The Church Fathers on this verse

Leviticus 19:33Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

If a stranger dwell in your land, and abide among you, do not upbraid hin:

Douay-Rheims

וְכִֽי־יָג֧וּר אִתְּךָ֛ גֵּ֖ר בְּאַרְצְכֶ֑ם לֹ֥א תוֹנ֖וּ אֹתֽוֹ׃

Hebrew (Masoretic text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

One Church Father comments on this verse

Ambrose of Milan

4th centuryChurch Father

It is not praiseworthy for individuals to drive away outsiders from the community, especially when it is crucial to offer assistance to them. By denying these individuals the chance to partake in the shared blessings enjoyed by citizens, they reject the established bond of communal life and fail to support those who share in the common struggles of difficult times. While animals do not exile their own kind, humanity often turns against itself. Carnivorous creatures and others view the resources provided by the earth as shared among all, and they even aid their own in the pursuit of sustenance. Conversely, humans, who should recognize that "nothing human is foreign to me," may engage in hostility toward one another.

Cross references

Passages read together with this verse.