Deuteronomy 10:18-19
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What's easy to miss here is that God's love for the stranger isn't just a passive feeling; it's demonstrated through active provision. He doesn't just feel for the foreigner, He gives them food and clothing, a tangible expression of His care. This shows us that true love for the vulnerable isn't just sentiment, but action.
He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Just before this verse, Moses recaps God's awesome power and faithfulness, from the plagues in Egypt to the Red Sea crossing and the provision in the wilderness. He's just told Israel that God requires them to fear Him, walk in His ways, love Him, and serve Him with all their heart—and this verse explains why that kind of wholehearted devotion matters. It illustrates the very heart of God by showing His deep concern for the most vulnerable, setting the stage for the command that immediately follows: because God loves the stranger, so should Israel.
Who does God's justice serve? This verse points to those who often have no voice or power.
The Lord doesn't just observe the plight of the fatherless and the widow; He actively 'executes their judgment.' This means He champions their cause, ensures they receive what is rightfully theirs, and protects them from those who would take advantage of their vulnerability.
It's a powerful reminder that God cares deeply about fairness and righteousness, especially for those who can't defend themselves. He doesn't stand idly by; He intervenes.
God's love isn't abstract; it's shown in tangible acts of care. Who is the special object of this love?
The verse highlights God's particular affection for the 'sojourner' – the foreigner, the stranger living among them. This isn't just a passive liking; it's an active love demonstrated by 'giving him food and clothing.'
This shows that God's heart extends beyond His chosen people to embrace those who are outsiders. He provides for their basic needs, ensuring they have sustenance and covering. This love is a model for how His people should also treat strangers.
Understand the original words
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mishpat · Hebrew Noun
The active administration of righteousness and the righting of wrongs according to God’s holy standard. It involves providing for the oppressed and ensuring that legal and moral wrongs are corrected.
ger · Hebrew Noun
A person living in a land not their own, often without legal rights or family protection. In the biblical context, God commands special care for them as a reflection of His own character of compassion for the vulnerable.
This Psalm directly calls God a 'Father of the fatherless and protector of widows,' echoing Deuteronomy's emphasis on God's personal concern for the vulnerable.
Luke 10:30-37The parable of the Good Samaritan powerfully illustrates the principle of loving the 'stranger' or 'neighbor,' showing God's heart for those outside one's immediate circle, just as God loves the sojourner.
James 1:27This verse defines 'true religion' as caring for orphans and widows in their distress, directly connecting the practice of justice and compassion for the vulnerable to genuine faith, as modeled by God in Deuteronomy.
Matthew 25:35Jesus states, 'For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,' linking acts of kindness to strangers with service to Himself, mirroring God's love for the sojourner with food and clothing.
gillDeuteronomy 10:18: "He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment."
He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow,.... Who have none to help them, and whose patron and defender he is, and will do them justice himself, and take care that it is done them by others, or avenge their injuries, for he is a Father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widow, in his holy habitation; Psalm 68:5 . and loveth the stranger, in g…
bensonDeuteronomy 10:18: "He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment."
Deuteronomy 10:18 . The judgment of the fatherless — He is so far from disregarding those who are unbefriended, that he regards them the more on that account, takes their case under his special cognizance, and is particularly displeased with those who injure and oppress them. Nay, he executes their judgment, pleads their cause, and maintains their right against…
What's easy to miss here is that God's love for the stranger isn't just a passive feeling; it's demonstrated through active provision. He doesn't just feel for the foreigner, He gives them food and clothing, a tangible expression of His care. This shows us that true love for the vulnerable isn't just sentiment, but action.
Just before this verse, Moses recaps God's awesome power and faithfulness, from the plagues in Egypt to the Red Sea crossing and the provision in the wilderness. He's just told Israel that God requires them to fear Him, walk in His ways, love Him, and serve Him with all their heart—and this verse explains why that kind of wholehearted devotion matters. It illustrates the very heart of God by showing His deep concern for the most vulnerable, setting the stage for the command that immediately follows: because God loves the stranger, so should Israel.
Just before this verse, Moses recaps God's awesome power and faithfulness, from the plagues in Egypt to the Red Sea crossing and the provision in the wilderness. He's just told Israel that God requires them to fear Him, walk in His ways, love Him, and serve Him with all their heart—and this verse explains why that kind of wholehearted devotion matters. It illustrates the very heart of God by showing His deep concern for the most vulnerable, setting the stage for the command that immediately follows: because God loves the stranger, so should Israel.
"He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt." — What's easy to miss here is that God's love for the stranger isn't just a passive feeling; it's demonstrated through active provision. He doesn't just feel for the foreigner, He gives them food a…
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Last reviewed October 2026
