Deuteronomy 24:18
But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I command thee to do this thing.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
This verse concludes a section on social justice laws (verses 14-18) covering day laborers, gleaning rights, and protecting the vulnerable. The Exodus memory—400 years of slavery followed by miraculous redemption—shaped Israel's national identity and ethical framework. Unlike surrounding nations whose laws primarily protected property owners' rights, Israel's law code consistently favored the poor, the stranger, the widow, and the orphan. This theological grounding distinguished biblical law: ethics derive from God's character and redemptive acts, not mere social utility.
Questions for Reflection
- How does remembering your own spiritual slavery and God's redemption through Christ shape your treatment of those in economic or social vulnerability?
- In what ways should the gospel pattern—experienced grace producing gracious action—inform Christian engagement with social justice issues like fair wages, immigrant rights, and care for the poor?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee thence—The Hebrew ve-zakharta ki eved hayita be-Mitsrayim ("and you shall remember that a slave you were in Egypt") grounds ethical obligation in redemptive memory. Israel's slavery experience (eved, "slave/bondman") should create empathy for vulnerable workers. Vayifde'kha YHWH Elohekha mi-sham ("and YHWH your God redeemed you from there")—padah (redeem) means to purchase freedom, recalling the Exodus as God's redemptive act.
Therefore I command thee to do this thing—Al-ken anokhi metsavvekha la'asot et-ha-davar ha-zeh ("therefore I am commanding you to do this thing") links remembered grace to ethical action. Those who have received mercy must extend justice. This theological pattern appears throughout Deuteronomy (5:15; 15:15; 16:12)—experience of redemption obligates compassionate behavior toward the vulnerable.
Paul employs identical logic: "Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:32). Christian ethics flow from gospel indicatives: because God redeemed us from slavery to sin, we must show grace and justice to others.