Part of Speech: Verb
Strong's Number: H1481
Original Word: gûr
Usage Notes: "to dwell as a client, sojourn." This verb occurs only in Northwest Semitic and outside Hebrew only as a noun. In biblical Hebrew the verb gûr occurs 84 times and in every period of the language. This sense of gûr should be distinguished from one that means "to be afraid of" (Num 22:3).
This verb means "to dwell in a land as a client." The first occurrence of the word is in Gen 12:10, where it is reported that Abram journeyed to Egypt and dwelt there as a client. In Gen 21:23, Abraham makes a covenant with Abimelech, saying, "… According to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned."
Usage Number: 2
Part of Speech: Noun
Strong's Number: H1616
Original Word: ger
Usage Notes: "client; stranger." Ger occurs about 92 times and in every period of biblical Hebrew. A "client" was not simply a foreigner (nokrî) or a stranger (zar). He was a permanent resident, once a citizen of another land, who had moved into his new residence. Frequently he left his homeland under some distress, as when Moses fled to Midian (Exod 2:22). Whether the reason for his journey was to escape some difficulty or merely to seek a new place to dwell, he was one who sought acceptance and refuge. Consequently he might also call himself a tôshab, a settler. Neither the settler nor the "client" could possess land. In the land of Canaan the possession of land was limited to members or descendants of the original tribal members. Only they were full citizens who enjoyed all the rights of citizenry, which meant sharing fully in the inheritance of the gods and forefathers, the feudal privileges and responsibilities (cf. Ezek 47:22). In Israel a ger, like a priest, could possess no land and enjoyed the special privileges of the third tithe. Every third year the tithe of the harvest was to be deposited at the city gate with the elders and distributed among "the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates…" (Deut 14:29). In the eschaton such "clients" were to be treated as full citizens: "And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it [the land] by lot for an inheritance unto you, and to the strangers that sojourn among you, which shall beget children among you: and they shall be unto you as born in the country among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel" (Ezek 47:22). Under the Mosaic law aliens were not slaves but were usually in the service of some Israelite whose protection they enjoyed (Deut 24:14). This, however, was not always the case. Sometimes a "client" was rich and an Israelite would be in his service (Lev 25:47). The ger was to be treated (except for feudal privileges and responsibilities) as an Israelite, being responsible to and protected by the law: "Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him" (Deut 1:16); "ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you" (Lev 18:26); "ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the Lord your God" (Lev 24:22). The ger also enjoyed the Sabbath rest (Lev 25:6) and divine protection (Deut 10:18). God commanded Israel to love the "client" as himself (Lev 19:34). The ger could also be circumcised (Exod 12:48) and enjoy all the privileges of the true religion: the Passover (Exod 12:48-49), the Atonement feast (Lev 16:29), presenting offerings (Lev 17:8), and all the feasts (Deut 16:11). He was also obligated to keep the purity laws (Lev 17:15). Israel is told that God is the true owner of all the land and its people are but "clients" owing Him feudal obedience (Lev 19:34; Deut 10:19). They are admonished to treat the client with justice, righteousness, and love because like Abraham (Gen 23:4) they were "clients" in Egypt (Exod 22:21). In legal cases the "client" could appeal directly to God the great feudal Lord (Lev 24:22).
Two other nouns related to gûr are megûrîm and gerût. Megûrîm occurs 11 times and refers to the "status or condition of being a client" (Gen 17:8) and to a "dwelling where one is a client" (Job 18:19). Gerût appears once to refer to a "place where clients dwell" (Jer 41:17). Some scholars think this word is a proper name, a part of a place name.
