Leviticus 19:34
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This command isn't just about being nice to foreigners; it's a direct call to empathy rooted in shared vulnerability. Because they know what it was like to be vulnerable and unprotected as strangers in Egypt, they are to treat every sojourner among them with the same care and belonging they would expect for themselves.
You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This command comes amidst a series of ethical instructions for the Israelites, outlining how to live holy lives and treat one another with justice and love. The preceding verses discuss kindness to the poor and honesty in dealings, building a framework of compassion that extends even to those outside the Israelite community. This particular verse then directly addresses how to interact with foreigners residing among them, grounding the radical call for love in their shared history of hardship as strangers in Egypt.
Who is considered 'other' in God's eyes? This verse challenges us to blur the lines between 'us' and 'them'.
God's command in Leviticus 19:34 is radical. It instructs the Israelites to treat the stranger 'as the native among you' and 'love him as yourself.' This isn't just about basic fairness; it's about full inclusion and deep affection.
Beyond Basic Rights
The command goes beyond simply offering legal protection. It calls for treating the sojourner with the same consideration and heartfelt care you would give to someone born into your own family. This means empathy, respect, and genuine love, not just tolerance.
Extending the 'Neighbor' Principle
This verse directly links to the command to 'love your neighbor as yourself' (Leviticus 19:18). Here, God explicitly defines the 'neighbor' to include the foreigner living among them. It broadens the scope of love and compassion to those who might otherwise be seen as outsiders.
God doesn't just give commands; He gives us reasons rooted in our own experiences. Why is remembering Egypt so crucial here?
The powerful justification for this law is etched in the Israelites' collective memory: 'for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.'
The Weight of Experience
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Having experienced hardship, vulnerability, and injustice as foreigners, the Israelites were uniquely positioned to understand the plight of strangers. God reminds them of their own past suffering to cultivate deep empathy and compassion.
A Foundation for Justice
This shared experience of being 'other' was meant to be the bedrock of their interactions with foreigners. It’s a powerful reminder that our own vulnerabilities can be the source of our greatest compassion for others. When we remember how it felt to be on the outside, we are motivated to build bridges, not walls.
Understand the original words
ahab · Hebrew Verb
The active choice to demonstrate self-sacrificial commitment, affection, and care toward others, reflecting the character of God who first loved His people.
This passage directly follows the laws about treating vulnerable people, including strangers, and emphasizes that God hears their cry, linking the divine command to practical empathy.
Deuteronomy 10:19This verse echoes Leviticus, reminding Israel that God loves the stranger and they should also love them because of their own past as foreigners in Egypt, reinforcing the foundational reason for the command.
Matthew 25:35Jesus extends the principle of caring for the stranger, equating hospitality and aid to strangers with direct service to Himself, highlighting the profound spiritual significance of this act.
Ephesians 2:19Paul speaks of Gentiles no longer being strangers or foreigners but fellow citizens and members of God's household, showing how the New Covenant fulfills and expands the inclusivity commanded in Leviticus.
bensonLeviticus 19:34: "But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God."
Leviticus 19:34 . As one born among you — Either, 1st, As to the matters of common right, so it reached to all strangers. Or, 2d, As to church privileges, so concerned only those who were proselytes. Ye were strangers — And therefore are sensible of the fears, distresses, and miseries of such;…
gillLeviticus 19:34: "But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God."
But a stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you,.... Especially if a proselyte of righteousness; for then he enjoyed the same privileges, civil and religious, the Israelites did, for there was one law for them both, Exodus 12:49 , and thou shalt love him as thyself…
This command isn't just about being nice to foreigners; it's a direct call to empathy rooted in shared vulnerability. Because they know what it was like to be vulnerable and unprotected as strangers in Egypt, they are to treat every sojourner among them with the same care and belonging they would expect for themselves.
This command comes amidst a series of ethical instructions for the Israelites, outlining how to live holy lives and treat one another with justice and love. The preceding verses discuss kindness to the poor and honesty in dealings, building a framework of compassion that extends even to those outside the Israelite community. This particular verse then directly addresses how to interact with foreigners residing among them, grounding the radical call for love in their shared history of hardship as strangers in Egypt.
This command comes amidst a series of ethical instructions for the Israelites, outlining how to live holy lives and treat one another with justice and love. The preceding verses discuss kindness to the poor and honesty in dealings, building a framework of compassion that extends even to those outside the Israelite community. This particular verse then directly addresses how to interact with foreigners residing among them, grounding the radical call for love in their shared history of hardship as strangers in Egypt.
"You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God." — This command isn't just about being nice to foreigners; it's a direct call to empathy rooted in shared vulnerability. Because they know what it was like to be vulnerable and unprotected as stranger…
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Last reviewed October 2026
