Exodus 23:9 kjv

Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Exodus 23:9 nkjv

"Also you shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the heart of a stranger, because you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Exodus 23:9 niv

"Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt.

Exodus 23:9 esv

"You shall not oppress a sojourner. You know the heart of a sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.

Exodus 23:9 nlt

"You must not oppress foreigners. You know what it's like to be a foreigner, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.

Exodus 23 verses

Exodus 23 9 Meaning

Exodus 23:9 strictly forbids the oppression of any resident alien (stranger) within Israelite society. The command is rooted in an appeal to empathy, reminding the Israelites of their own collective history as strangers who suffered oppression in the land of Egypt. This personal experience of vulnerability and hardship should serve as the foundation for their just and compassionate treatment of others in similar circumstances.

Exodus 23 9 Context

Exodus 23:9 is part of the "Book of the Covenant" (Exodus 20:22-23:33), a collection of civil and ethical laws delivered by God through Moses immediately after the Ten Commandments. This section provides detailed regulations that expand upon the broad principles of justice, mercy, and worship laid out in the Decalogue. The laws often focus on social justice, emphasizing the protection of the vulnerable within Israelite society: the poor, widows, orphans, and specifically, the stranger (resident alien). Historically, Israel had just been liberated from centuries of harsh oppression in Egypt, where they themselves had been powerless strangers. God's law here directly addresses their fresh memory of suffering to instill compassion and prevent them from inflicting similar hardship on others. It sets a distinctive ethical standard for Israel, contrasting sharply with the common ancient Near Eastern practice where resident aliens often lacked rights and were easily exploited.

Exodus 23 9 Word analysis

• Also (וְגֵר - ve-ger): The initial "Also" (literally "And a stranger...") connects this specific command to the preceding laws concerning fair treatment. The direct subject, "stranger," immediately highlights the focus.
• thou shalt not oppress (לֹא תִלְחַץ - lo tilḥats): A strong, unequivocal prohibition. The Hebrew root laḥats (לחץ) means to press, crush, squeeze, afflict, exploit, or treat harshly. It goes beyond simple injustice to denote active, aggressive mistreatment, suppression, or harassment. This indicates a very real possibility of such actions and the severity of their impact.
• a stranger (גֵּר - ger): This refers to a non-Israelite person who has settled or resided within Israelite territory, not merely a transient visitor (for whom the term nokri or zar might be used). While lacking tribal land inheritance, the ger was under the protection of God's covenant laws and had certain rights, particularly concerning justice and sustenance. They were dependent on the kindness and law-abiding nature of the host community, making them inherently vulnerable.
• for (כִּ֣י - ki): This conjunction introduces the divine rationale or the foundational reason for the preceding command, linking it directly to Israel's national memory.
• ye know (יְדַעְתֶּ֗ם - yeda'tem): The verb is in the perfect tense, implying a deep, complete, and experiential knowledge, not merely intellectual awareness. "You have known" or "You intimately experienced." This knowledge is personal and empathetic, born of shared suffering.
• the heart (לֵב - lev): In Hebrew thought, the "heart" signifies the whole inner person—not just emotions, but intellect, will, memory, and conscience. To know "the heart of a stranger" means to fully understand the stranger's inner turmoil, anxieties, longing for belonging, and feelings of vulnerability and powerlessness that come from being an outsider without family or land rights.
• of a stranger (גֵּר - ger): The repetition emphasizes the direct object of their required empathy—the ger, whose specific vulnerabilities are highlighted.
• seeing ye were (כִּֽי־אַתֶּם֙ הֲיִיתֶם֙ - ki-atem hayitem): Emphatic phrasing, "for you yourselves were." This highlights their past state as direct experience, making the moral imperative deeply personal and unavoidable.
• strangers (גֵּרִ֣ים - gerim): The plural reinforces the collective national experience. Their entire foundational history as a people was forged in the furnace of being alien and oppressed.
• in the land of Egypt (בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם - be'erets Mitsrayim): Specifically references the historical context of their bondage and suffering. This past shared trauma is the anchor for present-day moral conduct.

• "thou shalt not oppress a stranger": This command establishes a core ethical standard: the strong must not exploit the weak, particularly those who lack natural protectors. It is a direct prohibition against a common societal abuse.
• "for ye know the heart of a stranger": This phrase introduces the foundational principle for the command—empathy. It's not just a rule, but a command rooted in their own historical identity and shared human experience. Knowing the "heart" means understanding the full emotional and existential plight.
• "seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt": This phrase completes the empathetic argument, pointing to their formative national experience. Their own history of being vulnerable and oppressed should lead directly to compassion and justice for others in similar circumstances. It transforms a collective trauma into a moral imperative for merciful action.

Exodus 23 9 Bonus section

The concept of the ger (resident alien) in Israelite law is distinct and pivotal. Unlike most ancient Near Eastern legal codes that afforded limited or no rights to non-citizens, the Torah uniquely elevated their status, mandating their protection, legal fairness, and inclusion in some religious observances and festivals (Dt 16:11, 14). This special consideration highlights God's justice, who "executes justice for the orphan and widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing" (Dt 10:18). This principle foreshadows New Testament teachings on universal love and compassion for all, transcending ethnic or social boundaries, recognizing the shared humanity and potential for spiritual inclusion, much as Gentile believers become fellow citizens with the saints (Eph 2:19). The ethical framework established here for the ger underscores that a community's true righteousness is measured not by how it treats its powerful, but how it treats its most vulnerable.

Exodus 23 9 Commentary

Exodus 23:9 articulates a fundamental principle of justice and compassion deeply ingrained in the Mosaic Law. It's not merely a legal injunction but a call to ethical living rooted in collective memory. God prohibits the oppression of the ger, the resident alien, making it clear that His covenant community must embody a higher standard than the nations around them. The motivation isn't abstract philosophy but Israel's direct, lived experience of being enslaved and abused as "strangers" in Egypt. This profound historical trauma is intended to forge empathy, ensuring that the liberated do not become the new oppressors. Knowing "the heart of a stranger" means remembering the feelings of vulnerability, displacement, and powerlessness. This verse exemplifies God's character as the protector of the marginalized and His desire for His people to reflect that same care, treating all who reside among them with dignity and justice, remembering that once they too were outsiders.