Exodus 22:21 · Bible study
Exodus 22:21 Commentary: Remember You Were Strangers
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Exodus 22:21 commands Israel not to wrong the alien, grounding this in their own experience as aliens in Egypt.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Do not exploit or oppress a foreigner living among you; remember your own history as aliens in Egypt.
- Key words: “Wrong” (vex/exploit), “oppress” (crush/take advantage), “alien” (ger, resident foreigner with no land rights).
- Main debate: Whether the command applies to all non-Israelites or only to proselytes who have renounced idolatry.
- Theological theme: The ethics of memory, God’s deliverance becomes the motive for justice; community identity is shaped by past suffering.
- Best use: Preaching on hospitality, social justice, or the character of God; personal reflection on how our own stories make us compassionate.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
You must not exploit or oppress a foreign resident, for you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt.
WEB World English Bible 2000
“You shall not wrong an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.
KJV King James Version 1769
Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And a sojourner shalt thou not wrong, neither shalt thou oppress him: for ye were sojourners in the land of Egypt.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`And a sojourner thou dost not oppress, nor crush him, for sojourners ye have been in the land of Egypt.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him; for ye have been strangers in the land of Egypt.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Thou shalt not molest a stranger, nor afflict him: for yourselves also were strangers in the land of Egypt.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y al extranjero no engañarás, ni angustiarás, porque extranjeros fuisteis vosotros en la tierra de Egipto.
E ao estrangeiro não enganarás, nem angustiarás, porque estrangeiros fostes vós na terra do Egito.
Tu ne maltraiteras point l’étranger, et tu ne l’opprimeras point; car vous avez été étrangers dans le pays d’Égypte.
[22:20] Die Fremdlinge sollst du nicht schinden noch unterdrücken; denn ihr seid auch Fremdlinge in Ägyptenland gewesen.
Gij zult ook den vreemdeling geen overlast doen, noch hem onderdrukken; want gij zijt vreemdelingen geweest in Egypteland.
Non maltratterai lo straniero e non l’opprimerai; perché anche voi foste stranieri nel paese d’Egitto.
Przychodniowi nie uczynisz krzywdy, ani go uciśniesz: boście byli przychodniami w ziemi Egipskiej.
Пришельца не притесняй и не угнетай его, ибо вы сами были пришельцами в земле Египетской.
「不可 虧負 寄居的，也不可 欺壓他，因為 你們在埃及 地 也作過 寄居的。
Do no wrong to a man from a strange country, and do not be hard on him; for you yourselves were living in a strange country, in the land of Egypt.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions read Exodus 22:21 as a foundational ethic: God's people must treat resident foreigners with justice and kindness because they themselves know the life of a stranger. The Cambridge Bible notes that the alien (the ger) had no legal standing, making them deeply vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. Gill expands on the forms of 'vexing', verbal taunts about their past, economic refusal of help, or even calling them names. Matthew Henry and Wesley highlight the memory of Egypt as a compelling motive: 'do to them as you then wished to be done by.' Clarke calls the command both humane and sound policy: justice and hospitality attract refugees and open the door to faith. The command is not merely negative (do not oppress) but carries a positive charge to love the foreigner, as Deuteronomy 10:19 makes explicit. The grounding in collective memory transforms ethics into a continuous act of identification with the vulnerable. This consensus holds across Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox traditions, though some debate whether the command applies to all non-Israelites or only to those who have renounced idolatry.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The command to not oppress the foreigner is explicit, and the motive of shared experience is clearly laid out: Israel's own history as aliens in Egypt is the reason for care.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Who is the 'alien'? | The term refers to a non-Israelite living as a resident in the land, often without legal rights or inheritance. | Christians differ on whether this includes all foreigners or only those who have adopted the faith of Israel. Gill and some Jewish interpreters distinguish between a 'proselyte of righteousness' and a 'proselyte of the gate' who renounces idolatry but does not fully convert. |
| Scope of the command | All agree the command forbids oppression and exploitation, both in legal and personal relationships. | Some traditions (e.g., certain Reformed interpretations) see this as a moral law binding for all time, while others view it as tied to Israel's theocratic structure in the land. |
| Application to modern immigration | Christians agree that the verse calls for compassion and fairness toward foreigners and refugees. | Believers disagree on how to apply this to civil law, whether it requires open borders, or whether it allows for enforcement of immigration policy alongside mercy. Both sides affirm the heart of the command. |
| Relationship to the New Testament | The verse is seen as a precursor to Jesus’ teaching on loving the neighbour and the stranger (Matthew 25:35). | Catholic and Orthodox traditions often connect this to the corporal works of mercy, while some Protestant traditions emphasize that the command is fulfilled in Christ's hospitality to all peoples. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Exodus 22:21 appears in the Book of the Covenant (Exodus 20, 23), a collection of case laws that apply the Ten Commandments to daily life. These laws were given to a people newly freed from slavery, still shaped by the Exodus. The ‘alien’ or ‘sojourner’ (often rendered as ger) was a non-Israelite living within the land. Without inherited land or a clan network, the ger depended on Israel’s hospitality for survival, justice and even daily bread. Neighboring nations had no such protections for foreigners; Israel’s law was unique.
