Stranger

A "stranger," in the technical sense of the term, may be defined to be a person of foreign, i.e. non-Israelitish, extraction resident within the limits of the promised land. He was distinct from the proper "foreigner," inasmuch as the latter still belonged to another country, and would only visit Palestine as a traveller: he was still more distinct from the "nations," or non-Israelite peoples. The term may be compared with our expression "naturalized foreigner." The terms applied to the "stranger" have special reference to the fact of residing in the land. The existence of such a class of persons among the Israelites is easily accounted for the "mixed multitude" that accompanied them out of Egypt, (Exodus 12:38) formed one element the Canaanitish Population,which was never wholly extirpated from their native soil, formed another and a still more important one captives taken in war formed a third; fugitives, hired servants, merchants, etc., formed a fourth. With the exception of the Moabites and Ammonites, (23:3) all nations were admissible to the rights of citizenship under certain conditions. The stranger appears to have been eligible to all civil offices, that of king excepted. (17:15) In regard to religion, it was absolutely necessary that the stranger should not infringe any of the fundamental laws of the Israelitish state. If he were a bondman, he was obliged to submit to circumcision, (Exodus 12:44) if he were independent, it was optional with him but if he remained uncircumcised, he was prohibited from partaking of the Passover, (Exodus 12:48) and could not be regarded as a full citizen. Liberty was also given to an uncircumcised stranger in regard to the use of prohibited food. Assuming, however, that the stranger was circumcised, no distinction existed in regard to legal rights ha between the stranger and the Israelite; to the Israelite is enjoined to treat him as a brother. (Leviticus 19:34; 10:19) It also appears that the "stranger" formed the class whence the hirelings were drawn; the terms being coupled together in (Exodus 12:45; Leviticus 22:10; 25:6,40) The liberal spirit of the Mosaic regulations respecting strangers presents a strong contrast to the rigid exclusiveness of the Jews at the commencement of the Christian era. The growth of this spirit dates from the time of the Babylonish captivity.

Stranger

Is sometimes used in a special sense, easily understood from the context. It usually denotes a foreigner, who is not a native of the land in which he resides, Genesis 23:4. The Mosaic Law enjoined a generous hospitality towards foreign residents, saying, "Thou shalt love him as thyself," Le 19:33,34 De 10:18,19 24:17 27:19. They were subject to the law, Exodus 20:10 Le 16:20, and were admitted to many of the privileges of the chosen people of God, Numbers 9:14 15:14.

The strangers whom David collected to aid in building the temple, 1 Chronicles 22:2, probably comprised many of the remnants of the Canaanite tribes, 1 Kings 9:20,21. Hospitality to strangers, including all travellers, was the duty of all good citizens, Job 31:32 Hebrews 13:2.

This word generally denotes a person from a foreign land residing in Palestine. Such persons enjoyed many privileges in common with the Jews, but still were separate from them. The relation of the Jews to strangers was regulated by special laws (Deuteronomy 23:3; 24:14-21; 25:5; 26:10-13). A special signification is also sometimes attached to this word. In Genesis 23:4 it denotes one resident in a foreign land; Exodus 23:9, one who is not a Jew; Numbers 3:10, one who is not of the family of Aaron; Psalm 69:8, an alien or an unknown person. The Jews were allowed to purchase strangers as slaves (Leviticus 25:44, 45), and to take usury from them (Deuteronomy 23:20). 1. (n.) One who is strange, foreign, or unknown.

2. (n.) One who comes from a foreign land; a foreigner.

3. (n.) One whose home is at a distance from the place where he is, but in the same country.

4. (n.) One who is unknown or unacquainted; as, the gentleman is a stranger to me; hence, one not admitted to communication, fellowship, or acquaintance.

5. (n.) One not belonging to the family or household; a guest; a visitor.

6. (n.) One not privy or party an act, contract, or title; a mere intruder or intermeddler; one who interferes without right; as, actual possession of land gives a good title against a stranger having no title; as to strangers, a mortgage is considered merely as a pledge; a mere stranger to the levy.

