Timeline

Resident Foreigners

Resident foreigners are people who live among a community to which they do not belong by birth. Ancient Near Eastern texts include such residents in communal rituals and calls to protect vulnerable people, while the Hebrew Bible gives them legal protections and a place in religious observances. Its laws appeal to Israel's own experience as foreigners in Egypt, and its prophets condemn their mistreatment and describe their inclusion in the community. Other passages use the language of foreign residence to describe the ancestors' lives and Israel's relationship to God and the land.

Timeline

KTU 1.40:18 / Leviticus 16:29
1. 1350–1185 BCE
  
  KTU 1.40:18
  
  Ancient Near East, Ugaritic
  
  […] [and the well-being of the stranger within the walls of Ugarit, and the well-being of] […], and the well-being of […]: whether you have sinned, [or by the word of the Qatian,] or by the word of the Dadmian, or by the word of the [Hurrian], or by the word of the Hittite, or by the word of the [Alashian], [or by the word of] […], or by the word of […], or by the word of […], or by the word of […], whether you have sinned in your anger, or in your impatience, [or in] […] […], whether you have sinned regarding the sacrifices or regarding the gift offering, the sacrifice [we make].
2. 750–400 BCE
  
  Leviticus 16:29
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  27 The bull of the sin offering and the goat of the sin offering, whose blood was brought to make atonement in the Holy Place, must be brought outside the camp and their hide, their flesh, and their dung must be burned up, 28 and the one who burns them must wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may reenter the camp. 29 “This is to be a perpetual statute for you. In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you must humble yourselves and do no work of any kind, both the native citizen and the resident foreigner who lives in your midst, 30 for on this day atonement is to be made for you to cleanse you from all your sins; you must be clean before the Lord.
KTU 1.40:18 / Numbers 15:26
1. 1350–1185 BCE
  
  KTU 1.40:18
  
  Ancient Near East, Ugaritic
  
  […] [and the well-being of the stranger within the walls of Ugarit, and the well-being of] […], and the well-being of […]: whether you have sinned, [or by the word of the Qatian,] or by the word of the Dadmian, or by the word of the [Hurrian], or by the word of the Hittite, or by the word of the [Alashian], [or by the word of] […], or by the word of […], or by the word of […], or by the word of […], whether you have sinned in your anger, or in your impatience, [or in] […] […], whether you have sinned regarding the sacrifices or regarding the gift offering, the sacrifice [we make].
2. 750–400 BCE
  
  Numbers 15:26
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  24 then if anything is done unintentionally without the knowledge of the community, the whole community must prepare one young bull for a burnt offering—for a pleasing aroma to the Lord—along with its grain offering and its customary drink offering, and one male goat for a purification offering. 25 And the priest is to make atonement for the whole community of the Israelites, and they will be forgiven, because it was unintentional and they have brought their offering, an offering made by fire to the Lord, and their purification offering before the Lord, for their unintentional offense. 26 And the whole community of the Israelites and the resident foreigner who lives among them will be forgiven, since all the people were involved in the unintentional offense.
KTU 1.40:35 / Joshua 8:35
1. 1350–1185 BCE
  
  KTU 1.40:35
  
  Ancient Near East, Ugaritic
  
  And return to the recitation: [the uprightness], the uprightness of the daughters of Ugarit, and the well-being of the stranger within the walls of Ugarit, and the well-being of […], or […], or by the word of the Qatian, or by the word of the Dadmian, or [by the word of] the Hurrian, or by the word of the Hittite, or by the word of the Alashian, or by the word of […], or by the word of […], or by the word of […], or by the word of […], […], in your [anger], [or in] your impatience, or in […], […], or […] [regarding the sacrifices] or regarding the gift offering, the sacrifice we make. This is the gift offering we [offer]. [This is the victim that is] slaughtered. May it be lifted up to the father of the sons of El,
2. 600–501 BCE
  
  Joshua 8:35
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  33 All the people, rulers, leaders, and judges were standing on either side of the ark, in front of the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord. Both resident foreigners and native Israelites were there. Half the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and the other half in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the Lord’s servant had previously instructed them to do for the formal blessing ceremony. 34 Then Joshua read aloud all the words of the law, including the blessings and the curses, just as they are written in the law scroll. 35 Joshua read aloud every commandment Moses had given before the whole assembly of Israel, including the women, children, and resident foreigners who lived among them.
Instruction of Amenemope / Deuteronomy 10:18
1. 1300 BCE
  