The surrounding context is striking. Exodus 22:18, 20 commands the death penalty for sorcery, bestiality and idolatry, capital offenses against the covenant. Then, without transition, v. 21 protects the foreigner. This juxtaposition shows that loyalty to Yahweh and care for the outsider belong together. The same pattern appears for widows and orphans in vv. 22, 24. God’s special concern for the powerless runs through the entire law.
The motive clause, ‘for you were aliens in the land of Egypt’, is repeated word for word in Exodus 23:9 and echoed in Leviticus 19:34 and Deuteronomy 10:19. This refrain is not sentimentalism; it roots ethics in shared memory. Israel had been strangers without rights, and God had heard their cry. Now they must become the kind of community that hears the cry of others. The historical experience of oppression becomes the foundation for a counter-cultural practice of hospitality.
Textual Notes
Consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Exodus 22:21. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, and the verse reads consistently in the Septuagint, the Vulgate, and the Masoretic tradition.
Reception History
From the rabbinic period onward, Exodus 22:21 was read as a foundational command to protect the stranger. The Talmud (b. Bava Metzia 59b) cites it as a reminder that wronging a proselyte is a grave offense. Early Christian writers like Augustine saw in this verse a pattern for the church as a sojourning people who must extend kindness to outsiders. The Geneva Bible notes (1599) and the Reformation commentators (Calvin, Henry) all emphasize the ethical weight of memory. In modern times, the verse has been invoked in movements for immigrant justice and refugee resettlement, often alongside Matthew 25:35 and Hebrews 13:2. Liberation theology highlights the command as a call to stand with the powerless, while traditional conservatives stress its grounding in covenant community.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- What the command forbids. ‘Wrong’ and ‘oppress’ cover both legal and personal spheres, unfair judgments, economic exploitation, verbal taunts. As Gill notes, the Targum adds not to call a proselyte by names reminding him of his former works.
- Why the command is given. ‘For you were aliens in the land of Egypt.’ God appeals not to abstract principle but to lived experience, weaving empathy into the fabric of Israel’s identity. The memory of suffering becomes the engine of justice.
- How the command shapes community. By protecting the vulnerable, Israel reflects the character of the God who delivered them. This ethic becomes a mark of covenant faithfulness, later picked up in the New Testament call to show hospitality to strangers (Hebrews 13:2).
Five-point outline
- Who is the ‘alien’? A resident foreigner with no land or legal protection. The term covers refugees, migrant workers, and those who seek shelter.
- What ‘wrong’ and ‘oppress’ mean. Clarke lists verbal vexation, economic exploitation, and judicial bias. The Hebrew verbs suggest both active abuse and neglect.
- The memory of Egypt. Israel’s own story of oppression is the central motivation. God connects worship and social ethics: the God of the Exodus cares about how foreigners are treated.
- The wider biblical theme. The command is repeated in Exodus 23:9, Leviticus 19:33, 34, and Deuteronomy 10:19. In the New Testament, Jesus himself becomes a refugee (Matthew 2:13, 15), identifying with the vulnerable.
- Application for the church today. We are called to create communities where the foreigner is safe and honoured, not as a political statement but as a response to the gospel.
Illustration hooks
- A family moves into your neighbourhood from a country at war. They struggle with language, jobs, and cultural confusion. How does your church’s first month with them reflect Exodus 22:21?
- An undocumented worker in your congregation lives in fear of detection. What would it mean to ‘know the heart of an alien’ (Exodus 23:9) rather than turn away?
