Deuteronomy 24:18 kjv
But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I command thee to do this thing.
Deuteronomy 24:18 nkjv
But you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this thing.
Deuteronomy 24:18 niv
Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this.
Deuteronomy 24:18 esv
but you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this.
Deuteronomy 24:18 nlt
Always remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God redeemed you from your slavery. That is why I have given you this command.
Deuteronomy 24 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Dt 5:15 | You shall remember that you were a slave... and the Lᴏʀᴅ your God brought you out... Therefore the Lᴏʀᴅ your God commanded you... | Sabbath commandment rooted in redemption. |
| Dt 7:8 | ...because the Lᴏʀᴅ loves you and keeps the oath... brought you out... redeemed you... | God's love and promise as basis for redemption. |
| Exod 22:21-22 | You shall not wrong a sojourner... You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. | Direct commandment not to oppress the vulnerable. |
| Exod 23:9 | You shall not oppress a sojourner. You know the heart of a sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. | Empathy from shared experience. |
| Lev 19:33-34 | When a stranger resides with you... you shall treat him as the native among you... for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. | Command for equitable treatment of foreigners. |
| Isa 1:17 | Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause. | Prophetic call for social justice. |
| Jer 22:3 | Thus says the Lᴏʀᴅ: Do justice and righteousness... do no wrong... to the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow... | Prophetic reinforcement of God's commands. |
| Zech 7:9-10 | Thus says the Lᴏʀᴅ of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy... do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner... | God's requirement for righteous judgment and compassion. |
| Mal 3:5 | Then I will draw near to you for judgment... against those who oppress the hired worker... and deprive a sojourner of justice, and do not fear me... | God's judgment against those who exploit the vulnerable. |
| Ps 105:5 | Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles... | Exhortation to recall God's great acts. |
| Ps 107:2 | Let the redeemed of the Lᴏʀᴅ say so... | Acknowledge God's redemption. |
| Mic 6:8 | He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lᴏʀᴅ require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? | Summary of God's requirements including justice and kindness. |
| Lk 10:27 | ...You shall love the Lord your God... and your neighbor as yourself. | New Testament emphasis on the love principle behind the law. |
| Rom 6:17-18 | But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart... and having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. | Spiritual redemption as basis for ethical living (NT). |
| Rom 12:1-2 | I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice... not be conformed to this world... | Christian obedience as a response to God's mercy. |
| Gal 5:13 | For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. | Freedom in Christ leading to service. |
| Col 1:13-14 | He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. | New Testament understanding of spiritual redemption by Christ. |
| Titus 2:14 | who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. | Christ's redemption purifies and motivates good works. |
| Heb 13:3 | Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. | Empathy and solidarity with the suffering. |
| 1 Pet 1:18-19 | knowing that you were ransomed... not with perishable things... but with the precious blood of Christ... | Cost of spiritual redemption, prompting holy living. |
| 1 Jn 4:11 | Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. | Divine love as the model and motivation for human love. |
Deuteronomy 24 verses
Deuteronomy 24 18 Meaning
Deuteronomy 24:18 reminds the Israelite people that their past experience as oppressed slaves in Egypt, from which the Lord their God powerfully redeemed them, serves as the fundamental reason for their present responsibility to uphold justice and treat the vulnerable fairly. It emphasizes that their ethical behavior is a direct response to God's gracious act of deliverance.
Deuteronomy 24 18 Context
Deuteronomy 24:18 falls within a series of social and civil laws that immediately precede the concluding speeches of Moses. The broader context of Deuteronomy (chapters 12-26) details specific laws given to Israel, often reinforcing and expanding upon principles from Exodus and Leviticus. Chapter 24, specifically, outlines various regulations pertaining to marriage, pledges, fair wages, justice, and property rights. Verse 17 directly precedes it, stating: "You shall not pervert the justice due to the sojourner or to the fatherless, or take a widow's garment as a pledge." Therefore, verse 18 acts as the theological rationale and motivational reminder for adhering to these specific humanitarian laws, especially regarding the most vulnerable members of society. Historically, the Israelites were about to enter the Promised Land and establish a new society, called to operate differently from the pagan nations around them, particularly the oppressive empire of Egypt they had left.