  Instruction of Amenemope
  
  Ancient Near East, Egyptian
  
  Remember, the dependant is dog of his master, he barks for the one who feeds him. Do not misuse a widow if you find her in the fields nor fail to set aside your work to speak with her; Do not let a stranger pass your beer jug thirsty, refill it time and time again before your friends— Give love to the god of the ruined and poor far exceeding your debt to the eminent. Leave no one behind for the River crossing as you maneuver to launch the ferry.
2. 750–400 BCE
  
  Deuteronomy 10:18
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  15 However, only to your ancestors did he show his loving favor, and he chose you, their descendants, from all peoples—as is apparent today. 16 Therefore, circumcise your hearts and stop being so stubborn! 17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God who is unbiased and takes no bribe, 18 who justly treats the orphan and widow, and who loves resident foreigners, giving them food and clothing. 19 So you must love the resident foreigner because you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.
Genesis 15:13 / Exodus 2:22
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Genesis 15:13
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  11 When birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. 12 When the sun went down, Abram fell sound asleep, and great terror overwhelmed him. 13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign country. They will be enslaved and oppressed for 400 years. 14 But I will execute judgment on the nation that they will serve. Afterward they will come out with many possessions. 15 But as for you, you will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age.
2. 750–400 BCE
  
  Exodus 2:22
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  20 He said to his daughters, “So where is he? Why in the world did you leave the man? Call him, so that he may eat a meal with us.” 21 Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage. 22 When she bore a son, Moses named him Gershom, for he said, “I have become a resident foreigner in a foreign land.” 23 During that long period of time the king of Egypt died, and the Israelites groaned because of the slave labor. They cried out, and their desperate cry because of their slave labor went up to God. 24 God heard their groaning; God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
Genesis 15:13 / Exodus 1:11 / Exodus 2:22 / Exodus 12:40
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Genesis 15:13
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  12 When the sun went down, Abram fell sound asleep, and great terror overwhelmed him. 13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign country. They will be enslaved and oppressed for 400 years. 14 But I will execute judgment on the nation that they will serve. Afterward they will come out with many possessions. 15 But as for you, you will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age. 16 In the fourth generation your descendants will return here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its limit.” 17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking firepot with a flaming torch passed between the animal parts.
2. 750–400 BCE
  
  Exodus 1:11
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  10 Come, let’s deal wisely with them. Otherwise they will continue to multiply, and if a war breaks out, they will ally themselves with our enemies and fight against us and leave the country.” 11 So they put foremen over the Israelites to oppress them with hard labor. As a result they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. 12 But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more they multiplied and spread. As a result the Egyptians loathed the Israelites,
3. 750–400 BCE
  
  Exodus 2:22
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  21 Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage. 22 When she bore a son, Moses named him Gershom, for he said, “I have become a resident foreigner in a foreign land.” 23 During that long period of time the king of Egypt died, and the Israelites groaned because of the slave labor. They cried out, and their desperate cry because of their slave labor went up to God.
4. 750–400 BCE
  
  Exodus 12:40
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  39 They baked cakes of bread without yeast using the dough they had brought from Egypt, for it was made without yeast. Because they were thrust out of Egypt and were not able to delay, they could not prepare food for themselves either. 40 Now the length of time the Israelites lived in Egypt was 430 years. 41 At the end of the 430 years, on the very day, all the regiments of the Lord went out of the land of Egypt.
Genesis 23:4 / Psalm 39:12
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Genesis 23:4
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  2 Then she died in Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. 3 Then Abraham got up from mourning his dead wife and said to the sons of Heth, 4 “I am a foreign resident, a temporary settler, among you. Grant me ownership of a burial site among you so that I may bury my dead.” 5 The sons of Heth answered Abraham,
2. 600–201 BCE
  
