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Exodus 22:21
Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Leviticus 19:33,34
And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him…

Luke 6:35
But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful andto the evil.

since you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt
This phrase serves as a reminder of the Israelites' own history and experiences. Having been foreigners and slaves in Egypt, they understood the hardships and vulnerabilities associated with being outsiders. This historical context is crucial, as it grounds the command in empathy and shared experience. The Israelites' deliverance from Egypt is a central narrative in the Old Testament, symbolizing God's salvation and faithfulness (Exodus 12:40-42). It also prefigures the ultimate deliverance through Jesus Christ, who offers salvation to all people, regardless of their background (Galatians 3:28). By recalling their past, the Israelites are encouraged to treat foreigners with the same grace and kindness that God extended to them. This principle of remembering one's past to inform present behavior is a recurring theme in Scripture, urging believers to act justly and love mercy (Micah 6:8).

- Moses has just declared that “He executes justice for the fatherless and widow, and loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing” (Deuteronomy 10:18).

- The phrase “So you also” draws an unbreakable line from what God does to what His people must do.

- We are reminded that obedience is imitation: “Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children” (Ephesians 5:1).

- God’s actions set the standard; our actions follow.

- “Must” leaves no room for negotiation. Love is commanded, not suggested (John 13:34).

- Love here is not sentiment but active care: meeting needs, protecting rights, showing hospitality (Romans 12:13).

- Jesus summarizes the Law with “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39); the foreigner is included in that “neighbor.”

- Love fulfills the Law (Romans 13:8-10).

- The term covers immigrants, refugees, travelers—anyone outside the covenant community who dwells among God’s people (Leviticus 19:33-34).

- God’s Law repeatedly safeguards them:

• Fair treatment in courts (Deuteronomy 24:17).

• Access to gleanings and tithes (Deuteronomy 24:19-22).

• Inclusion in community festivals (Deuteronomy 16:11).

- Welcoming outsiders anticipates the gospel’s reach to “every nation” (Revelation 7:9).

- Motivation grows out of memory: who we once were shapes how we treat others now.

- Israel’s story becomes the lens for empathy. Similarly, believers remember: “At that time you were separate from Christ… foreigners to the covenants of the promise” (Ephesians 2:12).

- Gratitude fuels compassion; forgiven people forgive (Colossians 3:13).

- Forgetting this past leads to pride and hardness (Deuteronomy 8:11-14).

- Four centuries of oppression (Exodus 12:40) stamped foreignness into Israel’s collective memory.

- God redeemed them “with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm” (Deuteronomy 5:15).

- Redemption carries responsibility: the rescued become rescuers (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

- Every Sabbath, feast, and Passover retold the Exodus so the people would never lose that outsider perspective (Exodus 13:8-10).

Deuteronomy 10:19 commands God’s people to extend the same active, self-giving love God shows, especially toward outsiders. Remembering their own experience of alienation and God’s powerful rescue, Israel—and by extension all believers—are to welcome, provide for, and protect the foreigner, displaying the character of a God who “loves the foreigner” and once loved them when they were strangers to His covenant.

Parallel Commentaries ...