Leviticus 19:34

34 You must regard the foreigner who lives with you as the native-born among you. You are to love him as yourself, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt;[a] 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 are to rise in the presence of the elderly and honor the old. Fear your God; I am the Lord.
33 "When a foreigner lives with you in your land, you must not oppress him.
34 You must regard the foreigner who lives with you as the native-born among you. You are to love him as yourself, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.
35 "You must not act unfairly in measurements of length, weight, or volume.
36 You are to have honest balances, honest weights, an honest dry measure, and an honest liquid measure; I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Ex 23:9; Dt 10:19; 23:7
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