Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 22:21
Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
21. a sojourner shalt thou not wrong ; for ye were sojourners in the land of Egypt ] The ‘sojourner’ ( gr), or resident foreigner (see on Exo 12:48; and cf. Exo 2:22, Exo 20:10), had at this time no legal status in Israel, and was thus liable in many ways to injustice and oppression. With this injunction comp. Lev 19:33-34, Deu 1:16; Deu 10:18 f., and the other passages from Dt. and Jer. cited on v. 22; for allusions to the oppression of the gr, see Eze 22:7; Eze 22:29, Mal 3:5.
wrong ] Heb. hnh; cf. Lev 19:33 (‘oppress’), also of the gr.
oppress ] lit. crush (Num 22:25): fig. of external oppressors, Jdg 2:8 al.; as here, only Exo 23:9 besides.
for ye were sojourners, &c.] The same motive, in exactly the same words, in Exo 23:9, Lev 19:34 (H), Deu 10:19. For the cognate verb cased of the ‘sojourn’ in Egypt, see Gen 12:10 (of Abraham), Exo 6:4, Deu 26:5, Isa 52:4, Psa 105:12.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
21 27. A group of humanitarian laws. The gr, or resident foreigner, the widow, and the orphan not to be oppressed, vv. 21 24; interest not to be taken from the poor, v. 25; a garment taken in pledge to be returned before nightfall, vv. 26 f.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
A stranger – See Exo 20:10 note.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Exo 22:21
Neither vex a stranger.
The stranger
The spirit of the Hebrew law was broader than race, or country, or kindred. Among the ancients generally a foreigner had no rights in any country but his own. In some languages the very word stranger was synonymous with enemy. Against these race hatreds Moses set up this command. Not only were foreigners to be tolerated; they were to receive the fullest protection (see Lev 24:22). (H. M. Field, D. D.)
Sound policy
This was not only a humane law; but it was a sound policy. Do not wrong a stranger; remember ye were strangers. Do not oppress a stranger; remember ye were oppressed. Therefore do unto all men as you would they should do to you. Let strangers be well treated among you, and many will come among you, and the strength of your country will be increased. If refugees of this kind be treated well, they will become proselytes to your religion, and thus their souls may be saved. (A. Clarke, D. D.)
She was a stranger
A missionary was requested to go out to a new settlement to address a Sabbath-school. He had preached in the morning, and was wearied and felt quite unfitted for the task, but reluctantly consented to go. When he found himself at the spot, he looked round the assembly with great misgivings, not knowing what to say to them. He noticed a little girl, shabbily dressed and barefooted, shrinking in a corner, her little sunburnt face buried in her hands, the tears trickling between her small brown fingers, and sobbing as if her heart would break. Soon, however, another little girl, about eleven years old, got up and went to her, whispered kindly to her, and taking her by the hand, led her toward a brook, then seated her on a log, and kneeling beside her she took off her ragged sun bonnet, and dipping her hand in the water, bathed her hot eyes and tear-stained face, and smoothed her tangled hair, talking in a cheery manner all the while. The little one brightened up, the tears all went, and smiles came creeping around the rosy mouth. The missionary stepped forward and said: Is that your little sister, my dear? No, sir, answered the noble child, with tender, earnest eyes, I have no sister, sir. Oh, one of the neighbours children, replied the missionary; a little school-mate, perhaps? No, sir; she is a stranger. I do not know where she came from; I never saw her before. Then how came you to take her out and have such a care for her if you do not know her? Because she was a stranger, sir, and seemed all alone, and needed somebody to be kind to her. Ah, said the missionary to himself, here is a text for me to preach from–Because she was a stranger, and seemed all alone, and needed somebody to be kind to her. The words came to him, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me. So, taking the little girls by the hand, he went back to the school-room and told the people the simple story; then spoke of the great love that all should bear to one another, even as the dear Saviour sought out those who were humble and of low estate, making them His peculiar care. The missionary forgot his weariness, and felt that God had put good word in his mouth.
