In the Mosaic Law, the term "strangers" often refers to non-Israelites or foreigners residing among the Israelites. The treatment and regulations concerning these individuals are significant, especially regarding their interaction with the sacred spaces and practices of Israel, such as the Tabernacle.

Prohibition from Sacred Duties:

The Mosaic Law explicitly restricts strangers from participating in certain sacred duties and rituals reserved for the Israelites. In Numbers 1:51 , it is stated, "Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall do it. Anyone else who approaches it is to be put to death." This verse underscores the exclusivity of the Levitical priesthood in handling the Tabernacle, emphasizing that any unauthorized person, including strangers, was forbidden from approaching it under penalty of death.

Restrictions on Sacrificial Offerings:

Strangers were also restricted in their participation in sacrificial offerings. Leviticus 22:10 declares, "No one outside a priest’s family may eat the sacred offering, nor may the guest of a priest or his hired worker eat it." This regulation highlights the sanctity of the offerings and the necessity of maintaining purity and holiness within the priestly functions, which were not to be compromised by those outside the covenant community.

Inclusion in Certain Observances:

Despite these restrictions, the Mosaic Law does provide for the inclusion of strangers in certain religious observances, provided they adhere to specific requirements. For instance, in Exodus 12:48-49 , concerning the Passover, it is written, "If a foreigner residing with you wants to celebrate the LORD’s Passover, all the males in his household must be circumcised; then he may take part like one born in the land. No uncircumcised male may eat it. The same law shall apply to both the native and the foreigner who resides among you." This provision indicates that while strangers were generally restricted, they could participate in certain rites if they fully embraced the covenantal sign of circumcision, symbolizing their commitment to the God of Israel.

Protection and Fair Treatment:

The Mosaic Law also emphasizes the fair treatment and protection of strangers. Leviticus 19:33-34 instructs, "When a foreigner resides with you in your land, you must not oppress him. You must treat the foreigner living among you as native-born and love him as yourself, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God." This commandment reflects the broader ethical and moral framework within which the Israelites were to operate, ensuring that strangers were treated with dignity and respect, even as they were restricted from certain religious functions.

Conclusion:

The Mosaic Law's regulations concerning strangers and their approach to the Tabernacle reflect a balance between maintaining the sanctity of Israel's religious practices and extending a measure of inclusion and protection to those residing among them. These laws underscore the distinctiveness of Israel as a covenant community while also acknowledging the presence and rights of foreigners within their midst.Numbers 1:51
And when the tabernacle sets forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that comes near shall be put to death.
Nave's Topical Index

Interpretation of Prophecy.
... be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through ... foretold under the symbols of
the Mosaic economy, with ... Did the law of Moses prescribe a literal priesthood ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxxviii interpretation of prophecy.htm

Against Jovinianus.
... on the first proposition of Jovinianus, that relating to marriage ... We read that Moses,
that is the law, had a ... Their meaning is that God so ordered events that ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/against jovinianus.htm

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