7. (v. t.) To estrange; to alienate.

STRANGER AND SOJOURNER (IN THE APOCRYPHA AND THE NEW TESTAMENT)

The technical meaning attaching to the Hebrew terms is not present in the Greek words translated "stranger" and "sojourner," and the distinctions made by English Versions of the Bible are partly only to give uniformity in the translation. For "stranger" the usual Greek word is xenos, meaning primarily "guest" and so appearing in the combination "hatred toward guests" in The Wisdom of Solomon 19:13 (misoxenia). Xenos is the most common word for "stranger" in the New Testament (Matthew 25:35, etc.), but it seems not to be used by itself with this force in the Apocrypha. Almost equally common in the New Testament is allotrios, "belonging to another" (Matthew 17:25, 26 John 10:5 (bis)), and this is the usual word in the Apocrypha (Sirach 8:18; 1 Maccabees 1:38, etc.), but for some inexplicable reason the Revised Version (British and American) occasionally translates by "alien" (contrast, e.g. 1 Maccabees 1:38; 2:7). Compare the corresponding verb apallotrioo (Ephesians 2:12; Ephesians 4:18 Colossians 1:21). With the definite meaning of "foreigner" are allogenes, "of another nation," the Revised Version (British and American) "stranger" (1 Esdras 8:83; 1 Maccabees 3:45 (the King James Version "alien"); Luke 17:18 (the Revised Version margin "alien")), and allophulos, "of another tribe," the Revised Version (British and American) "stranger" (Baruch 6:5; 1 Maccabees 4:12, etc.) or "of another nation" (Acts 10:28). For "to sojourn" the commonest form is paroikeo, "to dwell beside," the Revised Version (British and American) always "to sojourn" (Judith 5:7; Sirach 41:19; Luke 24:18 (the King James Version "to be a stranger"); Hebrews 11:9). The corresponding noun for "sojourner" is paroikos (Sirach 29:26 (the King James Version "stranger"); Acts 7:6, 26 Ephesians 2:19 1 Peter 2:11), with paroikia, "sojourning" (The Wisdom of Solomon 19:10; Sirach 16:8; Acts 13:17 (the King James Version "dwelling as strangers"); 1 Peter 1:17). In addition, epidemeo, "to be among people," is translated "to sojourn" in Acts 2:10; Acts 17:21, and its compound parepidemos, as "sojourner" in 1 Peter 1:1 (in Hebrews 11:13 1 Peter 2:11, "pilgrim").

Burton Scott Easton

STRANGER AND SOJOURNER (IN THE OLD TESTAMENT)

stranj'-er:

I. THE GER

1. Legal provisions

(1) Principles

(2) Rules

2. Relation to Sacrifice and Ritual

3. Historical Circumstances

II. THE TOSHABH

III. THE NOKHRI OR BEN NEKHAR

1. Marriage

2. Exclusion of Some Races from the Assembly

IV. THE ZAR

Four different Hebrew words must be considered separately:

(1) ger, the American Standard Revised Version "sojourner" or "stranger";

(2) toshabh, the American Standard Revised Version "sojourner";

(3) nokhri, ben nekhar, the American Standard Revised Version "foreigner";

(4) zar, the American Standard Revised Version "stranger."

I. The Ger.

This word with its kindred verb is applied with slightly varying meanings to anyone who resides in a country or a town of which he is not a full native land-owning citizen; e.g., the word is used of the patriarchs in Palestine, the Israelites in Egypt, the Levites dwelling among the Israelites (Deuteronomy 18:6 Judges 17:7, etc.), the Ephraimite in Gibeah (Judges 19:16). It is also particularly used of free aliens residing among the Israelites, and it is with the position of such that this article deals. This position is absolutely unparalleled in early legal systems (A. H. Post, Grundriss der ethnologischen Jurisprudenz, I, 448, note 3), which are usually far from favorable to strangers.

1. Legal Provisions:

(1) Principles.

