Deuteronomy 23:7 · Bible study
Deuteronomy 23:7 Commentary: Edomites and Egyptians Not to Be Abhorred
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examine the command not to abhor Edomites and Egyptians, based on kinship and hospitality, contrasting with the exclusion of Ammonites and Moabites.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God commands Israel not to despise Edomites or Egyptians because of kinship and past hospitality.
- Key words: abhor (despise), brother, stranger/foreigner, sojourner.
- Main debate: Why are Edomites and Egyptians treated more leniently than Ammonites and Moabites? Various explanations: different history, sovereignty of God, specific acts of kindness vs hostility.
- Theological theme: God's mercy is grounded in relationship and history; He values gratitude and memory.
- Best use: Teaching about reconciliation, remembering past kindnesses, and not allowing grievances to cancel prior good.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Do not despise an Edomite, for he is your brother. Do not despise an Egyptian, because you lived as a foreigner in his land.
WEB World English Bible 2000
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.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
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.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`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;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
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.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Thou shalt not abhor the Edomite, because he is thy brother: nor the Egyptian, because thou wast a stranger in his land.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
No abominarás al Idumeo, que tu hermano es: no abominarás al Egipcio, que extranjero fuiste en su tierra.
Não abominarás ao edomita, que teu irmão é: não abominarás ao egípcio, que estrangeiro foste em sua terra.
Tu n’ auras point en abomination l’Édomite, car il est ton frère; tu n’ auras point en abomination l’Égyptien, car tu as été étranger dans son pays:
[23:8] Den Edomiter sollst du nicht für eine Greuel halten; er ist dein Bruder. Den Ägypter sollst du auch nicht für einen Greuel halten; denn du bist ein Fremdling in seinem Lande gewesen.
Den Edomiet zult gij voor geen gruwel houden, want hij is uw broeder; den Egyptenaar zult gij voor geen gruwel houden want gij zijt een vreemdeling geweest in zijn land.
Non aborrirai l’Idumeo, poich’egli è tuo fratello; non aborrirai l’Egiziano, perché fosti straniero nel suo paese;
Nie będziesz się brzydził Idumejczykiem, bo bratem twoim jest; nie będziesz się brzydził Egipczykiem, boś był przychodniem w ziemi jego.
Не гнушайся Идумеянином, ибо он брат твой; не гнушайся Египтянином, ибо ты был пришельцем в земле его;
「不可 憎惡 以東人，因為 他是 你的弟兄。不可 憎惡 埃及人，因為 你在他的地上 作過 寄居的。
But have no hate for an Edomite, because he is your brother, or for an Egyptian, for you were living in his land.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Deuteronomy 23:7 protects Edomites and Egyptians from contempt because of the bonds of family and hospitality. Barnes and Gill note that Edomites descend from Esau, brother of Jacob, so they are kin. Egyptians are remembered for sheltering Joseph's family during famine. Wesley underscores that one injury should not cancel twenty courtesies. Calvin adds that the harsh treatment of Ammonites and Moabites highlights the mercy shown to Edom and Egypt by contrast. The consensus is that historical relationship, not abstract equity, determines this law. Israel must not let later hostility erase earlier kindness or blood ties.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Relationship and hospitality view: Emphasizes kinship (Edomites as brothers) and past kindness (Egyptians as hosts) as the grounds for mercy, as seen in Barnes, Gill, Wesley.
- Sovereign mercy view: Points to Calvin's comment that God's choice to spare Edom and Egypt while punishing Ammon and Moab is ultimately a mystery of divine sovereignty.
- Pedagogical view: Sees the law as teaching Israel to value gratitude and to remember their own history as strangers, a theme in Matthew Henry and Lange.
