Exodus 23:9

9 Thou shalt not oppresse a straunger, for I knowe the herte of straunger, because ye were straungers in Egipte.

Exodus 23:9 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 23:9

Also thou shall not oppress a stranger
As these were not to be vexed and oppressed in a private manner and by private men, see ( Exodus 22:21 ) so neither in a public manner, and in a public court of judicature, or by judges on the bench when their cause was before them, by not doing them justice, showing a partiality to those of their own nation against a stranger; whereas a stranger ought to have equal justice done him as a native, and the utmost care should be taken that he has no injury done him, and the rather because he is a stranger:

for ye know the heart of a stranger;
the fears he is possessed of, the inward distress of his soul, the anxiety of his mind, the tenderness of his heart, the workings of his passions, his grief and sorrow, and dejection of spirit: the Targum of Jonathan is,

``"the groaning of the soul of a stranger": this the Israelitish judges knew, having had a very late experience of it:''

seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt;
where they had been vexed and oppressed, brought into hard bondage, and groaned under it; and therefore it might be reasonably thought and expected that they would have a heart sympathizing with strangers, and use them well, and especially see that justice was done them, and no injury or oppression of any kind.

Exodus 23:9 In-Context

7 Kepe the ferre from a false mater, and the Innocent and righteous se thou sley not, for I will not iustifye the weked.
8 Thou shalt take no giftes, for giftes blynde the seynge and peruerte the wordes of the righteous.
9 Thou shalt not oppresse a straunger, for I knowe the herte of straunger, because ye were straungers in Egipte.
10 Sixe yeres thou shalt sowe thi londe ad gather in the frutes theroff:
11 and the seuenth yere thou shalt let it rest and lye styll, that the poore of thi people maye eate, and what they leaue, the beestes of the felde shall eate: In like maner thou shalt do with thi vyneyarde ad thine olyue trees.
The Tyndale Bible is in the public domain.