What Does the Bible Actually Say About Immigrants and Foreigners?

What does the Bible say about immigrants? What does it imply to be a “sojourner”? What are crucial verses on this subject?

Immigrants who love the immigrants

Earlier than diving into the small print, we are able to start by figuring out two broad and vital themes from Scripture.

1. God’s individuals are immigrants

We start by noting that all followers of God share the immigrant experience. For instance,

• With the Jubilee legal guidelines, YHWH designates Israel itself as an immigrant on the land that he had given to them (Lev 25:23).
• David describes himself as an immigrant earlier than YHWH since God is the creator and people’ days are extraordinarily restricted: “our days on earth are like a shadow” (1 Chr 29:15).
• Likewise, the New Testomony emphasizes how Christians are immigrants and minorities on this sinful world (Heb 11:13; 1 Pet 2:11).

No matter our ethnic and nationwide background, as followers of YHWH Christians share the immigrant expertise each earlier than God as our host and the sinful world as our majority tradition. Our core id shouldn’t be because the host tradition. We’re all immigrants!

2. God’s individuals love God by loving the immigrant

The opposite vital theological theme associated to immigrants, particularly within the Outdated Testomony, is that we love God by loving the immigrant. YHWH beloved the immigrant, so Israel ought to as nicely, particularly since they had been immigrants in Egypt and knew what it felt prefer to be an immigrant (Exod 23:9; Deut 10:18–19).

The New Testomony continues this theme. Not solely should overseers love the foreigner (“hospitable,” 1 Tim 3:2), however so too should all Christians (Rom 12:13; Heb 13:2). How can one present their love of YHWH? Love the immigrant!

These Bible passages concerning the immigrant apply most on to the individuals of God immediately, the church. As we’ll see, the church ought to obtain the Outdated Testomony immigration texts immediately as a problem to like individuals who need assistance, particularly those that are bodily near us and are from totally different backgrounds.

The foreigner (נָכְרִי and נֵכָר)

We’ll start by taking a look at the most typical phrase for foreigner within the Outdated Testomony: the adjective נָכְרִי and the noun נֵכָר.

Unincorporated & unassimilated foreigner

Foreigner (נָכְרִי) normally refers to a overseas one that doesn’t join at any deep stage with the host individuals (Deut 29:22; Judg 19:12; 1 Kgs 8:41). For instance, the legislation of the king defines a foreigner as somebody who’s “not your brother” (Deut 17:15).

• God prohibited the Israelites from providing bread in a ritual context that that they had acquired from a son of a foreigner (Lev 22:25).
• The Torah disallowed the Israelites from charging a brother curiosity, however they might cost a foreigner curiosity (Deut 23:20).
• The sabbatical yr cancelled the money owed of Israelites, however not of the foreigner (Deut 15:3).

In some instances, the foreigners had been touring retailers from overseas nations. Deuteronomy prohibited Israel from consuming unclean meals, however they might give it to an immigrant or promote it to a foreigner (Deut 14:21). The change in verb from “giving” to the immigrant or “promoting” it to the foreigner portrays the latter as a service provider. These foreigners may be mercenaries, since David instructed the נָכְרִי soldier Ittai, “your arrival was yesterday” (2 Sam 15:20).

In different instances, the foreigner lives completely in Israel however retains important cultural customs of their hometown.

• Solomon’s wives, who’re from different nations and worship the gods of these nations, are known as foreigners (1 Kgs 11:1, 8).
• Extra instantly, overseas gods are “gods of foreigners” (Gen 35:2, 4; Deut 31:16; 32:12; Josh 24:20; 1 Sam 7:3; Jer 5:19; Mal 2:11).
• Exodus’s prohibition in opposition to a “son of a foreigner” consuming Passover addresses this state of affairs (Exod 12:43).
• Likewise, Ezekiel condemns Israel for permitting “sons of a foreigner”—outlined as those that are “uncircumcised in coronary heart and uncircumcised in flesh”—to enter YHWH’s sanctuary (Ezek 44:7, 9).