  Psalm 39:12
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  11 You severely discipline people for their sins; like a moth you slowly devour their strength. Surely all people are a mere vapor. (Selah) 12 Hear my prayer, O Lord. Listen to my cry for help. Do not ignore my sobbing. For I am a resident foreigner with you, a temporary settler, just as all my ancestors were. 13 Turn your angry gaze away from me, so I can be happy before I pass away.
Exodus 12:49 / Numbers 9:14
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Exodus 12:49
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  47 The whole community of Israel must observe it. 48 “When a resident foreigner lives with you and wants to observe the Passover to the Lord, all his males must be circumcised, and then he may approach and observe it, and he will be like one who is born in the land—but no uncircumcised person may eat of it. 49 The same law will apply to the person who is native-born and to the resident foreigner who lives among you.” 50 So all the Israelites did exactly as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron. 51 And on this very day the Lord brought the Israelites out of the land of Egypt by their regiments.
2. 750–400 BCE
  
  Numbers 9:14
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  12 They must not leave any of it until morning, nor break any of its bones; they must observe it in accordance with every statute of the Passover. 13 “‘But the man who is ceremonially clean, and was not on a journey, and fails to keep the Passover, that person must be cut off from his people. Because he did not bring the Lord’s offering at its appointed time, that man must bear his sin. 14 If a resident foreigner lives among you and wants to keep the Passover to the Lord, he must do so according to the statute of the Passover, and according to its custom. You must have the same statute for the resident foreigner and for the one who was born in the land.’” 15 On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle—the tent of the testimony—and from evening until morning there was a fiery appearance over the tabernacle. 16 This is the way it used to be continually: The cloud would cover it by day, and there was a fiery appearance by night.
Exodus 22:22 / Jeremiah 7:6
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Exodus 22:22
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  20 “Whoever sacrifices to a god other than the Lord alone must be utterly destroyed. 21 “You must not wrong a resident foreigner nor oppress him, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. 22 “You must not afflict any widow or orphan. 23 If you afflict them in any way and they cry to me, I will surely hear their cry, 24 and my anger will burn and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives will be widows and your children will be fatherless.
2. 500–401 BCE
  
  Jeremiah 7:6
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  5 You must change the way you have been living and do what is right. You must treat one another fairly. 6 Stop oppressing resident foreigners who live in your land, children who have lost their fathers, and women who have lost their husbands. Stop killing innocent people in this land. Stop paying allegiance to other gods. That will only bring about your ruin. 7 If you stop doing these things, I will allow you to continue to live in this land that I gave to your ancestors as a lasting possession.
Exodus 22:22 / Jeremiah 22:3
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Exodus 22:22
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  20 “Whoever sacrifices to a god other than the Lord alone must be utterly destroyed. 21 “You must not wrong a resident foreigner nor oppress him, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. 22 “You must not afflict any widow or orphan. 23 If you afflict them in any way and they cry to me, I will surely hear their cry, 24 and my anger will burn and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives will be widows and your children will be fatherless.
2. 500–401 BCE
  
  Jeremiah 22:3
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  1 The Lord told me, “Go down to the palace of the king of Judah. Give him a message from me there. 2 Say: ‘Listen, O king of Judah who follows in David’s succession. You, your officials, and your subjects who pass through the gates of this palace must listen to the Lord’s message. 3 The Lord says, “Do what is just and right. Deliver those who have been robbed from those who oppress them. Do not exploit or mistreat resident foreigners who live in your land, children who have no fathers, or widows. Do not kill innocent people in this land.
Exodus 22:22 / Malachi 3:5
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Exodus 22:22
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  21 “You must not wrong a resident foreigner nor oppress him, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. 22 “You must not afflict any widow or orphan. 23 If you afflict them in any way and they cry to me, I will surely hear their cry, 24 and my anger will burn and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives will be widows and your children will be fatherless.
2. 500–401 BCE
  
  Malachi 3:5
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  4 The offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in former times and years past. 5 “I will come to you in judgment. I will be quick to testify against those who practice divination; those who commit adultery; those who break promises; and those who exploit workers, widows, and orphans, who refuse to help the resident foreigner and in this way show they do not fear me,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 6 “Since, I, the Lord, do not go back on my promises, you, sons of Jacob, have not perished.
Exodus 22:22 / Psalm 94:6
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Exodus 22:22
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  21 “You must not wrong a resident foreigner nor oppress him, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. 22 “You must not afflict any widow or orphan. 23 If you afflict them in any way and they cry to me, I will surely hear their cry, 24 and my anger will burn and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives will be widows and your children will be fatherless.
2. 600–201 BCE
  
