◄ Deuteronomy 23:16 ►
Let him live among you wherever he chooses, in the town of his pleasing. Do not oppress him.
Study Bible
Let him live among you
This phrase emphasizes the importance of hospitality and acceptance within the community of Israel. The Hebrew root for "live" is "yashab," which means to dwell or settle. This implies not just a temporary stay but a more permanent integration into the community. Historically, this reflects the broader biblical principle of welcoming the stranger and providing refuge, as seen in the treatment of foreigners and sojourners throughout the Old Testament. It underscores the value of compassion and the recognition of shared humanity.

wherever he chooses
The freedom granted here is significant. The Hebrew word for "chooses" is "bachar," which means to select or decide. This choice indicates respect for the individual's autonomy and personal agency. In the ancient Near Eastern context, where social hierarchies were rigid, this command is radical. It reflects God's justice and mercy, allowing the individual to find a place where they feel safe and accepted, reinforcing the idea that God's people should be a sanctuary for those in need.

in the town of his pleasing
The phrase "of his pleasing" comes from the Hebrew "tov," meaning good or pleasant. This suggests that the individual should not only have the freedom to choose but also the right to find a place that is beneficial and agreeable to them. It highlights the importance of personal well-being and satisfaction, which is a reflection of God's care for the holistic welfare of individuals. This aligns with the biblical theme of shalom, or peace, which encompasses wholeness and harmony in community life.

Do not oppress him
The command against oppression is a recurring theme in the Bible, rooted in the Hebrew word "lachats," meaning to press or afflict. This prohibition is a direct call to justice and righteousness, reflecting God's character and His laws. Historically, Israel was reminded of their own experience of oppression in Egypt, and thus, they are called to treat others with fairness and kindness. This command serves as a moral and ethical guideline, ensuring that the community remains a place of refuge and support, embodying God's love and justice.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Israelites
The people to whom the laws in Deuteronomy were given. They were God's chosen people, called to live according to His commandments.

2. Fugitive Slave
The specific individual referred to in this verse, who has escaped from his master and seeks refuge among the Israelites.

3. Moses
The leader of the Israelites and the author of Deuteronomy, who conveyed God's laws to the people.

4. Promised Land
The land of Canaan, where the Israelites were to settle and live according to God's laws.

5. Ancient Near East
The broader cultural and historical context in which these laws were given, where slavery was a common practice.
Teaching Points
Compassion and Hospitality
The command to allow the fugitive slave to live freely among the Israelites highlights the importance of compassion and hospitality. As Christians, we are called to welcome and support those who seek refuge and freedom.

Respect for Human Dignity
This verse underscores the value of every human life and the importance of respecting individual dignity. We are reminded to treat all people with kindness and fairness, regardless of their past or status.

Obedience to God's Law
The Israelites were to follow God's commands even when they challenged societal norms. As believers, we are called to prioritize God's principles over cultural practices that may be unjust.

Freedom in Christ
The concept of freedom is central to the Christian faith. Just as the fugitive slave was to live freely, we are reminded of the spiritual freedom we have in Christ and our responsibility to extend that freedom to others.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Deuteronomy 23:16 challenge the societal norms of the ancient Near East regarding slavery, and what can we learn from this about God's character?

2. In what ways can we apply the principle of not oppressing others in our modern context, especially towards those who are marginalized or seeking refuge?

3. How do the teachings in Deuteronomy 23:16 relate to the New Testament's emphasis on love and equality, as seen in Galatians 3:28?

4. What are some practical ways we can demonstrate compassion and hospitality in our communities today?

5. How does understanding the historical and cultural context of Deuteronomy 23:16 enhance our interpretation and application of this scripture in our lives?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 22:21
This verse emphasizes the importance of not oppressing foreigners, which aligns with the command in Deuteronomy 23:16 to not oppress the fugitive slave.

Leviticus 19:34
This passage instructs the Israelites to treat foreigners as native-born and love them as themselves, reinforcing the principle of compassion and hospitality.

