Outsider, Israelites and The (נָכְרִי, nokhriy; בְּנֵי־נֵכָר, benei-nekhar; גֵר, ger). Sociopolitical labels, such as foreigner and sojourner, used to designate outsiders with regard to Israelite life, culture, and religion.

The Old Testament distinguishes between two basic types of non-Israelites: the sojourner (גֵר, ger; Exod 12:48; Lev 19:33; Num 9:14; 15:14; Deut 10:18; 24:17; 27:19; Jer 7:6; Mal 3:5) and the foreigner (נָכְרִי, nokhriy; בְּנֵי־נֵכָר, benei-nekhar; Gen 17:12; 17:27; Exod 12:43, 45; Lev 22:25; Deut 15:3; 23:20). These two Hebrew terms (and the associated verbal form of גֵר, ger;–גור, gwr; “to sojourn”) primarily occur in the Pentateuch, but they are also used on a few occasions elsewhere in the Old Testament (גֵר, ger: Jdg 17:7; 2 Sam 1:13; Job 31:32; Jer 7:6 נָכְרִי, nokhriy; בְּנֵי־נֵכָר, benei-nekhar: Ruth 2:10; 2 Sam 15:19; 1 Kgs 8:41; Prov 5:10; Isa 56:3; Ezek 44:9).

The Pentateuch highlights significant differences and similarities regarding the standing of these assimilated and unassimilated outsiders in relation to Israelite society. Though the sojourner and the foreigner are usually viewed distinctly, they are at times associated with each other in distinction from the Israelites. As Deuteronomy 14:21 (ESV) commands, “You shall not eat anything that has died naturally. You may give it to the sojourner who is within your towns, that he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner.” Although Israelites are not permitted to eat any animal that has died of natural causes, the sojourner and the foreigner are exempt from this legislation.