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 21. Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him] This was not only a very humane law, but it was also the offspring of a sound policy: “Do not vex a stranger; remember ye were strangers. Do not oppress a stranger; remember ye were oppressed. Therefore do unto all men as ye would they should do to you.” It was the produce of a sound policy: “Let strangers be well treated among you, and many will come to take refuge among you, and thus the strength of your country will be increased. If refugees of this kind be treated well, they will become proselytes to your religion, and thus their souls may be saved.” In every point of view, therefore, justice, humanity, sound policy, and religion, say. Neither vex nor oppress a stranger.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Thou shall not vex a stranger,…. One that is not born in the same country, but comes into another country to sojourn, as Jarchi; not a native of the place, but of another kingdom or country; a stranger to the commonwealth of Israel, that is only in it for a time on trade and business, or through one providence or another; or else a proselyte is meant, not a proselyte of righteousness, who has embraced the true religion; but a proselyte of the gate, that takes upon him the commands of the sons of Noah; or, as Aben Ezra here expresses it, who takes upon him not to serve idols; such were allowed to dwell among the Israelites, and they were to carry it friendly and kindly to them, and “not vex” them, nor irritate them with words, as the Targum of Jonathan, and so Jarchi; by calling them names, Gentiles, uncircumcised persons, and the like; upbraiding them with their country, ignorance, and manner of life; they were not to say to a proselyte, as Ben Melech observes, remember thy former works; or, if the son of a proselyte, remember thy father’s works:
nor oppress him; by taking his goods, as the above Targum, and so Jarchi; by refusing to assist him with advice or otherwise, to trade with him, or to give him lodging, and furnish him with the necessaries of life:
for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: out of which they were but just come, and therefore such a reason must be very striking and moving upon them: the Targum of Jonathan prefaces it,
“and my people, the house of Israel, remember that ye were strangers, c.”
this they could not have forgot in so short a time, and the remembrance of this should move their compassion to strangers hereafter, when they came to settle in their own land and therefore, as they would that men should have done to them when in such circumstances, the same they should do to others; and besides, the remembrance of this would serve to abate their pride and vanity, and their overbearing disposition.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The Israelites were not to offer sacrifice to foreign deities; but a foreigner himself they were not only to tolerate, but were not to vex or oppress him, bearing in mind that they also had been foreigners in Egypt (cf. Exo 23:9, and Lev 19:33-34). – Whilst the foreigner, as having no rights, is thus commended to the kindness of the people through their remembrance of what they themselves had experienced in Egypt, those members of the nation itself who were most in need of protection (viz., widows and orphans) are secured from humiliation by an assurance of the special care and watchfulness of Jehovah, under which such forsaken ones stand, inasmuch as Jehovah Himself would take their troubles upon Himself, and punish their oppressors with just retribution. to humiliate, includes not only unjust oppression, but every kind of cold and contemptuous treatment. The suffix in (Exo 22:23) refers to both and , according to the rule that when there are two or more subjects of different genders, the masculine is employed ( Ges. 148, 2). The before expresses a strong assurance: “yea, if he cries to Me, I will hearken to him” (see Ewald, 330 b). “Killing with the sword” points to wars, in which men and fathers of families perish, and their wives and children are made widows and orphans.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Verse 21:
The Law forbade ridicule or oppression of any who were foreigners. The reason: a reminder that Israel was once a “stranger” or foreigner in Egypt. The oppression they endured in Egypt was a reminder of how it felt to be mistreated. They were to remember this, and not inflict the same treatment upon others. See Ex 23:9; Le 19:33, 34; De 10:19.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(21) For ye were strangers.Ye should, therefore, sympathise with strangers; not vex them, not oppress them, but love them as yourselves (Lev. 19:34). The condition of foreigners in Israel is shown to have been more than tolerable by the examples of the Kenites (Jdg. 1:16; Jdg. 4:11); of Araunah the Jebusite (2Sa. 24:18-24); of Uriah the Hittite (2Sa. 23:39), Zelek the Ammonite (2Sa. 23:37), and others.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
