כֹּה אָמַר, אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה, גֵּה גְבוּל אֲשֶׁר תִּתְנַחֲלוּ אֶת-הָאָרֶץ, לִשְׁנֵי עָשָׂר שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל--יוֹסֵף, חֲבָלִים. וְחִלַּקְתֶּם אֶת-הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת, לָכֶם--לְשִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְהָיָה, תַּפִּלוּ אוֹתָהּ בְּנַחֲלָה, לָכֶם וּלְהַגֵּרִים הַגָּרִים בְּתוֹכְכֶם, אֲשֶׁר-הוֹלִדוּ בָנִים בְּתוֹכְכֶם; וְהָיוּ לָכֶם, כְּאֶזְרָח בִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל--אִתְּכֶם יִפְּלוּ בְנַחֲלָה, בְּתוֹךְ שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְהָיָה בַשֵּׁבֶט, אֲשֶׁר-גָּר הַגֵּר אִתּוֹ--שָׁם תִּתְּנוּ נַחֲלָתוֹ, נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה.
Thus said the Lord God: These shall be the boundaries of the land that you shall allot to the twelve tribes of Israel, Joseph receiving two portions. . . This land you shall divide for yourselves among the tribes of Israel. You shall allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the gerim who reside among you, who have begotten children among you. You shall treat them as Israelite citizens; they shall receive allotments along with you among the tribes of Israel. You shall give the ger an allotment within the tribe where s/he resides, declares the Lord God.
Suggested Discussion Questions:
What is the overall attitude of these texts toward how we are supposed to treat gerim? What are some of the underlying reasons for why we’re supposed to behave this way?
What protections, rights, and privileges did the Bible envision for gerim? What rights or protections might these translate into in contemporary American society? How might American (or Israeli) society look different if we made more policy decisions based on the Jewish values expressed in these texts?
Time Period: Biblical (early ancestors to 165 BCE)