Alien

Alien - (Easton's Bible Dictionary)

A foreigner, or person born in another country, and therefore not entitled to the rights and privileges of the country where he resides. Among the Hebrews there were two classes of aliens.

(1.) Those who were strangers generally, and who owned no landed property.

(2.) Strangers dwelling in another country without being naturalized (Lev. 22:10; Ps. 39:12).

Both of these classes were to enjoy, under certain conditions, the same rights as other citizens (Lev. 19:33, 34; Deut. 10:19). They might be naturalized and permitted to enter into the congregation of the Lord by submitting to circumcision and abandoning idolatry (Deut. 23:3-8).

This term is used (Eph. 2:12) to denote persons who have no interest in Christ.

Alien - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

A'LIEN, a. alyen, [L. alienus, from alius, another. L. alieno, to alienate; alter, another, to altercate.]

1. Foreign; not belonging to the same country, land or government.

2. Belonging to one who is not a citizen.

3. Estranged; foreign; not allied; adverse to; as, principles alien from our religion.

A'LIEN, n. alyen.

1. A foreigner; one born in, or belonging to, another country; one who is not a denizen, or entitled to the privileges of a citizen.

2. In scripture, one who is a stranger to the church of Christ, or to the covenant of grace.

At that time, ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel. Eph 2.

In France, a child born of residents who are not citizens, is an alien. In Great Britain, the children of aliens born in that country, are mostly natural born subjects; and the children of British subjects, owing allegiance to the crown of England, though born in other countries, are natural subjects, and entitled to the privileges or resident citizens.

Alien-duty, a tax upon goods imported by aliens, beyond the duty on the like goods imported by citizens; a discriminating duty on the tonnage of ships belonging to aliens, or any extra duties imposed by laws or edicts on aliens.

A'LIEN

Foreigner - (Easton's Bible Dictionary)

A Gentile. Such as resided among the Hebrews were required by the law to be treated with kindness (Ex. 22:21; 23:9; Lev. 19:33, 34; 23:22; Deut. 14:28; 16:10, 11; 24:19). They enjoyed in many things equal rights with the native-born residents (Ex. 12:49; Lev. 24:22; Num. 15:15; 35:15), but were not allowed to do anything which was an abomination according to the Jewish law (Ex. 20:10; Lev. 17:15, 16; 18:26; 20:2; 24:16, etc.).

Foreigner - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

FOR'EIGNER, n. for'aner. A person born in a foreign country, or without the country or jurisdiction of which one speaks. A Spaniard is a foreigner in France and England. All men not born in the United States are to them foreigners, and they are aliens till naturalized. A naturalized person is a citizen; but we still call him a foreigner by birth.

Sojourn - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

SOJOURN, v.i. so'jurn. To dwell for a time; to dwell or live in a place as a temporary resident, or as a stranger, not considering the place as his permanent habitation. So Abram sojourned in Egypt. Gen 12.

SO'JOURN, n. A temporary residence, as that of a traveler in a foreign land.

al'-yen: Found in the King James Version for ger, (Ex 18:3) = "guest," hence: "foreigner," "sojourner" the Revised Version (British and American); also for nekhar (Isa 61:5) = "foreign," "a foreigner" the Revised Version (British and American) (concrete), "heathendom" (abstract), "alien," "strange" (-er), and for nokhri (De 14:21 the Revised Version (British and American) "foreigner"; compare Job 19:15; Ps 69:8; La 5:2)--"strange," in a variety of degrees and meanings: "foreign," "non-relative," "adulterous," "different," "wonderful," "alien," "outlandish," "strange." In the New Testament we find apellotriomenos (Eph 4:18; Col 1:21) = "being alienated," and allotrios (Heb 11:34) = "another's," "not one's own," hence: "foreign," "not akin," "hostile." In the Old Testament the expression was taken in its literal sense, referring to those who were not Israelites--the heathen; in the New Testament it is given a figurative meaning, as indicating those who have not become naturalized in the kingdom of God, hence are outside of Christ and the blessing of the gospel.

Frank E. Hirsch

for'-in-er" The translation of nokhri, "unknown," "foreign," frequently rendered "stranger" (De 15:3; Ob 1:11); of toshabh, "a settler," "an alien resident" (Ex 12:45; the Revised Version (British and American) "sojourner"; compare Le 25:47; Ps 39:12); of paroikos, "dwelling near," "sojourner" (Eph 2:19, the Revised Version (British and American) sojourners").

Revised Version has "foreigner" for "stranger" (De 17:15; 23:20; 29:22; Ru 2:10; 2Sa 15:19), for "alien" (De 14:21); "the hand of a foreigner" for "a stranger's hand" (Le 22:25).

See ALIEN; STRANGER AND SOJOURNER.

Definition

The term “foreigner” refers to a person living in a country that is not his own. Another name for a foreigner is an “alien.” To sojourn is to live temporarily as a foreigner.

• In the Old Testament, this term especially refers to anyone who came from a different people group than the people he was living among.
• A foreigner is also a person whose language and culture is different from those of a particular region.
• For example, when Naomi and her family moved to Moab, they were foreigners there. When Naomi and her daughter-in-law Ruth later moved to Israel, Ruth was called a “foreigner” there because she was not originally from Israel.
• A sojourner is another word for a temporary foreign resident.
• The apostle Paul told the Ephesians that before they knew Christ, they were “foreigners” to God’s covenant.
• Sometimes “foreigner” is translated as “stranger,” but it should not refer only to someone who is unfamiliar or unknown.

Bible References

• 2 Chronicles 2:17
• Acts 7:29-30
• Deuteronomy 1:15-16
• Genesis 15:12-13
• Genesis 17:27
• Luke 17:18
• Matthew 17:24-25

Word Data

• Strong’s: H0312, H0628, H0776, H1471, H1481, H1616, H2114, H3937, H4033, H5236, H5237, H6154, H8453, G02410, G02450, G05260, G09150, G18540, G35810, G39270, G39410