Deuteronomy 10:19
Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The command to "love the sojourner" isn't just about abstract kindness; it's rooted in a deeply personal, shared memory. God compels the Israelites to extend compassion to outsiders by reminding them of their own vulnerability and dependency as strangers in Egypt. This verse highlights that empathy, built from lived experience, is a cornerstone of godly love, urging us to actively remember our own past struggles when interacting with those in similar situations today.
Just before this verse, Moses reminds Israel that God is supreme and has already shown immense love and care for them, from establishing His covenant to providing for them. This verse then pivots to how they are to reflect that divine love outwards. The command to love the foreigner directly follows the summary of God's demands on their hearts and lives, emphasizing that compassion for the vulnerable is an essential outflow of their relationship with God.
Ever felt out of place, misunderstood, or vulnerable? This verse reminds us that those feelings are a powerful call to action.
Moses lays out a profound principle: our own past hardships should fuel our present compassion. The Israelites, having experienced the alienation and vulnerability of being 'strangers' (sojourners) in Egypt, are commanded to extend love and kindness to the sojourner in their own land.
Empathy in Action
This isn't just a passive feeling; it's an active command. Because they knew what it was like to be outsiders, they were to actively welcome, protect, and care for those who were not native to their land. Their past experience in Egypt was meant to shape their character and guide their actions towards others.
The command to love the stranger isn't just about human empathy; it's rooted in who God is and how He acts.
While the primary reason given is Israel's own experience, the underlying principle is God's character. The commentaries hint at this: God 'exercises over the sons of men' a tender care, and He Himself loves the sojourner.
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Reflecting Divine Love
By loving the sojourner, Israel was meant to reflect the very heart of God. God's faithfulness and care were demonstrated towards them when they were in a vulnerable state in Egypt. Now, they are called to mirror that same divine love and justice towards the vulnerable in their midst. This elevates the command from mere social etiquette to a spiritual imperative.
This passage echoes the command in Deuteronomy, explicitly linking the treatment of foreigners to the Israelites' own history of being strangers in Egypt and emphasizing compassion as a core principle.
Matthew 25:35Jesus expands this concept of love for the stranger, teaching that caring for the vulnerable, including the stranger, is equivalent to caring for Him directly.
Exodus 22:21This earlier law already established a protective stance towards sojourners, but Deuteronomy 10:19 deepens this by grounding the command in the shared experience of vulnerability.
Romans 8:15This New Testament passage speaks to receiving the 'spirit of adoption' rather than a 'spirit of fear,' paralleling the shift from remembering past helplessness (strangers) to present relationship with God, a motivation for loving others.
gillDeuteronomy 10:19: "Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt."
Love ye therefore the stranger,.... Because the Lord loves him; and another reason follows, particularly binding on the Israelites: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt; and therefore should sympathize with such, and show them compassion, relieve them in distress, and afford them whatever they want, and is in the power of their hands to communicate to them; remembering their own condition in E…
pooleDeuteronomy 10:19: "Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt."
No text from Poole on this verse.
The command to "love the sojourner" isn't just about abstract kindness; it's rooted in a deeply personal, shared memory. God compels the Israelites to extend compassion to outsiders by reminding them of their own vulnerability and dependency as strangers in Egypt. This verse highlights that empathy, built from lived experience, is a cornerstone of godly love, urging us to actively remember our own past struggles when interacting with those in similar situations today.
Just before this verse, Moses reminds Israel that God is supreme and has already shown immense love and care for them, from establishing His covenant to providing for them. This verse then pivots to how they are to reflect that divine love outwards. The command to love the foreigner directly follows the summary of God's demands on their hearts and lives, emphasizing that compassion for the vulnerable is an essential outflow of their relationship with God.
Just before this verse, Moses reminds Israel that God is supreme and has already shown immense love and care for them, from establishing His covenant to providing for them. This verse then pivots to how they are to reflect that divine love outwards. The command to love the foreigner directly follows the summary of God's demands on their hearts and lives, emphasizing that compassion for the vulnerable is an essential outflow of their relationship with God.
"Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt." — The command to "love the sojourner" isn't just about abstract kindness; it's rooted in a deeply personal, shared memory. God compels the Israelites to extend compassion to outsiders by reminding them…
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