Deuteronomy 24:22 kjv
And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing.
Deuteronomy 24:22 nkjv
And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I command you to do this thing.
Deuteronomy 24:22 niv
Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. That is why I command you to do this.
Deuteronomy 24:22 esv
You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I command you to do this.
Deuteronomy 24:22 nlt
Remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt. That is why I am giving you this command.
Deuteronomy 24 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 5:15 | "Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you..." | Slavery motive for Sabbath rest |
| Deut 15:15 | "Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you..." | Slavery motive for releasing Hebrew slaves |
| Deut 16:12 | "Remember that you were slaves in Egypt, and keep and obey these statutes." | Slavery motive for observing feasts |
| Lev 19:33-34 | "When a foreigner resides among you in your land...love them as yourself..." | Care for sojourner based on past experience |
| Exod 22:21 | "Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt." | Prohibition against oppressing foreigners |
| Exod 23:9 | "Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be a foreigner..." | Empathy for sojourners' experience |
| Lev 19:9-10 | "When you reap the harvest...do not reap to the very edges of your field..." | Gleaning laws for the poor and foreigners |
| Lev 23:22 | "When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges..." | Repetition of gleaning law specific to feasts |
| Ruth 2:2-3 | "Let me go to the fields and glean among the ears of grain..." | Practical example of gleaning in action |
| Ps 68:5 | "A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling." | God's character as defender of vulnerable |
| Ps 146:9 | "The LORD protects the foreigners and sustains the fatherless and the widow." | God's care for marginalized |
| Prov 14:31 | "Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker..." | Connection between oppressing poor and God |
| Prov 17:5 | "Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker..." | Dignity of the poor rooted in creation |
| Zech 7:9-10 | "Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion...Do not oppress..." | Prophetic call for social justice |
| Matt 25:40 | "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine..." | Christ's identification with the vulnerable |
| Rom 6:17-18 | "But thanks be to God that...you have become obedient...and have been set free..." | Former slavery to sin, freedom in Christ |
| Eph 2:1-5 | "You were dead in your transgressions...God...made us alive with Christ..." | Spiritual former state and new life |
| Col 3:12-14 | "As God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion..." | Christian ethics of compassion |
| Jas 1:27 | "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after..." | True religion caring for vulnerable |
| 2 Cor 8:9 | "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich..." | Christ's self-sacrifice as a model for giving |
| Heb 13:3 | "Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison..." | Empathy for those suffering |
| 1 Jn 4:11 | "Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." | God's love as basis for reciprocal love |
Deuteronomy 24 verses
Deuteronomy 24 22 Meaning
Deuteronomy 24:22 serves as the theological and ethical grounding for the preceding commands regarding care for the vulnerable, specifically the gleaning laws in verses 19-21. It commands Israel to remember their past oppression as slaves in Egypt. This recollection is not merely historical remembrance but a foundational motivation for embodying God's character by acting justly and compassionately towards those who are poor, marginalized, and without the typical societal protections, such as the sojourner, the orphan, and the widow. Their former suffering should inspire empathy and prevent them from exploiting or neglecting the vulnerable within their new land.
Deuteronomy 24 22 Context
Deuteronomy chapter 24 presents a series of diverse civil and social laws that aim to establish a just and compassionate society in the Promised Land. These regulations range from divorce and pledges to fair wages and specific care for various marginalized groups. Verses 19-21 explicitly detail the gleaning laws: commands not to return for overlooked sheaves, forgotten olives, or unpicked grapes, but to leave them for the sojourner, the orphan, and the widow. Verse 22 acts as the overarching rationale for these specific acts of charity and social responsibility. The historical context is Israel's impending entry into the Promised Land, following their forty years in the wilderness. Moses is delivering his final addresses, reminding the new generation of the covenant laws and the identity-forming history of their Exodus from Egypt. This motif of "remembering" their slavery appears frequently in Deuteronomy, consistently serving as a moral imperative for Israel to extend the same mercy and justice they received from God to others. It implicitly contrasts the harsh systems of slavery and exploitation from which they were delivered, with the new, divinely-ordained compassionate society they are to build.
