What does the Bible say about treating foreigners?

DEFINITION AND CONTEXT

“Foreigners,” as addressed in Scripture, are individuals who are not native Israelites but reside among them or visit their land. The term can apply to those outside God’s covenant community in the Old Testament, as well as non-Jewish believers (or Gentiles) in the New Testament context. Across numerous passages, the Bible prizes compassion, justice, and hospitality toward those who come from outside one’s homeland.

While various terms in Hebrew (such as “ger,” “nokri,” and “toshav”) convey nuances about a person’s legal status or permanence of residence, the unifying theme is that anyone who is not a native-born Israelite is to be counted among those needing care and fair treatment. This principle resonates throughout God’s dealings with His people.

OLD TESTAMENT FOUNDATIONS

Multiple instructions in the Law command care and compassion for foreigners. These measures serve as reminders that the Israelites, too, were once strangers in a foreign land (Egypt), and their experience was intended to cultivate empathy toward others.

For example, Exodus 22:21 clearly states, “You must not exploit or oppress a foreign resident, for you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt.” This instruction not only prohibits mistreatment but also sets the rationale: Israel’s own past as foreigners should shape their present conduct toward outsiders.

COMMANDED TO LOVE AND PROTECT FOREIGNERS

Leviticus 19:33–34 provides one of the most direct statements: “When a foreigner resides with you in your land, you must not oppress him. You must treat the foreigner living among you as native-born and love him as yourself, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.” The text elevates the foreigner to the status of a native-born citizen and commands a love as profound as self-love.

Similarly, Deuteronomy 10:18–19 underscores God’s nature as a defender of outsiders, saying that God “executes justice for the fatherless and widow, and He loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing. So you also must love the foreigner, since you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt.” The divine model of hospitality and protection becomes the foundation for Israel’s ethic.

GLEANING LAWS AND PROVISIONS

One of the most practical demonstrations of care for foreigners is seen in the gleaning laws—arrangements allowing them to gather leftover produce in fields, orchards, and vineyards. Leviticus 23:22 states, “When you reap the harvest of your land, you are not to reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You are to leave them for the poor and the foreigner dwelling among you. I am the LORD your God.”

These deeply merciful commands provided food for those in need—especially the poor, widows, and foreigners—and reflected God’s concern for people of all social standings. The Book of Ruth offers a memorable example: Ruth, a Moabite woman, gleaned in the fields of Boaz, illustrating how foreigners could find both provision and acceptance within Israel’s community.

EXAMPLES IN ISRAEL’S HISTORY

Throughout Israel’s history, certain foreigners were integral to God’s plan. Rahab, a Canaanite from Jericho, and Ruth, a Moabite, not only found acceptance among Israel but eventually became part of the lineage of King David and, ultimately, the Messiah (Matthew 1:5).

Archaeological findings and historical records from the Ancient Near East show that foreign alliances, trade, and intermarriage were common, yet many cultures outside Israel exploited their foreign residents. The biblical texts stand out among ancient legal codes by consistently calling for just treatment of foreigners. This emphasis highlights the distinctiveness of Hebrew law and corroborates the Old Testament’s claim that God’s people are to live out compassion in their social structure.

NEW TESTAMENT PERSPECTIVES

In the New Testament, the ethic broadens to include all nations in Christ’s redeeming work. Jesus’ ministry reveals a boundary-crossing compassion, such as in His encounter with the Roman centurion (Matthew 8:5–13) and His willingness to engage a Samaritan woman (John 4:7–26). Jesus also praised a Samaritan (in Luke 10:25–37) for exemplifying neighborly love, challenging assumptions about “insiders” and “outsiders.”

Paul’s teachings carry these themes into the early church. Ephesians 2:19 declares that believers “are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household.” This spiritual family transcends ethnic and cultural divides, showing that in Christ, all nations gather under one gracious promise.

GOD’S REDEMPTIVE PLAN INCORPORATES ALL PEOPLES

Though the commandments to love foreigners are specifically addressed to ancient Israel, the principle of extending hospitality stands as a broader reflection of God’s character and His unfolding plan for humanity. Isaiah 56:6–7 references how foreigners united to Him will be welcomed to His holy mountain, indicating that the covenant blessings go beyond ethnic Israel.

This unfolding plan for redemption comes to fullness in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, who offers salvation to people of every tribe and language. Acts 2:5–11 shows how the Holy Spirit’s outpouring at Pentecost included devout men “from every nation under heaven,” underscoring that the good news spreads to all peoples.

UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLES FOR BELIEVERS

Biblical teaching about foreigners can be distilled into universal principles for believers today:

1. Recognize that all people bear God’s image (Genesis 1:27), including foreigners who live among you or cross your path.

2. Show active compassion, reflecting God’s heart by addressing both physical needs (through generous provisions) and spiritual needs (by sharing truth and love).

3. Remember that all who trust in Christ become children of God regardless of national or ethnic background (John 1:12).

4. Demonstrate humility, recalling that believers were once separated from God and in need of mercy (Ephesians 2:12–13).

These principles not only align with the Old Testament commands but also align with the New Testament’s vision of one new family under God—a family where no one is marginalized based on nationality.

CONCLUSION

Across Scripture’s pages, the consistent message is that foreigners are to be treated with kindness, dignity, and compassion. Whether in ancient Israel or in the global Christian community today, the call remains to embody divine mercy toward the outsider—mirroring God’s own hospitality and grace.

Extending care to foreigners is not a peripheral idea; it is deeply rooted in God’s revelation throughout the Bible. It has practical expressions (gleaning laws, justice in courts, sharing resources) and spiritual depth (embracing outsiders in God’s covenant). This pattern reflects a God who so loved the world—people of every nation—that He offers them everlasting life in Christ.