God’s Word Translation
Exodus 22:21
21“Never mistreat or oppress foreigners, because you were foreigners living in Egypt.
Exodus 22:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
- New International Version (NIV)“Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
Context of Exodus 22:21
19“Whoever has sexual intercourse with an animal must be put to death. 20“Whoever sacrifices to any god except the Lord must be condemned and destroyed. “Never mistreat or oppress foreigners, because you were foreigners living in Egypt. 22“Never take advantage of any widow or orphan. 23If you do and they cry out to me, you can be sure that I will hear their cry.
Read all of Exodus 22Exodus 22:21 word by word
וְגֵ֥ר לֹא־תוֹנֶ֖ה וְלֹ֣א תִלְחָצֶ֑נּוּ כִּֽי־גֵרִ֥ים הֱיִיתֶ֖ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Exodus 22:21
- Exodus 23:9“Never oppress foreigners. You know what it’s like to be foreigners because you were foreigners living in Egypt.
- Leviticus 19:33“Never mistreat a foreigner living in your land.
- Leviticus 25:35“If an Israelite becomes poor and cannot support himself, help him. He must live with you as a stranger without a permanent home.
- Deuteronomy 10:19So you should love foreigners, because you were foreigners living in Egypt.
- Jeremiah 7:6Suppose you do not oppress foreigners, orphans, and widows, or kill anyone in this place. And suppose you do not follow other gods that lead you to your own destruction.
- Jeremiah 22:3“This is what the Lord says: Judge fairly, and do what is right. Rescue those who have been robbed from those who oppress them. Don’t mistreat foreigners, orphans, or widows, and don’t oppress them. Don’t kill innocent people in this place.
- Zechariah 7:10Don’t oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and poor people. And don’t even think of doing evil to each other.
- Malachi 3:5“I will come to judge you. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers, lying witnesses, and those who cheat workers out of their wages and oppress widows and orphans. I will also testify against those who deprive foreigners of their rights. None of them fear me,” says the Lord of Armies.
- Exodus 20:2“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of slavery in Egypt.
- Deuteronomy 15:15Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God freed you. That’s why I’m giving you this command today.
- Deuteronomy 23:7Never consider the Edomites disgusting. They’re your relatives. Never consider the Egyptians disgusting. You once were foreigners living in their country.
Commentaries on Exodus 22:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Thou 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…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21A stranger - See Exodus 20:10 note.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21The Hebrews were to treat foreigners kindly because they, too, had once been foreigners (see also 23:9; Deuteronomy 10:18–19). For more on this principle, see Luke 6:31.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-311-4. If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep--The law respects the theft of cattle which constituted the chief part of their property. The penalty for the theft of a sheep which was slain or sold, was fourfold; for an ox fivefold, because of its greater utility in labor; but, should the stolen animal have been recovered alive, a double compensation was all that was required, because it was presumable he (the thief) was not a practised adept in dishonesty…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 22:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 22
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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