The dominant principles of the legislation are most succinctly given in two passages: He "loveth the ger in giving him food and raiment" (Deuteronomy 10:18); "And if a ger sojourn with thee (variant "you") in your land, ye shall not do him wrong. The ger that sojourneth with you shall be unto you as the home-born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were gerim in the land of Egypt" (Leviticus 19:33 f). This treatment of the stranger is based partly on historic recollection, partly on the duty of the Israelite to his God. Because the ger would be at a natural disadvantage through his alienage, he becomes one of the favorites of a legislation that gives special protection to the weak and helpless.

(2) Rules.

In nationality the freeman followed his father, so that the son of a ger and an Israelitess was himself a ger (Leviticus 24:10-22). Special care was to be taken to do him no judicial wrong (Deuteronomy 1:16; Deuteronomy 27:19). In what may roughly be called criminal law it was enacted that the same rules should apply to gerim as to natives (Leviticus 18:26, which is due to the conception that certain abominations defile a land; Leviticus 20:2, where the motive is also religious; Leviticus 24:10-22; see SBL, 84;; Numbers 35:15). A free Israelite who became his slave was subject to redemption by a relative at any time on payment of the fair price (Leviticus 25:47). This passage and Deuteronomy 28:43 contemplate the possibility of a stranger's becoming wealthy, but by far the greater number of the legal provisions regard him as probably poor. Thus provision is made for him to participate in tithes (Deuteronomy 14:29; Deuteronomy 26:12), gleanings of various sorts and forgotten sheaves (Leviticus 19:10; Leviticus 23:22 Deuteronomy 24:19, 20, 21), and poor hired servants were not to be oppressed (Deuteronomy 24:14).

2. Relation to Sacrifice and Ritual:

Nearly all the main holy days apply to the ger. He was to rest on the Sabbath (Exodus 20:10; Exodus 23:12, etc.), to rejoice on Weeks and Tabernacles (Deuteronomy 16), to observe the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:29), to have no leaven on the Festival of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:19). But he could not keep the Passover unless he underwent circumcision (Exodus 12:48). He could not eat blood at any rate during the wilderness period (Leviticus 17:10-12), and for that period, but not thereafter, he was probihited from eating that which died of itself (Leviticus 17:15 Deuteronomy 14:21) under pain of being unclean until the even. He could offer sacrifices (Leviticus 17:8; Leviticus 22:18 Numbers 15:14 f), and was subject to the same rules as a native for unwitting sins (Numbers 15:22-31), and for purification for uncleanness by reason of contact with a dead body (Numbers 19:10-13).

3. Historical Circumstances:

The historical circumstances were such as to render the position of the resident alien important from the first. A "mixed multitude" went up with the Israelites from Egypt, and after the conquest we find Israelites and the races of Palestine living side by side throughout the country. We repeatedly read of resident aliens in the historical books, e.g. Uriah the Hittite. According to 2 Chronicles 2:17 (Hebrew 16) there was a very large number of such in the days of Solomon, but the figure may be excessive. These seem to have been the remnant of the conquered tribes (1 Kings 9:20 f). Ezekiel in his vision assigned to gerim landed inheritance among the Israelites (47:22). Hospitality to the ger was of course a religious duty and the host would go to any lengths to protect his guest (Genesis 19 Judges 19:24).

II. The Toshabh.

Of the toshabh we know very little. It is possible that the word is practically synonymous with ger, but perhaps it is used of less permanent sojourning. Thus in Leviticus 22:10 it appears to cover anybody residing with a priest. A toshabh could not eat the Passover or the "holy" things of a priest (Exodus 12:45 Leviticus 22:10). His children could be purchased as perpetual slaves, and the law of the Jubilee did not apply to them as to Israelites (Leviticus 25:45). He is expressly mentioned in the law of homicide (Numbers 35:15), but otherwise we have no information as to his legal position. Probably it was similar to that of the ger.

