<strong>SOJOURNER</strong>. The following words are tr. “sojourner” or “stranger.”<br /><br />

1. <span class="hebrew">גֵּר</span>, <span class="gknumber">H1731</span>. This term refers to a resident alien, a non-citizen in a country where he resides more or less permanently, enjoying certain limited civic rights. This person, the sojourner, is one who actually dwells among another people in contrast to the foreigner, whose stay is temporary. The KJV generally translates <span class="hebrew">גֵּר</span>, <span class="gknumber">H1731</span>, as “stranger,” which has caused needless confusion since there are other words for “stranger.” Either the term should be transliterated or consistently tr. “sojourner” which best agrees with the verb <em>gûr</em> (<bibleref ref="Gen.12.10">Gen 12:10</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Gen.19.9">19:9</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Gen.47.4">47:4</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Isa.52.4">Isa 52:4</bibleref>).<br /><br />

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2. <span class="hebrew">תּוֹשָׁב</span>, <span class="gknumber">H9369</span>. In some cases this term seems almost synonymous with <em>gēr.</em> Its use is limited to the Pentateuch with three exceptions (<bibleref ref="1Kgs.17.1">1 Kings 17:1</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="1Chr.29.15">1 Chron 29:15</bibleref>; and <bibleref ref="Ps.39.12">Ps 39:12</bibleref>). In eight passages it is either coupled with, or parallel to, <em>gēr</em>; in three others it is, like <em>gēr</em> elsewhere, coupled with <em>sākhīr.</em> Its usage does not suggest any clear distinction from <em>gēr.</em><br /><br />

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In the earlier period marriages with foreigners were common, though disliked (<bibleref ref="Gen.24.3">Gen 24:3</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Gen.27.46">27:46</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Num.12.1">Num 12:1</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Judg.14.3">Judg 14:3</bibleref>). Moses required the high priest to marry a virgin of his own people (<bibleref ref="Lev.21.14">Lev 21:14</bibleref>); Ezra and Nehemiah carried on a vigorous polemic against intermarriage of any Jew with foreign women (<bibleref ref="Ezra.10.1-Ezra.10.44">Ezra 10</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Neh.13.23-Neh.13.31">Neh 13:23-31</bibleref>). In ancient civilizations the “foreigner” and enemy were practically the same.<br /><br />

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In the NT the terms “foreigner,” “stranger” no longer apply to non-Jews because of the disappearance of the Jewish national and political base for the life of God’s people; all Christians are aliens on this earth (<bibleref ref="Phil.3.20">Phil 3:20</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="1Pet.2.11">1 Pet 2:11</bibleref>). In the NT all strangers, foreigners, and sojourners can become, through Christ, full members of the household of God, since the separating wall between Jew and Gentile has been broken down (<bibleref ref="Eph.2.11-Eph.2.19">Eph 2:11-19</bibleref>).<br /><br />

<h2>Bibliography</h2>

M. Guttmann, “The Term ‘Foreigner’ (<span class="hebrew">נָכְרִי</span>, <span class="gknumber">H5799</span>) Historically Considered,” HUCA, III (1926), 1-20; L. A. Snijders, <em>The Meaning of Zār in the <span class="auto-link">[[Old Testament]]</span></em> (1953).<br /><br />

<li>[[Stranger and Sojourner]]</li>