  Psalm 94:6
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  4 They spew out threats and speak defiantly; all the evildoers boast. 5 O Lord, they crush your people; they oppress the nation that belongs to you. 6 They kill the widow and the resident foreigner, and they murder the fatherless. 7 Then they say, “The Lord does not see this; the God of Jacob does not take notice of it.” 8 Take notice of this, you ignorant people. You fools, when will you ever understand?
Leviticus 19:34 / Ezekiel 47:22
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Leviticus 19:34
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  32 You must stand up in the presence of the aged, honor the presence of an elder, and fear your God. I am the Lord. 33 When a resident foreigner lives with you in your land, you must not oppress him. 34 The resident foreigner who lives with you must be to you as a native citizen among you; so you must love the foreigner as yourself, because you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God. 35 You must not do injustice in the regulation of measures, whether of length, weight, or volume. 36 You must have honest balances, honest weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin. I am the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt.
2. 600–501 BCE
  
  Ezekiel 47:22
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  20 On the west side the Great Sea will be the boundary to a point opposite Lebo Hamath. This is the west side. 21 “This is how you will divide this land for yourselves among the tribes of Israel. 22 You must allot it as an inheritance among yourselves and for the resident foreigners who live among you, who have fathered sons among you. You must treat them as native-born among the people of Israel; they will be allotted an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. 23 In whatever tribe the resident foreigner lives, there you will give him his inheritance,” declares the Sovereign Lord.
Leviticus 25:23 / Psalm 39:12
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Leviticus 25:23
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  21 I will command my blessing for you in the sixth year so that it may yield the produce for three years, 22 and you may sow the eighth year and eat from that sixth year’s produce—old produce. Until you bring in the ninth year’s produce, you may eat old produce. 23 The land must not be sold without reclaim because the land belongs to me, for you are foreign residents, temporary settlers, with me. 24 In all your landed property you must provide for the right of redemption of the land. 25 “‘If your brother becomes impoverished and sells some of his property, his near redeemer is to come to you and redeem what his brother sold.
2. 600–201 BCE
  
  Psalm 39:12
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  10 Please stop wounding me. You have almost beaten me to death. 11 You severely discipline people for their sins; like a moth you slowly devour their strength. Surely all people are a mere vapor. (Selah) 12 Hear my prayer, O Lord. Listen to my cry for help. Do not ignore my sobbing. For I am a resident foreigner with you, a temporary settler, just as all my ancestors were. 13 Turn your angry gaze away from me, so I can be happy before I pass away.
Deuteronomy 10:18 / Zechariah 7:10
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Deuteronomy 10:18
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  16 Therefore, circumcise your hearts and stop being so stubborn! 17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God who is unbiased and takes no bribe, 18 who justly treats the orphan and widow, and who loves resident foreigners, giving them food and clothing. 19 So you must love the resident foreigner because you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. 20 Revere the Lord your God, serve him, be loyal to him, and take oaths only in his name.
2. 500–401 BCE
  
  Zechariah 7:10
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  8 Again the Lord’s message came to Zechariah: 9 “The Lord of Heaven’s Armies said, ‘Exercise true judgment and show brotherhood and compassion to each other. 10 You must not oppress the widow, the orphan, the resident foreigner, or the poor, nor should anyone secretly plot evil against his fellow citizen.’ 11 “But they refused to pay attention, turning away stubbornly and stopping their ears so they could not hear. 12 Indeed, they made their hearts as hard as diamond, so that they could not obey the law of Moses and the other words the Lord of Heaven’s Armies had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies poured out great wrath.
Deuteronomy 10:18 / Psalm 146:9
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Deuteronomy 10:18
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  16 Therefore, circumcise your hearts and stop being so stubborn! 17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God who is unbiased and takes no bribe, 18 who justly treats the orphan and widow, and who loves resident foreigners, giving them food and clothing. 19 So you must love the resident foreigner because you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.
2. 600–201 BCE
  