III. The Nokhri Ben Nekhar.

The nokhri or ben nekhar was a foreigner. The word is far wider than those considered above. It covers everything of alien or foreign character regardless of the place of residence. By circumcision a foreign slave could enter into the covenant with Abraham. Foreigners were of course excluded from the Passover (Exodus 12:43), but could offer sacrifices to Israel's God at the religious capital (Leviticus 22:25). The Israelite could exact interest of them (Deuteronomy 23:20) and the payment of debts in cases where an Israelite debtor was protected by the release of Deuteronomy 15:3. Moses forbade the appointment of a foreigner as a ruler (Deuteronomy 17:15, in a law which according to Massoretic Text relates to a "king," but in the preferable text of Septuagint to a ruler generally). Later the worship of God by foreigners from a distance was contemplated and encouraged (1 Kings 8:41-43 Isaiah 2:2; Isaiah 56:3, 6 f; etc.), while the case of Naaman shows that a foreigner might worship Him abroad (2 Kings 5:17). A resident foreigner was of course a ger. The distinction between these three words is perhaps best seen in Exodus 12:43, 45, 48 f. in the first of these verses we have ben nekhar, used to cover "alien" generally; in the last the ger is contemplated as likely to undergo a complete naturalization; while in 12:45 the toshabh is regarded as certain to be outside the religious society.

1. Marriage:

In the earlier period marriages with foreigners are common, though disliked (e.g. Genesis 24:3; Genesis 27:46;; Numbers 12:1 Judges 14:3, etc.). The Law provides for some unions of this kind (Deuteronomy 21:10; compare Numbers 31:18), but later Judaism became more stringent. Moses required the high priest to marry a virgin of his own people (Leviticus 21:14); Ezekiel limited all descendants of Zadok to wives of the house of Israel (44:22); Ezra and Nehemiah carried on a vigorous polemic against the intermarriage of any Jew with foreign women (Ezra 10 Nehemiah 13:23-31).

2. Exclusion of Some Races from Assembly:

Deuteronomy further takes up a hostile attitude to Ammonites and Moabites, excluding them from the assembly of the Lord even to the tenth generation, while the children of the third generation of Edomites and Egyptians could enter it (23:3-8 (Hebrew 4-9)). From 1 Kings 9:20, 21, 24 1 Chronicles 22:2 we learn of the existence of foreign quarters in Israel.

IV. The Zar.

The remaining word zar means "stranger" and takes its coloring from the context. It may mean "stranger in blood," e.g. non-Aaronite (Numbers 16:40 (Heb 17:5)), or non-Levite (e.g. Numbers 1:51), or a non-member of some other defined family (Deuteronomy 25:5). In opposition to priest it means "lay" (Leviticus 22:10-13), and when the contrast is with holy, it denotes "profane" (Exodus 30:9).

SeeFOREIGNER; GENTILES; PROSELYTE; CHERETHITES; PELETHITES; MARRIAGE; COMMERCE.

Harold M. Wiener

3927. parepidemos -- sojourning in a strange place
... Adjective Transliteration: parepidemos Phonetic Spelling: (par-ep-id'-ay-mos) Short
Definition: residing in a strange country, a stranger Definition: residing ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3927.htm - 7k

3581. xenos -- foreign, a foreigner, guest
... Transliteration: xenos Phonetic Spelling: (xen'-os) Short Definition: new, novel,
a foreigner Definition: alien, new, novel; noun: a guest, stranger, foreigner ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3581.htm - 6k

3939. paroikeo -- to dwell near, ie reside as a foreigner
... Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: paroikeo Phonetic Spelling: (par-oy-keh'-o)
Short Definition: I sojourn Definition: I sojourn, dwell in as a stranger. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3939.htm - 6k

3941. paroikos -- dwelling near, foreign
... dwelling near, foreign. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: paroikos Phonetic
Spelling: (par'-oy-kos) Short Definition: a stranger, foreigner Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3941.htm - 7k