One of many extra controversial texts about foreigners is Ezra 10, the place the Israelites have married overseas ladies. An identical story happens in Nehemiah 13:23–31, the place Jews have married ladies from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab and their youngsters converse overseas languages. Neither textual content instantly says that the ladies worshipped different gods. Nevertheless, the utilization of foreigner (נָכְרִי) strongly implies that idolatry is the issue with these wives, not that they had been merely overseas or that their youngsters spoke a unique language. Nehemiah’s response helps this, as he remembers how Solomon’s overseas wives had made him sin (13:26). Additional, the texts states that Nehemiah “cleansed them [Israel] from the whole lot overseas (נֵכָר)” (Neh 13:30).

Favorable depictions

Nevertheless, not the whole lot a couple of foreigner is damaging!

• YHWH promised to listen to the prayer of the foreigner (1 Kgs 8:43).
• Already in Genesis, Abraham integrated some sons of foreigners into his home and circumcised them (Gen 17:12, 27).
• Ruth known as herself a foreigner when she moved to Bethlehem at the same time as she integrated herself into Israel (Ruth 2:10).
• One psalm refers to “sons of foreigners ” surrendering and coming to obey YHWH (2 Sam 22:45–46//Ps 18:45–46).

Most intriguingly, Isaiah says, “let not the son of the foreigner who has connected himself to YHWH say, ‘YHWH will separate me from my individuals’” (Isa 56:3). Later, Isaiah additionally says,

And the sons of foreigners who’ve connected themselves to YHWH to serve him and to like the title of YHWH to be his servants—everybody who retains the Sabbath from profaning it and holds quick to my covenant—I’ll carry them to my holy mountain and make them completely happy in my home of prayer; their burnt choices and sacrifices might be accepted on my altar as a result of my home might be known as a home of prayer for all peoples. (Isa 56:6–7)

Even the foreigner can be part of the individuals of Israel after they observe YHWH!

Abstract

General, the foreigner within the Outdated Testomony usually referred to those that essentially remained disconnected from Israel and had been extra steady economically. A few of them handed via Israel quickly as retailers. For many who lived in Israel, they retained important overseas id markers that prevented their inclusion into Israel.

Nevertheless, as we noticed, this image shouldn’t be at all times constant: Some “sons of a foreigner” had been circumcised and joined Abraham’s home; Ruth known as herself a foreigner at the same time as she integrated herself into Israel; and Isaiah referred to the foreigner sooner or later who will totally commit themselves to YHWH.

Immigrant (גֵּר and גור)

The opposite main class of non-Israelite within the Outdated Testomony are those that integrated themselves into Israel extra totally. The phrase used to explain this individual is an immigrant (גֵּר; with the verbal type גור), which has historically been translated as “sojourner.” Given the rarity of using the phrase “sojourner” in English immediately, I’ve chosen to translate גֵּר as “immigrant” to suggest it usually represents an individual who migrates from one individuals group to a different. Nevertheless, the noun גֵּר and the verb גור are utilized in considerably alternative ways from one another.

The verbal type גור

We’ll start with the verbal type גור, which extra broadly refers to dwelling in a spot. In some occurrences, it doesn’t indicate something overseas. As an example,

• Dan was mentioned to dwell with the ships (Judg 5:17).
• A Levite may very well be mentioned to dwell in a city in Israel (Deut 18:6; Judg 17:7–9; 19:1, 16).

Nevertheless, extra generally the phrase refers to individuals dwelling with one other individuals group. For instance,

• Abraham sojourned among the many Canaanites (Gen 20:1; 21:23, 34; 26:3; 35:27; Exod 6:4; 1 Chr 16:19).
• Elimelech went along with his household to dwell in Moab throughout a famine (Ruth 1:1).
• Elisha instructed a girl to go some place else throughout a famine and dwell there, so she spent seven years with the Philistines (2 Kgs 8:1–2).
• If the Israelites sought to flee Israel to dwell in Egypt when Babylon invaded, YHWH promised that they’d face calamity (Jer 42:15–22).
• Nevertheless, the individuals don’t pay attention and go to dwell within the land of Egypt (Jer 43:2, 5; 44:8, 12, 14, 28).

