The English word 'alien' (NIV, NASB, NRS, NKJ) or 'sojourner' (RSV, ESV) in the Old Testament translates the Hebrew word ger which refers to not just any foreigner (for which there is the Hebrew word nekar), but specifically to any person who lives among people who are not his blood relatives and is, therefore, dependent on the grace of their hospitality.
The status of the ger in ancient Israel is particularly interesting because Israel was repeatedly commanded to love and care for them. Whereas Israel is often commanded to love Yahweh, the ger was the only category of humans, together with widows and orphans, Israel was commanded to love, particularly in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy. Lev 19:33-34 commands Israel: "When an alien lives with you in your land, do not ill-treat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the Lord your God." "You are to have the same law for the alien and the native-born. I am the Lord your God," commands Lev 24:22, which is repeated in Num 15:15-16, "The community is to have the same rules for you and for the alien living among you; this is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. You and the alien shall be the same before the Lord: The same laws and regulations will apply both to you and to the alien living among you." Yahweh, it is said, "defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing" (Deut 10:18). They were, therefore, to be treated with justice just as a fellow-Israelite was; "whether the case is between brother Israelites or between one of them and an alien, do not show partiality in judging" (Deut 1:16-17). Again, "Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this" (Deut 24:17-18). The Fourth Commandment requires that one day in seven should be a day of rest for masters, slaves and aliens as well (Exo 20:8-11 & Deut 5:12-15). These love and treatment of the aliens provide Israel an opportunity to image Yahweh but also remind them that they were themselves were once aliens (gerim). Abraham was promised the land while he was still in "Canaan, where you are now an alien" (Gen 17:8), but most significantly and frequently recalled was the fact that Israel were once aliens in Egypt. They, therefore, should understand the struggles and plight of the alien and treat them with empathy and understanding ("Do not oppress an alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, because you were aliens in Egypt" (Exo 23:9)).
Aliens were also permitted to participate in certain of the religious festivals in Israel, e.g., the Passover (Exo 12:48; Num 9:14), the Day of Atonement (Lev 16:29), and to offer sacrifices in the Tent of Meeting (Lev 16:8). In response, however, aliens were expected to abide by Israel's laws and traditions. These regulations naturally made ancient Israel an attractive place for aliens and many foreigners were integrated into ancient Israelite society as gerim and intermarried with Israelites as well. This is particularly obvious in the annals of David's reign where many of the cast were aliens; think, e.g, of Uriah the Hittite who married Bathsheba (2 Sam 11:3), the second-generation Amalekite who claimed to have helped Saul kill himself (1:8b), the un-named Cushite who brought David the news of Absalom's death (18:22), and Araunah the Jebusite who sold David his field for the latter to build the altar (24:18).
The injunctions regarding the treatment of the alien in ancient Israel contrast sharply with out treatment of migrant workers in our midst. While we can point a quick and angry finger at the outrageous treatment of migrants in the USA under Donald Trump, very often and out of public sight, our treatment of our foreign maids and employees are not any more enlightened or kind even as we often speak of the OT as full of cruelty and ungracious laws.
©ALBERITH
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