Deuteronomy 24 22 Word analysis
Remember (זָכַר - zakhar): More than mere mental recall; it implies active engagement and ethical response. It means to bring something to mind with the intent of acting upon it. This remembrance serves as the impetus for their behavior. It’s a core pedagogical tool in Deuteronomy, grounding obedience in historical truth.
that you were slaves (עֲבָדִים - avadim): Highlights Israel’s former state of bondage, dependency, and vulnerability in Egypt. This condition meant they knew hardship, oppression, and lack of rights firsthand. It establishes a powerful point of identification with other vulnerable people.
in Egypt (מִצְרָיִם - mitzrayim): The land of their oppressive past. Egypt represents a paradigm of brutal, exploitative rule from which God powerfully delivered them. This deliverance fundamentally defines their national identity and their understanding of God's character as a liberator.
that is why (עַל־כֵּן - ‘al-ken, literally "on this account" or "therefore"): Connects their past experience directly to the divine imperative. It presents a cause-and-effect relationship, where historical memory becomes the basis for ethical action.
I command you (אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ - anokhi metsavvekha, "I myself command you"): Emphasizes the divine origin and personal nature of the command. It's not a suggestion but a direct, authoritative mandate from the God who redeemed them, binding their social justice practices directly to their covenant relationship with Him.
to do this (לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה - la‘asot et-haddavar hazzeh, "to do this thing"): Refers directly to the preceding laws, particularly the gleaning ordinances (Deut 24:19-21), which detail specific acts of charity towards the poor and vulnerable (sojourners, orphans, widows). It makes the connection between historical remembrance and concrete ethical actions explicit.
"Remember that you were slaves in Egypt": This phrase functions as a profound identity marker for Israel. It isn't just a historical note but a theological principle that grounds the entire Israelite legal system. Their redemption from slavery serves as the ultimate proof of God's grace and as a model for their behavior towards others. Just as God acted for them when they were helpless, they are to act for the helpless.
"that is why I command you to do this": This creates a moral syllogism. Because God acted in such a salvific way for you, His redeemed people, He expects you to embody His character of compassion and justice. The Exodus is not just a historical event to celebrate but a transformative event that defines Israel's ethical responsibilities in the present.
Deuteronomy 24 22 Bonus section
The motif of remembering the past suffering and deliverance as a basis for ethical action is often referred to as "redemptive ethics" or " Exodus ethics." This foundational principle ensures that Israel's identity is inextricably linked to compassionate social justice. The phrase "Remember that you were slaves in Egypt" highlights not only a negative experience but also the miraculous deliverance, making it a story of both humility and gratitude that demands a response in generosity. This ethical framework has deep resonance in the New Testament, where believers are exhorted to remember their former "slavery" to sin and the liberating grace of Christ (Rom 6:17-18, Eph 2:1-5), motivating them to live lives characterized by love, humility, and service, especially towards the "least of these" (Matt 25:40). It underlines that true piety includes practical care for others, reflecting God's heart.
Deuteronomy 24 22 Commentary
Deuteronomy 24:22 encapsulates a central pillar of Old Testament ethics: compassion driven by remembrance. The command to "remember that you were slaves in Egypt" transcends mere nostalgia, serving as a dynamic moral compass for Israel. It establishes a theological anthropology that grounds justice and charity not in abstract principles, but in the lived experience of suffering and subsequent divine liberation. By connecting their past vulnerability directly to God's commands regarding the marginalized, Moses teaches that Israel's identity as a redeemed people obligates them to mirror God's own merciful character. This verse posits a divinely-mandated reciprocal relationship: having received profound grace, Israel must now extend grace. The specific instructions for gleaning for the sojourner, orphan, and widow (Deut 24:19-21) become acts of worship and obedience, transformed by the deeply personal and national memory of the Exodus. It’s a foundational ethic that counters the natural human inclination toward forgetfulness and self-interest, continuously drawing the community back to their defining moment of God's sovereign grace.