245. allotrios -- belonging to another
... belonging to another NASB Word Usage another (2), another man's (1), another's
(1), foreign (3), other men's (1), others (1), own (1), stranger (1), strangers ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/245.htm - 7k

1927. epidemeo -- to be at home
... Word Origin from epi and demos Definition to be at home NASB Word Usage
visiting (1), visitors (1). dwelling as a stranger. From ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1927.htm - 6k

3579. xenizo -- to receive as a guest, to surprise
... as a guest, to surprise. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: xenizo Phonetic Spelling:
(xen-id'-zo) Short Definition: I entertain a stranger, I startle ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3579.htm - 7k

5381. philoxenia -- love of strangers
... 5381 (from 5384 , "friend" and 3581, "a stranger") -- properly, warmth (friendliness)
shown to strangers; (figuratively) the (generosity) by entertaining in ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5381.htm - 7k

241. allogenes -- of another race
... strange, foreign. From allos and genos; foreign, ie Not a Jew -- stranger. see GREEK
allos. see GREEK genos. (allogenes) -- 1 Occurrence. 240, 241. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/241.htm - 6k

2114a. zur -- to be a stranger
... 2114, 2114a. zur. 2114b . to be a stranger. Transliteration: zur Short
Definition: strangers. Word Origin a prim. root Definition ...
/hebrew/2114a.htm - 5k

2114. zuwr -- to be a stranger
... 2113, 2114. zuwr. 2114a . to be a stranger. Transliteration: zuwr Phonetic
Spelling: (zoor) Short Definition: another. come from ...
/hebrew/2114.htm - 5k

1616. ger -- a sojourner
... gur Definition a sojourner NASB Word Usage alien (40), aliens (11), foreigners
(1), immigrants (1), sojourner (5), sojourners (2), stranger (25), stranger's (1 ...
/hebrew/1616.htm - 6k

4033. magor -- a sojourning place, dwelling place, a sojourning
... 1), where they sojourned (1). dwelling, pilgrimage, where sojourn, be a
stranger. Or magur {maw-goor'}; from guwr in the sense of ...
/hebrew/4033.htm - 6k

5237. nokri -- foreign, alien
... alien NASB Word Usage adulteress (2), adulterous woman (2), alien (2), aliens (1),
extraordinary (1), foreign (16), foreigner (15), foreigners (5), stranger (1 ...
/hebrew/5237.htm - 6k

582. enosh -- man, mankind
... chap(-man); divers, fellow, X in the flower of their age, husband, (certain, mortal)
man, people, person, servant, some (X of them), + stranger, those, + their ...
/hebrew/582.htm - 6k

1481. guwr -- to sojourn
... for hostility (as afraid) -- abide, assemble, be afraid, dwell, fear, gather (together),
inhabitant, remain, sojourn, stand in awe, (be) stranger, X surely. ...
/hebrew/1481.htm - 5k

8454. tushiyyah -- sound, efficient wisdom, abiding success
... sound wisdom (7), success (1), wisdom (1). foreigner, inhabitant, sojourner,
stranger. Or tushiyah { too-shee-yaw'}; from an unused ...
/hebrew/8454.htm - 6k

1121. ben -- son
... kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, + rebel, + robber,
X servant born, X soldier, son, + spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely ...
/hebrew/1121.htm - 8k

8453. toshab -- a sojourner
... a native citizen (active participle of yashab) and a temporary inmate (ger) or mere
lodger (luwn)) resident alien -- foreigner, inhabitant, sojourner, stranger ...
/hebrew/8453.htm - 6k

A Stranger in the Earth
... VOLUME II: PSALMS LI to CXLV A STRANGER IN THE EARTH. 'I am a stranger
in the earth: hide not Thy commandments from me....64. The ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/a stranger in the earth.htm

Behold a Stranger.
... BEHOLD A STRANGER. Behold a Stranger at the door: He gently knocks, has knocked
before; Has waited long, is waiting still: You treat no other friend so ill. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/moodys stories/behold a stranger.htm