Generally, the verbal type גור is used broadly to discuss with individuals residing amongst one other individuals group (normally Israelites shifting elsewhere) and doesn’t entail a lot assimilation. Although it isn’t common, Israelites tended to dwell some place else in response to a pure catastrophe—similar to a famine—or a navy battle, making a partial parallel with trendy refugees fleeing from related occasions.

The noun type גֵּר in narrative texts

Turning to the noun type גֵּר, it hardly ever seems in a story context. When it does so, it refers to a scenario like these the place the verbal type is used: The immigrant doesn’t change very a lot to turn out to be like their hosts.

• Abraham instructed the inhabitants of Hebron that he was an immigrant amongst them (Gen 23:4).
• The Amalekite who instructed David in regards to the demise of Saul known as himself an immigrant (2 Sam 1:13).
• Unusually, Moses combines immigrant with foreigner when he mentioned that he “was an immigrant in a overseas land” (Exod 2:22; 18:3). (It’s unclear which expertise he’s referring to: Egypt or Midian?)

The noun type גֵּר in authorized texts

Within the historic Close to East, legislation codes pay little or no consideration to immigrants. However the Torah takes a unique method! It reveals how strongly God values loving the immigrant.

In these authorized texts, the immigrant typically depicts somebody residing amongst a individuals group however remaining separate from them. The clearest instance of this comes from Israelites residing as immigrants in Egypt. For instance, Exodus 23:9 says, “you shall not oppress the immigrant because you your self know the emotions of an immigrant since you had been an immigrant within the land of Egypt.” On this case, the immigrants weren’t assimilating into Egyptian tradition. As a substitute, the main focus is on Israel understanding what it’s prefer to be the minority in a overseas tradition. Apparently, whereas Joseph assimilated extra into Egyptian tradition, Genesis by no means makes use of the phrase immigrant to explain him.

Nevertheless, different texts painting important incorporation of the immigrant into their host inhabitants. Certainly, it’s even attainable that in some texts the immigrant was an Israelite from a unique a part of the nation, quite than somebody from outdoors the individuals of Israel. Later in historical past, Josephus makes a distinction between those that dwell among the many Jews and observe their legal guidelines in comparison with those that find yourself among the many Jews by chance (Towards Apion 2:210).

The strongest proof for this incorporation of the immigrant, although, is the Passover legal guidelines. The prohibition of yeast in a home throughout Passover extends to each the native of the land and the immigrant (Exod 12:19). Most importantly, an immigrant might have a good time Passover with Israel if he circumcised his household and “turns into like a local” (Exod 12:48). The immigrants had been amongst those that celebrated the Passover with Hezekiah (2 Chr 30:25).

It’s on this Passover context that the textual content notes that “there might be one legislation for the native and the immigrant who lives amongst you” (Exod 12:49), a sentiment that’s repeated particularly in regards to the Passover in Numbers 9:14 and extra typically in Leviticus 24:22 and Numbers 15:15–16, 29. The immigrants are even mentioned to enter into covenant with YHWH (Deut 29:11; Josh 8:30-35). Many locations within the Outdated Testomony spell out how the immigrant follows the identical legal guidelines because the Israelites:

• The prohibition of work on the Sabbath (Exod 20:10; 23:12) and the Day of Atonement (Lev 16:29)
• The prohibition of providing an animal sacrifice wherever besides the tent of assembly (Lev 17:8–9)
• The prohibition of consuming blood (Lev 17:10–15)
• The prohibition of committing idolatry (Ezek 14:7)
• The prohibition of sacrificing youngsters to Molech (Lev 20:2)
• The prohibition of cursing the title of YHWH (Lev 24:16; Num 15:30)
• Laws about easy methods to provide a burnt providing (Lev 22:18–20)
• Laws about gathering the ashes of the pink heifer (Num 19:10)
• The chance to flee to a metropolis of refuge (Num 35:10)
• The laws about sexual exercise (Lev 18:26)
• When a priest provided atonement for all Israel for a mistake, this is able to cowl the immigrant as nicely (Num 15:26)
• The immigrant might take part within the Feast of Weeks (Deut 16:11), Feast of Tabernacles (Deut 16:14), and the celebration of first fruits (Deut 26:10–11)
• The immigrants gathered with all Israel to listen to the legislation each seven years (Deut 31:10–12)

