Leviticus 19:33

_AND IF A STRANGER SOJOURN WITH THEE IN YOUR LAND, YE SHALL NOT VEX HIM._ If a stranger sojourn with thee. The Israelites were to hold out encouragement to strangers to settle among them, that these might be brought to the knowledge and worship of the true God; and with this view they were enjoined to treat such persons, not as aliens, but as friends, on the ground that they themselves, who were strangers in Egypt, were at first kindly and hospitably received in that country....

Leviticus 19:33._And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land_. Before I pass on to the other iniquities, I have thought fit to introduce this precept, wherein the people are commanded to cultivate equity towards all without exception. Fob if no mention had been made of strangers, the Israelites would have thought that, provided they had not injured any one of their own nation, they had fully discharged their duty; but, when God recommends guests and sojourners to them, just as if they had been their own kindred, they thence understand that equity is to be cultivated constantly and towards all men. Nor is it without cause that God interposes Himself and His protection, lest injury should be done to strangers; for since they have no one who would submit to ill-will in their defense, they are more exposed to the violence and various oppressions of the ungodly, than as if they were

Verse 33. _IF A STRANGER SOJOURN_] This law to protect and comfort the stranger was at once humane and politic. None is so desolate as the stranger, and none needs the offices of benevolence and charity more: and we may add that he who is not affected by the desolate state of the stranger has neither benevolence nor charity. It was politic to encourage strangers, as in consequence many came, not only to sojourn, but to settle among the Jews, and thus their political strength became increased; and many of these settlers became at least _proselytes_ _of the gate_ if not _proselytes of the covenant_, and thus got their souls saved. Hence humanity, sound policy, and religion said, _Vex not the stranger; thou shalt love him as thyself_. The apostle makes use of a strong argument to induce men to hospitality towards strangers: _Be not forgetful to entertain_ _strangers, for thereby some have...

THE STRANGER - The foreigner. See Leviticus 16:29 note; Exodus 23:9....

EXPOSITION From the prohibition of moral uncleanness exhibiting itself in the form of incest and licentiousness, the legislator proceeds to a series of laws and commandments against other kinds of immorality, inculcating piety, righteousness, and kindness. Leviticus 19:1 may be regarded as an extension of the previous chapter in this direction, after which the subject of Leviticus 18:1, is again taken up in Leviticus 20:1. The precepts now given are not arranged systematically, though, as Keil has remarked, "while_ _grouped together rather according to a loose association of ideas than according to any logical arrangement, they are all linked together by the common purpose expressed in th

AND IF A STRANGER SOJOURN WITH YOU IN YOUR LAND,.... Ben Gersom, and others, understand this of a proselyte of righteousness, who was circumcised, and in all things conformed to the Jewish religion; but it may be interpreted of a proselyte of the gate, who was not an idolater, since he is described as one sojourning with them, and indeed of any stranger, who for a time was providentially cast among them: YE SHALL NOT VEX HIM: with hard and grievous words, upbraiding him with his former ignorance and idolatry, and saying unto him, as Jarchi observes, yesterday thou wast a worshipper of idols, and now thou comest to learn the law; nor distress him by any means in business, or with law suits; Exodus 22:21....

2. DIFFERENT DUTIES CHAPTER 19 _ 1. Honoring parents and fearing God (Leviticus 19:1)_ 2. The care of the poor (Leviticus 19:9) 3. Against stealing and lying (Leviticus 19:11) 4. Against oppression (Leviticus 19:13) 5. Against unrighteousness in judgment (Leviticus 19:15) 6. Thou shalt love thy neighbor (Leviticus 19:17) 7. Different commands and prohibitions ...

FINAL RULES OF HUMANITY AND JUSTICE. Resident aliens are to be respected; fraud is to be banished. For the stranger, _cf. Leviticus 17:8_ f.*. Straightforward dealing is here placed in a position of special importance. It is uniformly emphasized by the prophets (Amos 5:24; Micah 6:8; Ezekiel 45:9 ff.). In early stages of society, untested and unstandardised weights and measures make dishonesty easy. The weights unearthed in the soil of Palestine (_e.g._ at Gezer) make no pretence to exactness. The isolated fragment in Numbers 15:37 * (provision of fringe

THEE. Some codices, with Samaritan Pentateuch, Targum of Onkelos, The Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "you". VEX. oppress....

Cp. Exodus 22:21; Exodus 23:9; Deuteronomy 10:19; cp. Malachi 3:5....