Book of Deuteronomy Foreignness and the Other Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter:Verse)

Quote #1

"I charged your judges at that time: 'Give the members of your community a fair hearing, and judge rightly between one person and another, whether citizen or resident alien.'" (NRSV 1:16)

And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that iswith him. (KJV 1:16)

Right off the bat, we get the feeling that the Israelites are a fair bunch, judging "rightly" between people, no matter who they are.

Quote #2

[A]nd charge the people as follows: You are about to pass through the territory of your kindred, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, so, be very careful not to engage in battle with them, for I will not give you even so much as a foot's length of their land, since I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession. (NRSV 2:4-5)

And command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore: Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a foot breadth; because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession. (KJV 2:4-5)

Here, the Israelites encounter Esau's descendants—remember him from Genesis? When God says don't mess with people, you don't mess with people. If they're okay in God's book, they're just okay.

Quote #3

"[T]he Lord said to me: 'Do not harass Moab or engage them in battle, for I will not give you any of its land as a possession, since I have given Ar as a possession to the descendants of Lot.'" (NRSV 2:9)

And the Lord said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land for a possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession. (KJV 2:9)

Back in Genesis, Abraham and Lot got into a fight over land, but God refuses to let those shenanigans continue. No more arguments between the Israelites (descendants of Abraham) and the Moabites (descendants of Lot).