Deuteronomy 23:7 Meaning: The Two Nations You Must Not Despise
You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother. You shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you lived as a foreigner in his land.
Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land.
Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a sojourner in his land.
`Thou dost not abominate an Edomite, for thy brother he is ; thou dost not abominate an Egyptian, for a sojourner thou hast been in his land;
Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother. Thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a sojourner in his land.
Meaning in one sentence
God commands Israel not to despise Edomites (brothers) or Egyptians (former hosts): a lesson in remembering kindness and family despite past hurts.
Context
This verse sits in a section about who may enter the assembly of the Lord. Verses 3-6 have just permanently excluded Ammonites and Moabites because they refused Israel hospitality and hired Balaam to curse them. Now comes a surprising turn: Edomites and Egyptians are not to be abhorred. Edomites are kin, descended from Esau, Jacob's twin brother. Egyptians once gave Israel shelter and food during Joseph's time, even though later oppression followed. The command acknowledges the complex history but insists that relationship and past kindness still matter. Verse 8 adds that their children may join the assembly in the third generation. So the law draws a sharp line, not by ethnicity alone, but by the nature of each nation's encounter with God's people.
Key Words
The word translated "abhor" carries the force of pushing someone away with disgust, holding them as detestable. God says: do not do that. Not to Edomites, and not to Egyptians. Two reasons are given, and they are worth holding onto.
First, Edom is called "your brother." The bond between Jacob and Esau was broken and mended many times, but it was never cancelled. Descendants still share blood. God points to that tie, not to excuse all the Edomites did, but to keep the people from writing them off completely.
Second, Israel had lived as strangers in Egypt. The word suggests a long stay as a guest. Wesley captures it well: "One injury blots out the remembrance of twenty courtesies, but God does not deal so with us." Egypt had once been a place of refuge. That hospitality, given freely, was not erased by the later cruelty. Neither loss of family ties nor betrayal of hospitality cancels the good that went before. God commands a memory that is bigger than our resentments.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christian commentators across traditions have wrestled with why Edom and Egypt receive mercy while Ammon and Moab do not. Calvin, writing in the Reformed tradition, found it puzzling that Edom was shown more clemency even though they had refused Israel passage and come out with an army. Gill, a Baptist, emphasized the duty to remember old favours even after great unkindness. Wesley, from the Methodist tradition, focused on the principle of not letting later injuries erase earlier kindnesses.
All agree that the distinction is not arbitrary. It is rooted in concrete history: family connection and past hospitality. The passage does not explain why God allowed those two bonds to outweigh later hostility; it simply commands Israel to honour them. Christians have read this as a pattern of grace that preserves what is good even after things have gone wrong.
A common misunderstanding
Some read this verse and think God is being inconsistent or playing favourites with enemies. But the verse itself gives the reasons: Edomites are brothers; Egyptians once gave shelter. The contrast with Ammonites and Moabites is that they showed active hostility from the start, with no prior bond or kindness to remember. The command is not about blanket mercy for all enemies; it is about not letting later wrongs erase what was good before.
Living This Out
Think of someone you are tempted to despise. Maybe a relative who hurt you. Maybe a person or group that once helped you but later let you down. This verse suggests you stop and name the tie that remains. They are still family. They did once show you kindness. That does not erase what happened after, but it changes the way you see them. You might still need boundaries. But you are not allowed to abhor them.
This week, try this: before you let your mind settle into contempt for someone, ask yourself: is there a reason to remember them differently? A shared name, a past favour? Let that be the first thing you hold onto, not the last.
Main takeaway: God calls us to remember family ties and past kindnesses, even when history is complicated, and not let later hurts erase them.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God told the Israelites not to hate people from Edom or Egypt. Edom was like a cousin, and Egypt had been nice to them a long time ago. Even if they had fights later, God said remember the good.
For ages 9, 12
Sometimes we want to dislike a whole group of people because of one bad thing. But God reminds the Israelites that some people are family, and others once helped them. He does not say pretend nothing happened. He says do not let the bad erase the good. That is a hard command, but it keeps our hearts from becoming bitter.
Questions People Ask
Why are Edomites called brothers in this verse?
The Edomites were descendants of Esau, Jacob's twin brother. So the Israelites and Edomites shared the same ancestors, Abraham and Isaac. The word 'brother' points to this real family connection, not just a friendly label.
Why did God exclude Ammonites and Moabites but not Edomites and Egyptians?
Ammonites and Moabites refused Israel hospitality and hired Balaam to curse them, showing deliberate hostility with no prior bond. Edomites were blood relatives, and Egyptians had once hosted and fed Israel during Joseph's time. God based the command on these specific histories, not on arbitrary favoritism.
Does this command mean we should never despise anyone, even our enemies?
This specific command addresses two particular nations with unique ties to Israel. But the principle behind it, remembering kinship and past kindness, applies more broadly. It warns us against letting later offenses cancel out relationship and gratitude. Christians have seen here a call to examine our own contempt and see if it is overwriting something good.
How can Christians today apply a verse about Edomites and Egyptians?
We can apply the heart of the command: do not let later wrongs erase earlier bonds. That might mean not speaking with contempt about a relative who has hurt us, or remembering the good a church or community once did, even after a split. It invites us to hold two things together: the wound and the gift.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study