In abstract then, the verb type גור refers mostly to residing amongst a unique individuals group however not incorporating oneself into them very extremely. One strand of using the noun type גֵּר follows this tendency, such because the quite common theme of Israel as an immigrant in Egypt and the handful of narrative texts that use the phrase גֵּר. Nevertheless, the dominant use of the noun immigrant (גֵּר) within the Outdated Testomony depicts them as non-Israelites who’ve been integrated into Israel in important methods and successfully turn out to be part of Israel.

Use Logos’s Bible Sense Lexicon to discover the totally different phrases associated to concepts like sojourner.

The id & motive for these immigrants

Sadly, we don’t have details about the id of those immigrants and why they got here to Israel. Given the way in which that the verbal type גור is usually linked with individuals fleeing pure disasters or conflict, almost certainly this is able to have been the trigger for somebody to turn out to be an immigrant, however we can’t know for sure.

Additional complicating this concern is the presence of non-Israelites who had been integrated into Israel however should not known as immigrants, such because the descendants of Jethro the Midianite (Judg 1:16), Caleb the Kenizzite (Num 32:12; Josh 14:6), and Rahab the Canaanite (Josh 6:25). It’s attainable that they went via an “immigrant stage” earlier than being integrated. Nevertheless, I’d guess that they weren’t known as immigrant as a result of they didn’t have to be financially supported: All three tales painting them as those that would almost certainly not need assistance.

Ruth is a tougher scenario, since she shouldn’t be known as an immigrant however clearly wants assist. She refers to herself as a foreigner (נָכְרִי, Ruth 2:10), however that may very well be an early stage of her time in Israel or maybe even a Moabite misunderstanding of the distinction between the phrases “immigrant” and “foreigner.” No matter whether or not she known as an immigrant or not, Boaz follows the command to like the immigrant by caring for Ruth.

The command to like the immigrant

The Outdated Testomony legislation consistently instructions the Israelites to like the immigrant. One frequent motive for this was that Israel ought to deal with the immigrant kindly as a result of they had been immigrants in Egypt. As famous above, Exodus says, “you shall not oppress the immigrant because you your self know the emotions of an immigrant since you had been immigrants within the land of Egypt” (Exod 23:9). Israel knew what it was prefer to be an immigrant! Subsequently, they need to love the immigrant of their midst. This reminder about Israel’s historical past is regularly repeated within the Torah (Exod 22:21; Lev 19:34; Deut 24:17–18).

One other facet of the decision to like the immigrant pertains to their financial wants. The fixed connection of the immigrant with the widow and the orphan demonstrates this socioeconomic actuality for the immigrant (Exod 22:21–22; Deut 10:18; 14:29; 27:19; Jer 7:6; Ezek 22:7; Zech 7:10). Within the authorized texts, caring for the immigrant turns into one of many main symbols of following YHWH.

The rationale for that is that YHWH loves the immigrant! YHWH’s love for the immigrant is a typical theme all through the Outdated Testomony:

• “YHWH loves the immigrant, giving him meals and clothes” (Deut 10:18–19).
• Likewise, YHWH is one who “guards the immigrant” (Ps 146:9).
• The prophets repeat this name to carry justice to the immigrant as a part of their name to observe YHWH (Jer 7:6; 22:3; Ezek 22:7, 29; Zech 7:10; Mal 3:5).

The Outdated Testomony supplies quite a lot of particular methods the Israelites had been to look after the immigrant:

• Not wronging or oppressing the immigrant (Exod 22:21)
• Not corrupting justice on behalf of the immigrant (Deut 27:19)
• Leaving the fallen grapes in a winery for them to choose up (Lev 19:10; Deut 24:21)
• Leaving the sides of a subject unharvested (Lev 23:22; Deut 24:19)
• Not beating an olive tree twice to permit the immigrant to collect olives from it (Deut 24:20)
• Sharing the three-year tithe not solely with the Levite, but additionally the immigrant and different teams that tended to be poorer (Deut 14:28–29; 26:12–13)
• Offering shelter for an immigrant: Job proclaims his advantage by saying that “the immigrant didn’t stay outdoors in a single day” (Job 31:32)

The decision to “love the foreigner” within the Outdated Testomony at all times makes use of the phrase immigrant (גֵּר), highlighting the nearer connection of Israel to the immigrant than foreigners (נָכְרִי and נֵכָר) basically.

