“You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This command hinges on a powerful "remember": it’s not just about being a stranger, but about the visceral, deeply etched memory of what it felt like to be vulnerable and mistreated. God wants you to recall the sting of oppression and let that personal experience fuel your empathy for others facing similar hardship today.
“You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Fresh from their liberation from Egyptian bondage, the Israelites are now receiving laws to govern their new life in God's covenant community. This specific command immediately follows laws concerning property and restitution, and it's directed towards protecting vulnerable people: first, the resident foreigner, and then the widow and the orphan who are to be addressed in the following verses.
What does it truly mean to 'wrong' or 'oppress' someone, especially a foreigner in your land? This verse goes beyond just legal justice.
This command isn't just about avoiding outright theft or physical harm. The Hebrew word for 'wrong' here can encompass causing distress, vexing, or troubling someone. This means being mindful of how we speak and treat those who are different or new to our community.
It calls us to empathy. The reason given – 'for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt' – is a powerful reminder of their own past suffering. They knew firsthand the sting of being an outsider, the vulnerability, and the daily indignities.
This isn't just about rules; it's about cultivating a compassionate heart that remembers its own history of need and extends grace to those experiencing similar feelings today. It's about actively choosing kindness over irritation, and support over exploitation, because you know what it feels like.
Who is watching when the vulnerable are mistreated? This law reveals God's deep concern for those without status or protection.
The context of this verse, nestled within laws about justice and societal order, highlights that God’s concern extends to the most vulnerable. Strangers, widows, and orphans are often the easiest targets for mistreatment because they lack the power, connections, or legal standing to defend themselves.
This law isn't just a social guideline; it carries divine weight. The commentary notes that while human legal penalties aren't always specified for this offense, God Himself promises to intervene and punish those who oppress the vulnerable. He is the ultimate judge and protector.
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This should settle deep in our hearts: God sees every act of injustice, especially against those who are easily overlooked. His justice will ultimately prevail, bringing His 'wrath' upon those who carelessly cause suffering.
Understand the original words
yānâ · Hebrew Verb
To treat unfairly, harm, or violate the rights of another. In a biblical context, it often refers to cheating, defrauding, or abusing those in a vulnerable position.
gēr · Hebrew Noun
A resident alien or foreigner living within the land who lacks the full legal rights and ancestral land ownership of the native-born citizens, often depending on the host community for protection.
lāḥaṣ · Hebrew Verb
To treat harshly, crush, or exploit someone, often through the misuse of power, authority, or economic advantage over those who are weaker.
This passage directly echoes Exodus 22:21, commanding Israelites to treat foreigners living among them with love and justice, emphasizing empathy based on their own experiences in Egypt.
Deuteronomy 10:19Here, Moses reiterates the command to love the foreigner, explicitly linking it to God's love for the people of Israel when they were foreigners in Egypt, reinforcing the memory-based ethical instruction.
Jeremiah 7:6The prophet Jeremiah calls out injustice against foreigners, widows, and orphans, highlighting that oppressing these vulnerable groups is a sin that provokes God's judgment, showing this concern extended through Israel's history.
Matthew 7:12Jesus' teaching of the Golden Rule provides a universal ethical principle that perfectly aligns with the command in Exodus 22:21: treating sojourners with kindness because you would want to be treated the same way.
Ephesians 2:11-13Paul reminds the Gentile believers that they were once alienated from God and strangers to the covenants, drawing a parallel to the Israelites' historical experience and showing how Christ has broken down barriers, making all people 'fellow citizens'.
bensonExodus 22:21: "Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt."
Exodus 22:21 . A stranger must not be abused, not wronged in judgment by the magistrates, not imposed upon in contracts, nor any advantage taken of his ignorance or necessity, no, nor must he be taunted, or upbraided with his being a stranger; for all these were vexatious. For ye were strangers in Egypt — And knew what it was to be vexed and oppressed there. Those that have themselves…
pulpitExodus 22:21: "Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt."
Verse 21. - Law against oppression of foreigners. It may be doubted whether such a law as this was ever made in any other country. Foreigners are generally looked upon as "fair game," whom the natives of a country may ridicule and annoy at their pleasure. Native politeness gives them an exceptional position in France; but elsewhere it is the general rule to "vex" them. The Mosaic legi…
This command hinges on a powerful "remember": it’s not just about being a stranger, but about the visceral, deeply etched memory of what it felt like to be vulnerable and mistreated. God wants you to recall the sting of oppression and let that personal experience fuel your empathy for others facing similar hardship today.
Fresh from their liberation from Egyptian bondage, the Israelites are now receiving laws to govern their new life in God's covenant community. This specific command immediately follows laws concerning property and restitution, and it's directed towards protecting vulnerable people: first, the resident foreigner, and then the widow and the orphan who are to be addressed in the following verses.
Fresh from their liberation from Egyptian bondage, the Israelites are now receiving laws to govern their new life in God's covenant community. This specific command immediately follows laws concerning property and restitution, and it's directed towards protecting vulnerable people: first, the resident foreigner, and then the widow and the orphan who are to be addressed in the following verses.
"“You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt." — This command hinges on a powerful "remember": it’s not just about being a stranger, but about the visceral, deeply etched memory of what it felt like to be vulnerable and mistreated. God wants you…
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Last reviewed October 2026