Deuteronomy 24:17
“You shall not pervert the justice due to the sojourner or to the fatherless, or take a widow’s garment in pledge,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse doesn't just forbid perverting justice against the vulnerable; it highlights why specific individuals like the stranger, fatherless, and widow are mentioned. The explicit prohibition against taking a widow's garment in pledge emphasizes that even everyday necessities, vital for her survival and dignity, are sacred and off-limits to exploitation.
This passage appears within a section of laws detailing how the Israelites should treat the vulnerable in their society, echoing earlier commands from Exodus. It immediately follows instructions about fair labor practices and precedes further laws concerning the poor and harvest gleanings, all emphasizing God's concern for those without earthly protection. The overarching theme is a direct call to compassionate justice, grounded in the memory of their own hardship as strangers and slaves in Egypt.
Understand the original words
mishpat · Hebrew Noun
Legal righteousness or fairness; the equitable administration of law and judgment based on God's character. In a biblical context, it involves protecting the vulnerable and upholding truth.
ger · Hebrew Noun
A resident alien or foreigner living within the land of Israel. The law commanded that they be treated with hospitality, fairness, and inclusion in the community's welfare provisions.
yatom · Hebrew Noun
One who has lost their father; in the biblical context, this represents a category of people lacking social and economic protection, whom God specifically commands the community to care for.
almanah · Hebrew Noun
This passage directly parallels Deuteronomy 24:17, showing an earlier command not to afflict widows and orphans, highlighting the enduring concern for the vulnerable.
Leviticus 19:33This verse emphasizes loving the sojourner as oneself, echoing the spirit of Deuteronomy 24:17 and revealing that the protection of the stranger is rooted in the principle of love.
Job 24:3This passage highlights the very injustices that Deuteronomy 24:17 forbids, showing the reality of perverting justice against the fatherless and selling them for pledges, thus underscoring the need for this divine command.
Isaiah 1:23This verse acts as a condemnation of rulers who pervert justice, specifically mentioning the oppression of the widow and the fatherless, demonstrating the consistent prophetic outcry against the mistreatment of vulnerable populations.
Matthew 25:35-40Jesus uses the example of welcoming strangers, feeding the hungry, and visiting the imprisoned to illustrate righteous acts, connecting the Old Testament's care for the sojourner and needy to the New Testament's understanding of true discipleship.
ellicottDeuteronomy 24:17: "Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow's raiment to pledge:"
(17-22) The stranger, the fatherless, and the widow —are the subject of all the laws in these verses. For the first two ( Deuteronomy 24:17-18 ), see Exodus 22:22-24 . As to the harvest, see Leviticus 23:22 . It is noticeable that this law is connected with the Feast of Pentecost in that place. Never was such care for the widow and the poor manifested as after t…
bensonDeuteronomy 24:17: "Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow's raiment to pledge:"
Deuteronomy 24:17 . Raiment — Not such as he hath daily and necessary use of, as being poor. But this concerns not rich persons, nor superfluous raiment.
This verse doesn't just forbid perverting justice against the vulnerable; it highlights why specific individuals like the stranger, fatherless, and widow are mentioned. The explicit prohibition against taking a widow's garment in pledge emphasizes that even everyday necessities, vital for her survival and dignity, are sacred and off-limits to exploitation.
This passage appears within a section of laws detailing how the Israelites should treat the vulnerable in their society, echoing earlier commands from Exodus. It immediately follows instructions about fair labor practices and precedes further laws concerning the poor and harvest gleanings, all emphasizing God's concern for those without earthly protection. The overarching theme is a direct call to compassionate justice, grounded in the memory of their own hardship as strangers and slaves in Egypt.
This passage appears within a section of laws detailing how the Israelites should treat the vulnerable in their society, echoing earlier commands from Exodus. It immediately follows instructions about fair labor practices and precedes further laws concerning the poor and harvest gleanings, all emphasizing God's concern for those without earthly protection. The overarching theme is a direct call to compassionate justice, grounded in the memory of their own hardship as strangers and slaves in Egypt.
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A woman whose husband has died. Throughout Scripture, widows are highlighted as a vulnerable group subject to divine protection and a specific focus of social concern.
chabolah · Hebrew Noun
An object given as security for a loan. Biblical law placed strict limits on taking such items to ensure the borrower was not deprived of basic necessities like clothing or dignity.
"“You shall not pervert the justice due to the sojourner or to the fatherless, or take a widow’s garment in pledge," — This verse doesn't just forbid perverting justice against the vulnerable; it highlights why specific individuals like the stranger, fatherless, and widow are mentioned. The explicit prohibition aga…