It’s attainable that Israel was known as to like the immigrant, not the foreigner (נָכְרִי), as a result of the immigrant tended to be extra extremely dedicated to their host nation, Israel, than the foreigner. If this was the important thing distinction, then Israel was to point out a particular love in the direction of those that had dedicated themselves to Israel and YHWH.

Nevertheless, it’s extra possible that Israel known as to like the immigrant as a result of the immigrant typically wanted assist greater than the foreigner. The incessant inclusion of the immigrant together with the widow and the orphan in these calls to like the poor mirror the frequent poorer standing of the immigrant in Israel. The decision to like the immigrant says much less in regards to the actual id of the immigrant and extra about their standing as somebody near the Israelites who wanted assist. Generally, the immigrants had been those that wanted assist, whereas the foreigners didn’t.

Since somebody from a unique nation wouldn’t be capable to personal land in Israel, this is able to place them in a considerably harmful place in an agrarian society. As famous above, some non-Israelites had been in a position to achieve land, similar to Caleb. Nevertheless, the frequent description of the immigrant as “inside your gates” would possibly indicate that they dwell inside cities, not on their very own land. Deuteronomy commanded the Israelites to look after the Levite “inside your gates as a result of he has no property or inheritance with you” (Deut 12:12; 14:27). Whereas this verse doesn’t use the phrase immigrant, it would present commentary on what it means to be “inside the gates”: with out property. Likewise, Deuteronomy 14:29 contains the immigrant with the Levites, mentioned to be with out property, together with the orphan and widow as those that ought to share within the blessings of the three-year tithe.

Leviticus strongly frames the command to like the immigrant by saying, “you shall love him as your self” (Lev 19:34). Deuteronomy is even stronger when it says, “cursed is the one who corrupts justice in regard to an immigrant, orphan, or widow” (Deut 27:19). The apply of serving to the poor immigrant even turns into a mannequin for easy methods to deal with a poor Israelite: If a local Israelite grew to become poor, then different Israelites had been to deal with him like an immigrant and look after him (Lev 25:35).

International-worker (תּוֹשָׁב)

One phrase that seems much less regularly than immigrant and foreigner and appears to occupy a center floor between them is תּוֹשָׁב. Etymologically, it derives from the phrase for “dwell” (ישׁב) however refers to a foreign-worker because it typically happens in parallel with “employed laborer” (Exod 12:45; Lev 22:10; 25:6).

Due to this connection, the foreign-worker (תּוֹשָׁב) confronted some restrictions: The Passover laws prohibit a overseas employee (and a employed laborer) from becoming a member of the Passover celebrations (Exod 12:45), and the foreign-worker and the employed laborer of a Levite couldn’t eat the holy meals (Lev 22:10).

Nevertheless, in different methods the foreign-worker is just like the immigrant. תּוֹשָׁב typically happens in parallel with an immigrant, similar to when:

• Abraham calls himself an immigrant and a foreign-worker (Gen 23:4).
• YHWH would look after all these in Israel in the course of the sabbatical yr, together with the foreign-worker and the employed employee and those who dwell in Israel (Lev 25:6).
• The cities of refuge had been for each the immigrant and the foreign-worker (Num 35:15).
• Israel was to look after a poor Israelite like he was a foreign-worker or an immigrant (Lev 25:35).
• Lastly, Israel known as each an immigrant and a foreign-worker earlier than YHWH (Lev 25:23).

Whereas the foreign-worker in some methods is sort of a foreigner (although it’s by no means utilized in parallel with foreigner) and stored separate from Israel, in different methods the foreign-worker is extra like an immigrant and in a position to take pleasure in among the privileges of the native Israelites. A translation like “foreign-worker” helps to point out each the usually lower-class standing of those people and their relative place between an immigrant and a foreigner.