What is clear: God commands Israel to not despise Edomites or Egyptians, based on prior bonds of kinship and hospitality, while excluding Ammonites and Moabites for specific hostile acts.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Status of Edomites | Edomites are descendants of Esau, brother of Jacob, so they are kin to Israel by blood. | Christians differ on whether Edom's later hostility (Numbers 20) should override this bond. Some say the command stands because relationship is foundational; others see this as a specific historical command not directly applicable today. |
| Status of Egyptians | The Egyptians once hosted Jacob's family during famine, giving them land and provision. | Does the later oppression cancel this kindness? Wesley says no, but some traditions emphasize collective responsibility and see the oppression as overriding the earlier hospitality. Calvin sees it as God's sovereign choice. |
| Comparison with Ammonites and Moabites | Ammonites and Moabites are excluded for specific hostile acts: refusing bread/water and hiring Balaam. | Why does God show mercy to Edom and Egypt despite their own hostility? Some explain by degrees of offense; Calvin appeals to divine sovereignty. Others note that Edom's hostility was less severe or more direct conflict. |
| Application to modern ethnic relations | The principle of not despising people based on past conflicts is broadly applicable. | Christians disagree on how directly this law should inform modern political or ethnic conflicts. Some see it as a general command to remember kindness; others apply it strictly to national Israel and see no direct parallel. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Deuteronomy 23:7 sits within a series of regulations about who may enter the assembly of the Lord (vv. 1-8). Immediately before it, Ammonites and Moabites are permanently excluded because they refused hospitality during the wilderness journey and hired Balaam to curse Israel (vv. 3-6). This makes the command about Edomites and Egyptians stand out sharply.
The Edomites are descendants of Esau, Jacob's twin brother (Genesis 25:24-26). Despite a family feud that lasted generations, Israel is commanded not to abhor them because of this kinship. Even though Edom later refused passage to Israel (Numbers 20:14-21), God still insists the bond of brotherhood carries weight.
The Egyptians had once hosted Jacob's family during famine, giving them the land of Goshen (Genesis 45:17-47:12). Though the people later suffered oppression under new Pharaohs, the original hospitality remains significant. Gill notes that the oppression was the act of the rulers, not the entire people. Wesley emphasizes that kindness shown over a long period should not be forgotten because of later cruelty.
Calvin points out that God's differentiation between these nations is not fully explicable by human reason. Edom, too, showed hostility, yet receives mercy. Calvin sees this as an example of God's sovereign freedom to show clemency. The historical context thus reveals a nuanced balance: God values kinship and hospitality, yet also judges specific acts of enmity, all while reserving the right to show mercy as He chooses.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant variants for this verse. The text is stable across manuscripts and versions.
Reception History
Calvin (1564) interpreted the verse as a display of God's sovereign freedom to show mercy: He spares some sinners and not others. Wesley (1754) emphasized the moral lesson that one injury should not blot out the memory of many kindnesses. Matthew Henry (1710) saw it as a call to gratitude, especially for the Israelites who had themselves been strangers in Egypt. In Jewish tradition, the verse has been understood as a basis for accepting proselytes from Edom and Egypt after the third generation, while maintaining the exclusion for Ammonites and Moabites. The contrast has been discussed by rabbinic commentators as an example of how prior relationship and specific history shape religious law.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God remembers kinship: Edomites are our brothers; blood ties create lasting obligations.
- God remembers hospitality: Egyptians were our hosts; gratitude must outlast grievance.
- God demands discernment: Not all enemies are treated the same; history and relationship shape the response.
Five-point outline
- The command is active: "do not abhor" means we must guard our hearts against contempt.
- Brotherhood creates an enduring bond: the Edomite is kin, so we have a prior obligation.
- Past kindness must be honored: the Egyptian was a host; we know what it feels like to be strangers.
- This law contrasts with the Ammonites and Moabites: they were excluded for specific actions, showing judgment is based on behavior, not ethnicity.
- Even those outside may eventually be included: the third-generation provision (v. 8) offers hope of full fellowship.
Illustration hooks
- A family feud where the older generation still remembers shared vacations and childhood bonds, but the younger generation only knows the conflict. This law calls us to remember the good.
- A community that hosted refugee families years ago, now struggling with tensions as those families have stayed and changed. The earlier welcome still matters.
- A church wrestling with how to treat a group that once persecuted them, but earlier had supported them in need. The past kindness does not excuse sin, but it shapes how we respond.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does God command mercy toward some former enemies but not others?