(21-24) The juxtaposition of laws against oppression with three crimes of the deepest dye seems intended to indicate that oppression is among the sins which are most hateful in Gods sight. The lawgiver, however, does not say that it is to be punished capitally, nor, indeed, does he affix to it any legal penalty. Instead of so doing, he declares that God Himself will punish it with the sword (Exo. 22:24). Three classes of persons particularly liable to be oppressed are selected for mention(1) Strangers, i.e., foreigners; (2) widows; and (3) orphans. Strangers have seldom been protected by any legislation, unless, indeed, they formed a class of permanent residents, like the Metci at Athens. The law of civilised communities has generally afforded some protection to the orphan and the widow, particularly in respect of rights of property. The protection given is, however, very generally insufficient; and it is of the highest importance that it should be supplemented by an assured belief that, beyond all legal penalties there lies the Divine sentence of wrath and punishment, certain to fall upon every one who, careless of law and right, makes the stranger, the widow, or the orphan to suffer wrong at his hands.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 22:21. Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, &c. The reason subjoined to enforce this humane and hospitable law, plainly proves the general and extensive meaning of the word stranger: it implies all such persons of any other country, as should sojourn in their land, as they, who were strangers, sojourned in the land of AEypt; where, the inhospitality and the evils they felt were to be remembered as motives to a different behaviour. Note; Strangers must not be oppressed, neither advantage taken of their ignorance, nor prejudice shewn against them in judgment; nor any affront or unkindness offered them. Strangers have a double title to our protection and humanity, as from their circumstances they must be more exposed, and liable to imposition or oppression.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
This precept is sweetly enforced in many places of the old Testament. Deu 10:19 ; Exo 23:9 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 22:21 Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
Ver. 21. Theft shalt not vex a stranger. ] The right of strangers is so holy, saith one, that there was never nation so barbarous that would violate the same. When Stephen Gardner had in his power the renowned divine Peter Martyr, then teaching at Oxford, he would not keep him to punish him; but when he should go his way, gave him wherewith to bear his charges. a
a Act. and Mon., fol. 1783.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
vex a stranger: Exo 23:9, Lev 19:33, Lev 25:35, Deu 10:19, Jer 7:6, Jer 22:3, Zec 7:10, Mal 3:5
for ye were strangers: Exo 20:2, Exo 23:9, Deu 10:19, Deu 15:15, Deu 23:7
Reciprocal: Gen 15:13 – thy Exo 2:22 – for he said Deu 1:16 – the stranger Deu 14:29 – the stranger Deu 23:16 – thou shalt not Deu 24:17 – pervert Deu 27:19 – General Job 22:9 – widows Isa 5:7 – a cry Eze 18:7 – hath not Eze 22:7 – dealt Eze 22:29 – oppressed Amo 4:1 – which oppress Mic 2:2 – so
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Exo 22:21. A stranger must not be abused, not wronged in judgment by the magistrates, not imposed upon in contracts, nor any advantage taken of his ignorance or necessity, no, nor must he be taunted, or upbraided with his being a stranger; for all these were vexatious. For ye were strangers in Egypt And knew what it was to be vexed and oppressed there. Those that have themselves been in poverty and distress, if Providence enrich and enlarge them, ought to show a particular tenderness toward those that are now in such circumstances as they were in formerly, now doing to them as they then wished to be done to.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The next collection of laws deals with various forms of oppression. The first section deals with love for the poor and needy. While the Israelites were not to tolerate the idolatrous customs of foreigners, they were to manifest love toward the foreigners themselves as well as toward the poor and needy generally. The Israelites were to remember the oppression they had endured in Egypt and were to refrain from oppressing others. They were not only to refrain from doing evil but were to do positive good (Exo 22:26-27; cf. Mat 5:44; Rom 12:14).
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
THE STRANGER.
Exo 22:21, Exo 23:9.
Immediately after this, a ray of sunlight falls upon the sombre page.
We read an exhortation rather than a statute, which is repeated almost literally in the next chapter, and in both is supported by a beautiful and touching reason. “A stranger shalt thou not wrong, neither shall ye oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.” “A stranger shall ye not oppress, for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Exo 22:21, Exo 23:9).
The “stranger” of these verses is probably the settler among them, as distinguished from the traveller passing through the land. His want of friends and ignorance of their social order would place him at a disadvantage, of which they are forbidden to avail themselves, either by legal process (for the first passage is connected with jurisprudence), or in the affairs of common life. But the spirit of the commandment could not fail to influence their treatment of all foreigners; and simple and commonplace though it appear to us, it would have startled many of the wisest and greatest peoples of antiquity, and would have fallen as strangely upon the ears of the Greeks of Pericles, as of the modern Bedouin, with whom Israel had kinship. A foreigner, as such, was a foe: to wrong him was a paradox, because he had no rights: kinship, or else alliance or treaty was required to entitle the weaker to any better treatment than it suited the stronger to allow.
Yet we find a precept reiterated in this Jewish code which involves, in its inevitable though slow development, the abolition of negro slavery, the respect by powerful and civilised nations of the rights of indigenous tribes, the most boundless advance of philanthropy, through the most generous recognition of the fraternity of man.