Greek Translations within the Outdated & New Testomony

Turning to the New Testomony, we now have far much less knowledge to work with in relation to immigration as a result of it doesn’t discuss in regards to the subject very a lot.

Proselyte or convert (προσήλυτος)

The most typical translation of immigrant within the Greek Outdated Testomony is the phrase “proselyte” (προσήλυτος ), particularly within the texts that emphasize the immigrant figuring out with Israel in robust methods (Exod 12:48-49; 20:10; Lev 16:29). By the point of the New Testomony, the phrase “proselyte” had taken on a technical that means of an official convert to Judaism, which is the one means that the New Testomony makes use of it (Matt 23:15; Acts 2:11; 6:5; 13:43). This new technical that means for the phrase prevented New Testomony authors from utilizing the phrase as broadly as immigrant was used within the Outdated Testomony.

Resident-foreigner (παροικέω)

The Greek Outdated Testomony additionally interprets immigrant (each גֵּר/גור) and foreign-worker (תושב) by the Greek verb παροικέω or the noun πάροικος (“resident-foreigner”). Nevertheless, these phrases seem hardly ever within the New Testomony.

Not surprisingly, they’re used to explain some Outdated Testomony tales describing Abraham and Moses as immigrants (Acts 7:6, 29; Heb 11:9). The one use of the phrase to explain somebody residing in up to date occasions refers to somebody quickly visiting Jerusalem for Passover (Luke 24:18).

New Testomony authors use the phrase resident-foreigner (πάροικος) theologically a number of occasions:

• When chatting with Gentiles, Paul tells them they’re now not foreigners (ξένος) or resident-foreigners (πάροικος), however “fellow residents with the saints and members of the family of God” (Eph 2:19).
• Extra broadly, Peter addresses his readers as resident-foreigners (πάροικος) and exiles on this world (1 Pet 2:11).

Foreigner (ξένος, ἀλλότριος, ἀλλογενής, and ἀλλόφυλος)

The foreigner phrase group is likewise sparsely represented within the New Testomony.

Foreigner (נָכְרִי and נֵכָר) is usually translated within the Greek Outdated Testomony by ἀλλότριος (“belonging to a different”). Nevertheless, in a number of locations it’s translated with the phrase “stranger” (ξένος), “totally different individuals group” (ἀλλογενής), or “overseas” (ἀλλόφυλος). Most of those Greek phrases seem hardly ever within the New Testomony.

The one phrase linked with the “foreigner” class of the Outdated Testomony that the New Testomony makes use of with any regularity is “foreigner” (ξένος). Regardless that it seems solely 9 occasions within the Greek Outdated Testomony, it turns into a extra frequent phrase for outsiders within the Second Temple interval and is the principle phrase for them within the New Testomony (although it’s nonetheless used solely fourteen occasions).

Loving-foreigner (hospitality) within the New Testomony

In an identical approach to “resident-foreigner” (πάροικος), the phrase foreigner (ξένος) is put to theological use within the New Testomony:

• When chatting with Gentiles, Paul says that they had been “foreigners to the covenants of promise” (Eph 2:12).
• Later, he says that they’re now not foreigners or resident-foreigners, however “fellow residents with the saints and members of the family of God” (Eph 2:19).
• Elsewhere, followers of YHWH are known as foreigners and exiles on earth (Heb 11:13).

Whereas it’s a minor theme, the New Testomony chooses the phrase foreigner (ξένος) to recall the Outdated Testomony’s command to like the immigrant (although the Greek Outdated Testomony solely used the phrase ξένος to translate גֵּר one time).

• John praised his readers for caring for his pals, who had been foreigners to his readers (3 John 5).
• The phrase foreigner was mixed with the phrase for love (φίλος) to create the phrase “loving-foreigners” (φιλόξενος), commonly translated “hospitality.”
• In its adjectival type φιλόξενος , an overseer is to be one who beloved the foreigner (1 Tim 3:2; Titus 1:8).
• Likewise, Peter commanded all Christians to apply loving-foreigners (φιλόξενος, 1 Pet 4:9).
• Paul additionally makes use of the noun type “loving-foreigners” (φιλοξενία ) to name all Christians to like the foreigner (Rom 12:13).
• Lastly, it seems in Hebrews as a normal name for all Christians, however there it’s supported by the assertion that “by doing this some have beloved foreigners who had been angels with out understanding it” (Heb 13:2).