- Your workplace hires a refugee. Office jokes about their accent or customs pass unchallenged. What would it look like to follow Gill’s warning: do not ‘vex a stranger’ with words?
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this verse apply to illegal immigrants or only to legal residents?
- How do we balance compassion for foreigners with concern for national security or law?
- What if a stranger is hostile to Christian faith, are we still required to treat them with kindness?
Leading a Discussion
This verse links our own experiences of vulnerability to the way we treat others. Israel had been helpless in Egypt; now they are called to extend the mercy they received. As you talk through this passage, resist the urge to jump straight to modern politics. First, let the text speak on its own terms.
Discussion questions
- Read Exodus 22:21 aloud. What words or phrases stand out to you? Why do you think the command is stated both negatively (‘do not wrong’) and implicitly positively (‘welcome’)?
- The motive clause is personal: ‘for you were aliens.’ How does memory function in shaping ethical behaviour? Can you think of an experience in your own life that makes you more compassionate toward others?
- In the context of the Book of the Covenant (Exodus 20, 23), this law appears after laws about idolatry and sorcery. What does that placement say about God’s priorities?
- Look at cross-references like Exodus 23:9, Leviticus 19:33, 34, and Deuteronomy 10:19. How does the command expand or remain consistent across these passages?
- The ‘stranger’ in ancient Israel had no land and no legal protection. Today, who are the people without power or advocacy in our society? How does this verse speak to their situation?
- Jesus himself became a refugee (Matthew 2:13, 15) and identified with the vulnerable (Matthew 25:35). How does Christ’s story deepen your understanding of Exodus 22:21?
- What is one concrete way your small group or church can ‘know the heart of an alien’ this month? Pray together for an opportunity to welcome a stranger.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 20:2 | “I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. |
| Exodus 23:9 | “You shall not oppress an alien, for you know the heart of an alien, since you were aliens in the land of Egypt. |
| Leviticus 19:33 | “‘If a stranger lives as a foreigner with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. |
| Leviticus 25:35 | “‘If your brother has become poor, and his hand can’t support himself among you, then you shall uphold him. He shall live with you like an alien and a temporary resident. |
| Deuteronomy 10:19 | Therefore love the foreigner, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. |
| Deuteronomy 15:15 | You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and Yahweh your God redeemed you. Therefore I command you this thing today. |
| Deuteronomy 23:7 | 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. |
| Jeremiah 7:6 | if you don’t oppress the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, and don’t shed innocent blood in this place, and don’t walk after other gods to your own hurt, |
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.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights that the command to treat strangers kindly is not only humane but also wise national policy. Welcoming strangers strengthens the country and can lead them to embrace the faith, so justice, humanity and sound religion all support this law.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible Schools notes the sojourner, or resident foreigner, had no legal standing in Israel and was therefore especially vulnerable to mistreatment. The command to not wrong or oppress such a person is grounded in Israel's own memory of being sojourners in Egypt.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note ties the command against harming foreigners directly to Israel's own memory: having been strangers in Egypt, they know what oppression feels like. This is not just a general kindness rule but a specific reminder that their history obligates them to protect the vulnerable outsider.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill clarifies that the command refers to two kinds of strangers: foreigners passing through and "proselytes of the gate" who abandoned idol worship. Neither should be irritated with insulting words nor oppressed by refusing aid, and Israel's own painful history in Egypt should remind them to treat outsiders with kindness.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch notes a double protection: foreigners are to be treated kindly because Israel remembers its own slavery, while widows and orphans are guarded by God's personal vengeance against any who humiliate them, whether through outright oppression or cold contempt. The word "humiliate" covers every harsh or dismissive treatment, and God's promise to hear their cry is emphatic.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange treats these laws not as a criminal code but as a system of regulations for a people being trained for freedom. He points out that the section begins with the law of emancipation, and all
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry stresses that even in a case where God's law itself appointed marriage as the penalty for seduction, the father's consent was still required, showing how sacred parental authority remains. He also notes that the law makes witchcraft a capital offense, indicating its seriousness.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley's distinctive emphasis is that the command to treat strangers kindly is rooted in Israel's own painful history. He lists specific ways strangers could be wronged, including unfair legal treatment, financial exploitation, and even verbal taunting. For Wesley, the force of the command comes from remembering what it felt like to be oppressed in Egypt.