Galatians 3:28
In the New Testament, Paul speaks of the equality of all people in Christ, which echoes the spirit of acceptance and non-oppression found in Deuteronomy 23:16.
Sermons
Sympathy for the OppressedD. Davies Deuteronomy 23:15, 16
The Escaped SlaveJ. Marrat.Deuteronomy 23:15-16
The Hebrew Fugitive LawR.M. Edgar Deuteronomy 23:15, 16
Various PreceptsJ. Orr Deuteronomy 23:15-23
People
Aram, Balaam, Beor, Moses
Places
Beth-baal-peor, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Pethor
Topics
Best, Choose, Chooses, Chooseth, Dwell, Gates, Likes, Liketh, Midst, Mistreat, Oppress, Pleases, Pleaseth, Pleasing, Seemeth, Town, Towns, Whatever, Within, Wrong
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Deuteronomy 23:15-16

     5491   refugees

Library
Appendix v. Rabbinic Theology and Literature
1. The Traditional Law. - The brief account given in vol. i. p. 100, of the character and authority claimed for the traditional law may here be supplemented by a chronological arrangement of the Halakhoth in the order of their supposed introduction or promulgation. In the first class, or Halakhoth of Moses from Sinai,' tradition enumerates fifty-five, [6370] which may be thus designated: religio-agrarian, four; [6371] ritual, including questions about clean and unclean,' twenty-three; [6372] concerning …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

That the Employing Of, and Associating with the Malignant Party, According as is Contained in the Public Resolutions, is Sinful and Unlawful.
That The Employing Of, And Associating With The Malignant Party, According As Is Contained In The Public Resolutions, Is Sinful And Unlawful. If there be in the land a malignant party of power and policy, and the exceptions contained in the Act of Levy do comprehend but few of that party, then there need be no more difficulty to prove, that the present public resolutions and proceedings do import an association and conjunction with a malignant party, than to gather a conclusion from clear premises. …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Here Then Shall These Persons in their Turn be in Another More Sublime Degree...
28. Here then shall these persons in their turn be in another more sublime degree of righteousness outdone, by them who shall so order themselves, that every day they shall betake them into the fields as unto pasture, and at what time they shall find it, pick up their meal, and having allayed their hunger, return. But plainly, on account of the keepers of the fields, how good were it, if the Lord should deign to bestow wings also, that the servants of God being found in other men's fields should …
St. Augustine—Of the Work of Monks.

Lessons for Worship and for Work
'Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. 2. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few. 3. For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words. 4. When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for He hath …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Introductory Note to the Works of Origen.
[a.d. 185-230-254.] The reader will remember the rise and rapid development of the great Alexandrian school, and the predominance which was imparted to it by the genius of the illustrious Clement. [1865] But in Origen, his pupil, who succeeded him at the surprising age of eighteen, a new sun was to rise upon its noontide. Truly was Alexandria "the mother and mistress of churches" in the benign sense of a nurse and instructress of Christendom, not its arrogant and usurping imperatrix. The full details …
Origen—Origen De Principiis

Excursus on Usury.
The famous canonist Van Espen defines usury thus: "Usura definitur lucrum ex mutuo exactum aut speratum;" [96] and then goes on to defend the proposition that, "Usury is forbidden by natural, by divine, and by human law. The first is proved thus. Natural law, as far as its first principles are concerned, is contained in the decalogue; but usury is prohibited in the decalogue, inasmuch as theft is prohibited; and this is the opinion of the Master of the Sentences, of St. Bonaventura, of St. Thomas …
Philip Schaff—The Seven Ecumenical Councils

Jesus Defends Disciples who Pluck Grain on the Sabbath.
(Probably While on the Way from Jerusalem to Galilee.) ^A Matt. XII. 1-8; ^B Mark II. 23-28; ^C Luke VI. 1-5. ^b 23 And ^c 1 Now it came to pass ^a 1 At that season ^b that he ^a Jesus went { ^b was going} on the { ^c a} ^b sabbath day through the grainfields; ^a and his disciples were hungry and began ^b as they went, to pluck the ears. ^a and to eat, ^c and his disciples plucked the ears, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands. [This lesson fits in chronological order with the last, if the Bethesda …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