November the Twenty-Third the Stranger
... NOVEMBER The Twenty-third THE STRANGER. 1 KINGS viii.37-53. Yes, indeed, what space
has "the stranger" in my supplications? Has he any place at all? ...
/.../november the twenty-third the stranger.htm

The Story of the Stranger at the Well
... THE STORY OF THE STRANGER AT THE WELL. ... The woman had come to draw water, but in
her interest in this wonderful stranger, she forgot her errand. ...
/.../marshall/the wonder book of bible stories/the story of the stranger.htm

The Stranger at the Door. LM
... 202 The Stranger at the Door. LM. At the Door. (429) Behold a stranger at
the door, He gently knocks, has knocked before; Has waited ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/lorenz/the otterbein hymnal/202 the stranger at the.htm

The Stranger at the Door. LM
... 203 The Stranger at the Door. LM. Why Not Be Saved To-Night? (430) Oh, do
not let the word depart, And close thine eyes against the ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/lorenz/the otterbein hymnal/203 the stranger at the.htm

No Stranger Shall be Received Without Letters Pacifical. ...
... Canon VII. No stranger shall be received without letters pacifical.? No stranger
shall be received without letters pacifical. Notes. ...
/.../schaff/the seven ecumenical councils/canon vii no stranger shall.htm

Jesus is Kind to a Stranger
... THE NEW TESTAMENT JESUS IS KIND TO A STRANGER. Certain Pharisees came to
Jesus and said to him, "Go away from here; for Herod wishes ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/jesus is kind to a.htm

The Evening of Easter.
... Another step seemed to fall beside theirs, and looking up they saw a noble looking
young Stranger who was following the same road. He greeted them and said,. ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter xlv the evening of.htm

On the Words of the Gospel, Luke xiii. 21 and 23, Where the ...
... Thou takest in some stranger, whose companion in the way thou thyself also
art; for strangers are we all. He is a Christian who, even ...
/.../sermons on selected lessons of the new testament/sermon lxi on the words.htm

Stranger (152 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.) One who is unknown or unacquainted; as, the gentleman is a stranger to me;
hence, one not admitted to communication, fellowship, or acquaintance. ...
/s/stranger.htm - 57k

Stranger's (3 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Stranger's (3 Occurrences). John 10:5 and a stranger
they will not follow, but will flee from him, because ...
/s/stranger's.htm - 7k

Sojourns (18 Occurrences)
... Exodus 12:48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover
to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near ...
/s/sojourns.htm - 12k

Sojourneth (27 Occurrences)
... (DBY YLT). Exodus 12:49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the
stranger that sojourneth among you. (KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS). ...
/s/sojourneth.htm - 15k

Layman (9 Occurrences)
... Exodus 29:33 They shall eat those things with which atonement was made, to consecrate
and sanctify them: but a stranger shall not eat of it, because they are ...
/l/layman.htm - 9k

Malefactor (2 Occurrences)
...STRANGER AND SOJOURNER (IN THE APOCRYPHA AND THE NEW TESTAMENT). The technical
meaning attaching to the Hebrew terms is not present ...
/m/malefactor.htm - 49k

Home-born (14 Occurrences)
... Home-born (14 Occurrences). Exodus 12:49 One law shall be to him that is home-born,
and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you. (ASV DBY WBS). ...
/h/home-born.htm - 11k

Sojourn (51 Occurrences)
... 1. (vi) To dwell temporarily; to live in a place as a temporary resident or as a
stranger, not considering the place as a permanent habitation; to delay; to ...
/s/sojourn.htm - 24k

Aliens (53 Occurrences)
... 18:26 You therefore shall keep my statutes and my ordinances, and shall not do any
of these abominations; neither the native-born, nor the stranger who lives ...
/a/aliens.htm - 22k

Temporary (13 Occurrences)
... 25:6 The Sabbath of the land shall be for food for you; for yourself, for your servant,
for your maid, for your hired servant, and for your stranger, who lives ...
/t/temporary.htm - 10k

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