Probably the most direct reference to loving the immigrant (גֵּר) within the New Testomony is when Jesus, within the parable of the sheep and the goats, designates the individual helped as a “foreigner” (ξένος, Matt 25:35, 38, 43, 44). Because the foreigners are additionally described as “brothers” (Matt 25:40), almost certainly they’re fellow Christians.

Abstract & conclusion

The Outdated Testomony talks about non-Israelites with two totally different phrase teams: foreigners who stay totally different (the Hebrew phrases נָכְרִי and נֵכָר) and immigrants who assimilate into Israelite tradition and are typically poorer (גֵּר).

Nevertheless, the road between the 2 phrases is usually fuzzy. Such peoples seem on a spectrum by way of their relation to Israel. On one facet of the spectrum are the foreigners who stay against YHWH and worship different gods, tempting Israel to the do identical. Nevertheless, different non-Israelites are in Israel primarily for enterprise functions. Generally, foreigners as a gaggle are extra economically steady. On the opposite facet of the spectrum, many immigrants assimilate into Israel. Some texts even painting them as following YHWH! They tackle Israelite id markers however are additionally much less economically steady. Complicating issues additional, the class of “foreign-worker” (תושב) doesn’t precisely overlap with both class, touchdown someplace between the 2.

Considerably, the decision to “love the non-Israelite” at all times seems with the phrase “immigrant” (גֵּר), not with “foreigner” (נָכְרִי). Nevertheless, on condition that this command was regularly linked with the widow and the orphan, it’s primarily based totally on the comparatively poorer standing of the immigrant in comparison with the foreigner.

The New Testomony continues the Outdated Testomony theme of loving the immigrant, however on account of linguistic modifications speaks of the command utilizing the broader phrase foreigner (ξένος). Nevertheless, the phrase foreigner (ξένος) within the New Testomony takes on among the that means of immigrant (גֵּר) within the Outdated Testomony, because it typically refers to loving those that are dedicated to God.

Regardless of any variations, the basic theological themes about immigrants stay the identical throughout the testaments:

1. God’s individuals all expertise their life primarily as immigrants, not because the host tradition (Lev 25:23; 1 Chr 29:15; Heb 11:13; 1 Pet 2:11).
2. One vital approach to love God is to like the immigrant, no matter that appears like in every historic context (Deut 10:18–19; 27:19; Zech 7:9–10; Rom 12:13; 1 Pet 4:9).

Each truths, together with their respective passages, must be emphasised immediately in church contexts.

This word study has shown that the excellence between an immigrant and foreigner was regularly unclear within the Outdated Testomony and have become much more muddied within the New Testomony world of the early church. Thus, we shouldn’t be stunned if offering actual definitions immediately is likewise elusive.

Nevertheless, offering actual definitions shouldn’t be our major purpose as followers of YHWH. As a substitute, it’s to like these outsiders who need assistance “inside our gates,” whoever that is perhaps. Though the story of the Good Samaritan doesn’t use any of the phrases for foreigner or immigrant because it as a substitute revolves across the query of “neighbor,” Jesus’s growth of the “neighbor” class to incorporate even a Samaritan follows the same growth in Leviticus 19 from “love your neighbor as your self” (Lev 19:18) to “love the immigrant as your self” (Lev 19:34). So we ask, who’s the immigrant (גֵּר)/foreigner (ξένος) in your life that you may love?

Charlie Trimm advisable sources for additional examine

• Ramírez Kidd, José E. Alterity and Identification in Israel: The גר within the Outdated Testomony. BZAW 283. Berlin: De Gruyter, 1999.
• Roth, Federico Alfredo. Hyphenating Moses: A Postcolonial Exegesis of Identification in Exodus 1:1-3:15. Biblical Interpretation 154. Leiden: Brill, 2017.

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