That it is not Lawful for the Well Affected Subjects to Concur in Such an Engagement in War, and Associate with the Malignant Party.
That It Is Not Lawful For The Well Affected Subjects To Concur In Such An Engagement In War, And Associate With The Malignant Party. Some convinced of the unlawfulness of the public resolutions and proceedings, in reference to the employing of the malignant party, yet do not find such clearness and satisfaction in their own consciences as to forbid the subjects to concur in this war, and associate with the army so constituted. Therefore it is needful to speak something to this point, That it is …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Canaan
Canaan was the inheritance which the Israelites won for themselves by the sword. Their ancestors had already settled in it in patriarchal days. Abraham "the Hebrew" from Babylonia had bought in it a burying-place near Hebron; Jacob had purchased a field near Shechem, where he could water his flocks from his own spring. It was the "Promised Land" to which the serfs of the Pharaoh in Goshen looked forward when they should again become free men and find a new home for themselves. Canaan had ever been …
Archibald Sayce—Early Israel and the Surrounding Nations

Brief Directions How to Read the Holy Scriptures once Every Year Over, with Ease, Profit, and Reverence.
But forasmuch, that as faith is the soul, so reading and meditating on the word of God, are the parent's of prayer, therefore, before thou prayest in the morning, first read a chapter in the word of God; then meditate awhile with thyself, how many excellent things thou canst remember out of it. As--First, what good counsels or exhortations to good works and to holy life. Secondly, what threatenings of judgments against such and such a sin; and what fearful examples of God's punishment or vengeance …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Commerce
The remarkable change which we have noticed in the views of Jewish authorities, from contempt to almost affectation of manual labour, could certainly not have been arbitrary. But as we fail to discover here any religious motive, we can only account for it on the score of altered political and social circumstances. So long as the people were, at least nominally, independent, and in possession of their own land, constant engagement in a trade would probably mark an inferior social stage, and imply …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

Nature of Covenanting.
A covenant is a mutual voluntary compact between two parties on given terms or conditions. It may be made between superiors and inferiors, or between equals. The sentiment that a covenant can be made only between parties respectively independent of one another is inconsistent with the testimony of Scripture. Parties to covenants in a great variety of relative circumstances, are there introduced. There, covenant relations among men are represented as obtaining not merely between nation and nation, …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Scriptures Showing the Sin and Danger of Joining with Wicked and Ungodly Men.
Scriptures Showing The Sin And Danger Of Joining With Wicked And Ungodly Men. When the Lord is punishing such a people against whom he hath a controversy, and a notable controversy, every one that is found shall be thrust through: and every one joined with them shall fall, Isa. xiii. 15. They partake in their judgment, not only because in a common calamity all shares, (as in Ezek. xxi. 3.) but chiefly because joined with and partakers with these whom God is pursuing; even as the strangers that join …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Appeal to the Christian Women of the South
BY A.E. GRIMKE. "Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not within thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place: but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this. And Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer:--and so will I go in unto the king, …
Angelina Emily Grimke—An Appeal to the Christian Women of the South

The Tenth Commandment
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.' Exod 20: 17. THIS commandment forbids covetousness in general, Thou shalt not covet;' and in particular, Thy neighbour's house, thy neighbour's wife, &c. I. It forbids covetousness in general. Thou shalt not covet.' It is lawful to use the world, yea, and to desire so much of it as may keep us from the temptation …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Deuteronomy
Owing to the comparatively loose nature of the connection between consecutive passages in the legislative section, it is difficult to present an adequate summary of the book of Deuteronomy. In the first section, i.-iv. 40, Moses, after reviewing the recent history of the people, and showing how it reveals Jehovah's love for Israel, earnestly urges upon them the duty of keeping His laws, reminding them of His spirituality and absoluteness. Then follows the appointment, iv. 41-43--here irrelevant (cf. …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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