- Does this mean I have to forgive and forget past hurts, even when the other person hasn't apologized?
- How does this apply to ethnic tensions in my own community or country?
Leading a Discussion
This verse invites us to see that God does not treat all groups the same. He bases His commands on history and relationship. It challenges us to remember the good before the bad, and to let prior kindness shape our present attitude. As you discuss, consider how God's memory of your own story influences how He deals with you.
Discussion questions
- Read Deuteronomy 23:7-8. What specific commands does God give, and what reasons are attached to each?
- Who were the Edomites, and how were they related to Israel? (See Genesis 25:24-30.) Why might that relationship matter even after generations of conflict?
- What positive role did the Egyptians play in Israel's history? (See Genesis 45:17-47:12.) Why does God still hold that up despite later oppression?
- Compare this verse with verses 3-6 about Ammonites and Moabites. What is the difference in treatment, and what is the stated reason?
- Calvin said God's choice to spare Edom and Egypt while punishing Ammon and Moab reveals His sovereignty. How does that challenge our sense of fairness?
- The command is "do not abhor." That is more than a law; it is shaping the heart. What does it mean to abhor someone? How can we cultivate the opposite attitude?
- Think of a relationship where someone has hurt you after earlier kindness. How might this passage guide your response?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 25:24 | When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. |
| Genesis 25:26 | After that, his brother came out, and his hand had hold on Esau’s heel. He was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them. |
| Genesis 25:30 | Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with some of that red stew, for I am famished.” Therefore his name was called Edom. |
| Genesis 45:17 | Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals, and go, travel to the land of Canaan. |
| Genesis 45:18 | Take your father and your households, and come to me, and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.’ |
| Genesis 46:7 | his sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters, and he brought all his offspring with him into Egypt. |
| Genesis 47:6 | The land of Egypt is before you. Make your father and your brothers dwell in the best of the land. Let them dwell in the land of Goshen. If you know any able men among them, then put them in charge of my livestock.” |
| Genesis 47:12 | Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all of his father’s household with bread, according to the sizes of their families. |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the command not to abhor Edomites or Egyptians stems from their historical kinship or hospitality. He argues that the oppression under Pharaohs should not cancel the memory of earlier Egyptian hospitality to Joseph and his family, and clarifies that "third generation" means great-grandchildren of the immigrant.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin wrestles with why God treats the Edomites more leniently than the Moabites or Ammonites, even though Edom's hostility was equally severe. He concludes that God sovereignly chooses to punish the same sin more lightly in some and more severely in others, and we cannot penetrate the depths of His judgments.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Bible note highlights two distinct reasons for treating Edomites and Egyptians with respect: Edomites are kin, being descendants of Esau and Jacob's brother, while Egyptians once gave Israel shelter as strangers. Neither group is to be despised on account of their past wrongs.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill draws attention to the Targum's addition that the command applies to Edomites or Egyptians who become converts. He stresses the close kinship with Edomites, as Jacob and Esau were twin brothers, and the former kindness of Egyptians when Israel was a stranger in their land, outweighing later cruelty.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argues that the exclusion of castrated men and those born from forbidden unions rests on their violation of the divinely created order of human nature, which grace sanctifies rather than destroys. For Ammonites and Moabites, the permanent bar stems from their active hostility against God's kingdom, not personal revenge.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes that these exclusion laws are not arbitrary but rooted in Israel's identity as a priestly community consecrated to God. Physical wholeness, moral purity, and national hostility all matter because the congregation must reflect the unmutilated image of God, a standard later fulfilled in Christ.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry argues that being barred from the congregation meant a temporary restriction on full religious privileges, not an absolute ban from God's people. Those affected, including eunuchs, bastards, and certain foreigners, could still be members but carried marks of disgrace to remind them of their origins.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley points out that the Israelites received long-term kindness from the Egyptians before the persecution, and God commands them not to let one injury erase the memory of many courtesies. He contrasts ordinary human nature, which forgets twenty favors when wronged once, with God's way of forgetting injuries and remembering kindness.