  Psalm 146:9
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  7 vindicates the oppressed, and gives food to the hungry. The Lord releases the imprisoned. 8 The Lord gives sight to the blind. The Lord lifts up all who are bent over. The Lord loves the godly. 9 The Lord protects the resident foreigner. He lifts up the fatherless and the widow, but he opposes the wicked. 10 The Lord rules forever, your God, O Zion, throughout the generations to come. Praise the Lord!
Deuteronomy 24:19 / Ruth 2:10
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Deuteronomy 24:19
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  17 You must not pervert justice due a resident foreigner or an orphan, or take a widow’s garment as security for a loan. 18 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I am commanding you to do all this. 19 Whenever you reap your harvest in your field and leave some unraked grain there, you must not return to get it; it should go to the resident foreigner, orphan, and widow so that the Lord your God may bless all the work you do. 20 When you beat your olive tree you must not repeat the procedure; the remaining olives belong to the resident foreigner, orphan, and widow. 21 When you gather the grapes of your vineyard you must not do so a second time; they should go to the resident foreigner, orphan, and widow.
2. 300–201 BCE
  
  Ruth 2:10
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  8 So Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen carefully, my dear! Do not leave to gather grain in another field. You need not go beyond the limits of this field. You may go along beside my female workers. 9 Take note of the field where the men are harvesting and follow behind with the female workers. I will tell the men to leave you alone. When you are thirsty, you may go to the water jars and drink some of the water the servants draw.” 10 Ruth knelt before him with her forehead to the ground and said to him, “Why are you so kind and so attentive to me, even though I am a foreigner?” 11 Boaz replied to her, “I have been given a full report of all that you have done for your mother-in-law following the death of your husband—how you left your father and your mother, as well as your homeland, and came to live among people you did not know previously. 12 May the Lord reward your efforts! May your acts of kindness be repaid fully by the Lord God of Israel, from whom you have sought protection.”
Deuteronomy 29:11 / Joshua 9:21
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Deuteronomy 29:11
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  9 “Therefore, keep the terms of this covenant and obey them so that you may be successful in everything you do. 10 You are standing today, all of you, before the Lord your God—the heads of your tribes, your elders, your officials, every Israelite man, 11 your infants, your wives, and the resident foreigners living in your encampment, those who chop wood and those who carry water— 12 so that you may enter by oath into the covenant the Lord your God is making with you today. 13 Today he will affirm that you are his people and that he is your God, just as he promised you and as he swore by oath to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
2. 600–501 BCE
  
  Joshua 9:21
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  19 but all the leaders told the whole community, “We swore an oath to them in the name of the Lord God of Israel! So now we can’t hurt them. 20 We must let them live so we can escape the curse attached to the oath we swore to them.” 21 The leaders then added, “Let them live.” So they became woodcutters and water carriers for the whole community, as the leaders had decided. 22 Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said to them, “Why did you trick us by saying, ‘We live far away from you,’ when you really live nearby? 23 Now you are condemned to perpetual servitude as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”
Isaiah 14:1 / Zechariah 2:11
1. 740–450 BCE
  
  Isaiah 14:1
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  1 The Lord will certainly have compassion on Jacob; he will again choose Israel as his special people and restore them to their land. Resident foreigners will join them and unite with the family of Jacob. 2 Nations will take them and bring them back to their own place. Then the family of Israel will make foreigners their servants as they settle in the Lord’s land. They will make their captors captives and rule over the ones who oppressed them. 3 When the Lord gives you relief from your suffering and anxiety and from the hard labor that you were made to perform,
2. 500–401 BCE
  
  Zechariah 2:11
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  10 “Sing out and be happy, Zion my daughter! For look, I have come; I will settle in your midst,” says the Lord. 11 “Many nations will join themselves to the Lord on the day of salvation, and they will also be my people. Indeed, I will settle in the midst of you all. Then you will know that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has sent me to you. 12 The Lord will take possession of Judah as his portion in the holy land and he will choose Jerusalem once again. 13 Be silent in the Lord’s presence, all people everywhere, for he is being moved to action in his holy dwelling place.”