Lexical Summary ezrach: Native, native-born, citizen Original Word: אֶזְרָח Strong's Exhaustive Concordance bay tree, homeborn in the land, of the one's own country nation From zarach (in the sense of springing up); a spontaneous growth, i.e. Native (tree or persons) -- bay tree, (home-)born (in the land), of the (one's own) country (nation). see HEBREW zarach NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom zarach Definition a native NASB Translation native (14), native-born (2), tree in its native (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs אֶזְרָח noun masculinePsalm 37:35 a native (one arising from the soil; = 'free tribesman' RSSemitic i. 75) — absolute ׳א Leviticus 19:34 13t.; construct אֶזְרַח Exodus 12:19 2t.; — 1 a native Israelite, usually collective, with article, כלֿ בישׂראל ׳הָא Leviticus 23:42 (H), compare Numbers 15:13 (P); elsewhere opposed to גֵּר (q. v.): — ׳בִּבְנֵי ישׂר ׳הָא Numbers 15:29 (P), compare Ezekiel 47:22; אֶזְרַח הָאָרֶץ Exodus 12:19,48; Numbers 9:14 (all P); מִכֶּם ׳א Leviticus 19:34 see also Leviticus 17:15; Leviticus 18:26; Leviticus 24:16,22 (all H); Exodus 12:49; Leviticus 16:29; Numbers 15:30 (all P), Joshua 8:33 (D). 2 a native tree, growing in its natural soil רַעֲנָן ׳א Psalm 37:35 (figurative of prosperous wicked). Topical Lexicon Definition and Scopeאֶזְרָח designates the “native-born” member of Israelite society—the person who, by birth, stands inside the covenant community and its civil structure. While the term underscores legal standing, Scripture consistently uses it to reinforce spiritual responsibility rather than ethnic privilege, binding the native Israelite to the same righteous standard that governs any resident alien (גֵּר, gēr) living among them. Occurrences and Contexts in the Torah 1. Exodus 12 sets the precedent. In the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread, the native-born must keep the ordinance (Exodus 12:19), yet the foreigner who is circumcised may participate on equal terms (Exodus 12:48-49). Equality of Covenant Obligation The Torah never allows the native-born to claim exemption. Whether removing leaven, fasting on Atonement, or avoiding sexual abominations, the same divine holiness governs every resident of the land. This principle culminates in the refrain, “You are to have the same law for the foreigner and the native-born” (Leviticus 24:22). Privileges of Worship and Sacrificial Access Though Passover originally marks Israel’s deliverance, any outsider who fully identifies with Israel’s God through circumcision may eat it “like a native of the land” (Exodus 12:48). Likewise, the native-born’s burnt offerings (Numbers 15:13) provide the template for the alien’s offerings, underscoring that true worship depends on covenant alignment, not pedigree. Ethical Implications toward the Foreigner Leviticus 19:34 commands Israel to “love him as yourself, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.” The native-born therefore becomes the model of covenant kindness, transforming birthright into service rather than superiority. By treating the gēr “as the native-born,” Israel bears witness to the Lord’s impartial character. Civic Justice and Penalties Blasphemy (Leviticus 24:16), manslaughter, and presumptuous sin (Numbers 15:30) incur identical judgments on native-born and foreigner. The standard negates any notion that lineage shields one from accountability; divine justice remains consistent across social categories. Festal Identity and National Memory At the Feast of Booths the command specifically addresses “all native-born Israelites” (Leviticus 23:42). The booth becomes a tangible reminder of wilderness dependence for those whose very birthright might tempt them to forget it. Involving the native-born safeguards corporate memory and humility. Prophetic Vision of Eschatological Inclusion Ezekiel 47:22 anticipates a restored land where aliens “will be to you like native-born Israelites; they are to be allotted an inheritance among the tribes.” The prophetic horizon enlarges the earlier legislation, revealing that covenant inclusion was always preparatory for a wider family of faith. Wisdom Illustration of Flourishing Humanity Psalm 37:35 depicts the wicked “spreading himself like a native green tree.” The simile draws upon the rooted stability associated with the native-born, yet warns that earthly flourishing apart from righteousness is fleeting. The term thus carries connotations of established presence but also exposes its limits without covenant fidelity. New Testament Trajectory The equal footing of native-born and sojourner foreshadows the Gospel’s erasure of ethnic barriers. Paul announces that Gentiles “are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints” (Ephesians 2:19), echoing the Torah’s unifying statutes. Hebrews similarly portrays believers as “sojourners and exiles,” reversing the categories: the faithful may be native-born in the kingdom of God yet foreigners in the present world (Hebrews 11:13). Ministry Applications 1. Church membership mirrors the Passover principle: baptism, not ancestry, marks covenant entry. Through אֶזְרָח Scripture weaves a thread of covenant responsibility, egalitarian justice, and anticipatory inclusion that culminates in the New Covenant’s worldwide family. Forms and Transliterations בָּאֶזְרָ֖ח באזרח הָֽאֶזְרָ֔ח הָֽאֶזְרָח֙ הָאֶזְרָ֥ח האזרח וּבְאֶזְרַ֥ח וּלְאֶזְרַ֥ח ובאזרח ולאזרח כְּאֶזְרַ֣ח כְּאֶזְרָ֣ח כְּאֶזְרָ֥ח כְּאֶזְרָח֙ כָּֽאֶזְרָ֔ח כָּאֶזְרָ֖ח כאזרח לָֽאֶזְרָ֑ח לאזרח bā’ezrāḥ bā·’ez·rāḥ baezRach hā’ezrāḥ hā·’ez·rāḥ haezRach kā’ezrāḥ kā·’ez·rāḥ kaezRach kə’ezraḥ kə’ezrāḥ kə·’ez·raḥ kə·’ez·rāḥ keezRach lā’ezrāḥ lā·’ez·rāḥ laezRach ū·ḇə·’ez·raḥ ū·lə·’ez·raḥ ūḇə’ezraḥ ūlə’ezraḥ uleezRach uveezRachLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Exodus 12:19 HEB: יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בַּגֵּ֖ר וּבְאֶזְרַ֥ח הָאָֽרֶץ׃ NAS: whether [he is] an alien or a native of the land. KJV: whether he be a stranger, or born in the land. INT: of Israel an alien A native of the land Exodus 12:48 Exodus 12:49 Leviticus 16:29 Leviticus 17:15 Leviticus 18:26 Leviticus 19:34 Leviticus 23:42 Leviticus 24:16 Leviticus 24:22 Numbers 9:14 Numbers 15:13 Numbers 15:29 Numbers 15:30 Joshua 8:33 Psalm 37:35 Ezekiel 47:22 17 Occurrences |
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