However sternly the sword of Joshua might fall, it struck not at the foreigner, as such, but at those tribes, guilty and therefore accursed of God, the cup of whose iniquity was full. And yet there was enough of carnage to prove that so gracious a commandment as this could not have risen spontaneously in the heart of early Judaism. Does it seem to be made more natural, by any proposed shifting of the date?
The reason of the precept is beautifully human. It rests upon no abstract basis of common rights, nor prudential consideration of mutual advantage.
In our time it is sometimes proposed to build all morality upon such foundations; and strange consequences have already been deduced in cases where the proposed sanction has not seemed to apply. But, in fact, no advance in virtue has ever been traced to self-interest, although, after the advance took place, self-interest has always found its account in it. A progressive community is made of good men, and the motive to which Moses appeals is compassion fed by memory: “For ye were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Exo 22:21); “For ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Exo 23:9).
The point is not that they may again be carried into captivity: it is that they have felt its bitterness, and ought to recoil from inflicting what they writhed under.
Now, this appeal is a master-stroke of wisdom. Much cruelty, and almost all the cruelty of the young, springs from ignorance, and that slowness of the imagination which cannot realise that the pains of others are like our own. Feeling them to be so, the charities of the poor toward one another frequently rise almost to sublimity. And thus, when suffering does not ulcerate the heart and make it savage, it is the most softening of all influences. In one of the most threadbare lines in the classics, the queen of Carthage boasts that
“I, not ignorant of woe, To pity the distressful know.”
And the boldest assertion in Scripture of the natural development of our Saviour’s human powers, is that which declares that “In that He Himself hath suffered, being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted” (Heb 2:18).
To this principle, then, Moses appeals, and by the appeal he educates the heart. He bids the people reflect on their own cruel hardships, on the hateful character of their tyrants, on their own greater hatefulness if they follow the vile example, after such bitter experience of its character. He does not yet rise to the grand level of the New Testament morality, Do all to thy neighbour which it is not servile and dependent to will that he should do for thee. But he attains to the level of that precept of Confucius and Zoroaster which has been so unworthily compared with it: Do not unto thy neighbour what thou wouldest not that he should do to thee–a precept which mere indifference obeys. Nay, he excels it; for the mental and spiritual attitude of one who respects his helpless neighbour because he so much resembles himself, will surely not be content without relieving the griefs that have so closely touched him. Thus again the legislation of Moses looks beyond itself.
Now, if the Jew should be merciful because he had himself known calamity, what implicit confidence may we repose upon the Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief?
In the same spirit they are warned against afflicting the widow or the orphan. And the threat which is added joins hand with the exhortation which preceded. They should not oppress the stranger, because they had been strangers and oppressed. Now the argument advances. The same God Who then heard their cry will hear the cry of the forlorn, and avenge them, according to the judicial fate which He had just announced, in kind, by bringing their own wives to widowhood and their children to orphanage (Exo 22:22-24).
To their brethren they should not lend money upon usury; but loans are no more recommended than afterwards by Solomon: the words are “if thou lend” (Exo 22:25). And if the raiment of the borrower were taken for a pledge, it must be returned for him to use at night, or else God will hear his cry, because, it is added very significantly and briefly, “I am gracious” (Exo 22:27). It is the most exalting of all motives: Be merciful, for I am merciful: ye shall be the children of your Father.
Again is to be observed the influence reaching beyond the prescription–the motive which cannot be felt without many other and larger consequences than the restoration of pledges at sunset.
How comes this precept to be followed by the words, “Thou shalt not curse God nor blaspheme a ruler” (Exo 22:28)? and is not this again somewhat strangely followed by the order not to delay to offer the first fruits of the soil, to consecrate the firstborn son, and to devote the firstborn of cattle at the same age when a son ought to be circumcised? (Exo 22:29-30).
If any link can be discovered, it is in the sense of communion with God, suggested by the recent appeal to His character as a motive that should weigh with man. Therefore they must not blaspheme Him, either directly or through His agents, nor tardily yield Him what He claims. Therefore it is added, “Ye shall be holy men unto Me,” and from the sense of dignity which religion thus inspires, a homely corollary is deduced–“Ye shall not eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field” (Exo 22:31). The bondmen of Egypt must learn a high-minded self-respect.