Deuteronomy 10:19 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 10:19 mean?

Deuteronomy 10:19 tells the Israelites to love people living among them who come from elsewhere. The reason reaches back to Israel’s own experience in Egypt: the Israelites knew what it was like to live in a land that was not their own.

Moses is speaking to Israel as the people prepare to enter the land promised to them. After describing God’s love for the stranger in verse 18, Moses directs the people to love the stranger too.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 10:19

• “stranger” — גֵּר (ger): The word often means a person living away from their own people, within another community. Here, “stranger” points to a resident from outside Israel, not simply someone the Israelites did not know.
• “Love” — אָהַב (ahav): The word means to love or show love. Here it calls for more than recognizing the stranger’s presence; it names the regard the Israelites are to have for that person.

Why Deuteronomy 10:19 matters

• The command has a specific reason. “For ye were strangers in the land of Egypt” points to a shared part of Israel’s past, rather than treating life away from home as unfamiliar.
• The command follows a description of God’s care. Verse 18 says that God loves the stranger and gives that person food and clothing; verse 19 turns to what the Israelites must do.