of compassion, and show pity to those in a like condition, and particularly consider, as Jarchi suggests, that they were idolaters there also, and therefore ought not to upbraid strangers with their former idolatry: I [am] the Lord your God;
who showed kindness to them when strangers in Egypt, and had brought them out of that land, and therefore ought to obey his commands, and particularly in this instance.

Leviticus 19:34 In-Context

32 "You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the LORD.
33 "When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong.
34 You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
35 "You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measures of length or weight or quantity.
36 You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.

Cross References 2

  • 1. See Leviticus 16:29
  • 2. Deuteronomy 10:19; See ver. 18
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.