Deuteronomy 24 18 Word Analysis
- But remember (וְזָכַרְתָּ֣ / ve·za·khartah): The Hebrew verb zakhar means "to recall," "to remember," but in a way that implies acting on that memory. It's not just intellectual recollection but an active, ethical remembrance that leads to corresponding action. It highlights a shared national memory of a foundational experience.
- that you were slaves (כִּ֣י עֶבֶד֮ הָיִ֣יתָ / ki eved hayita): The singular "slave" (`eved) refers collectively to Israel, emphasizing their state of complete servitude, helplessness, and hardship under Egyptian rule. It is a powerful reminder of their former vulnerability and lack of rights.
- in Egypt (בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם / b'Mitzrayim): Specifies the exact place and context of their oppression, making the memory concrete and historically significant for the people. Egypt symbolized worldly power and injustice.
- and the Lord your God (וַֽיהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ / v'YHWH Eloheykha): YHWH is God's covenant name, signifying His personal relationship with Israel, while Eloheykha (your God) emphasizes His particular authority and sovereignty over them. This identifies the one who powerfully acted on their behalf.
- redeemed you (פְּדָֽךְ / p'dach): The Hebrew verb padah signifies to "ransom," "to buy back," or "to set free, often with a cost or by intervention." This highlights God's active, powerful, and decisive intervention that secured their liberation. It conveys a strong sense of divine ownership and special care.
- from there (מִשָּׁם֙ / mi·sham): Reinforces the specific context of their redemption from a particular oppressive place.
- Therefore (עַל־כֵּן֙ / al-ken): A crucial conjunction, establishing a direct causal link. It signifies that God's redemptive act is the theological and ethical basis for the command that follows. It links historical grace to present responsibility.
- I command you (אָנֹכִ֣י מְצַוְּךָ֔ / anokhi m'tsav·v'kha): Emphasizes the divine authority of the instruction. It's not a suggestion but a direct imperative from the God who redeemed them.
- to do this (לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת אֶת־הַדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה / la·'a·sot et ha·da·var ha·zeh): "This thing" refers back to the specific social justice laws outlined in the preceding verses of chapter 24, especially Dt 24:17 concerning the sojourner, fatherless, and widow. It grounds the abstract command in concrete actions.
Deuteronomy 24 18 Bonus Section
This verse reflects the theological principle of imitatio Dei – the imitation of God. Israel is to reflect God's character in their own actions, particularly His mercy and justice shown in the Exodus. This establishes a framework where theology informs ethics, demonstrating that sound doctrine (God's act of redemption) leads to right living (care for the marginalized). The "remembering" here is also tied to the concept of covenant renewal; each generation is called to embrace this historical truth as their own current motivation for obedience. In essence, it articulates a divinely mandated "golden rule" before its time, framed through shared experience and divine grace: because God rescued you from oppression, you must not oppress, but instead, act justly.
Deuteronomy 24 18 Commentary
Deuteronomy 24:18 encapsulates a foundational principle of the Mosaic covenant: the ethical life of Israel is a direct, grateful response to the salvific grace of God. It is not about obeying abstract rules, but living in accordance with the character of their Redeemer. By linking the command to "do this" (referring to laws protecting the vulnerable) with the powerful reminder, "remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there," God establishes a profound connection between divine redemption and human compassion. Israel is called to mimic God's own character of justice and mercy towards those who are powerless, recognizing their own past experience of helplessness and God's powerful intervention. This principle means that one's social conduct and legal practice must be imbued with the memory of grace. It's a reminder that their freedom came at God's hand, and thus their freedom carries an inherent obligation to extend justice and dignity to others, particularly those resembling their former, oppressed state.