In the biblical context, the term "residents" refers to individuals who dwell or live in a particular place, whether temporarily or permanently. The concept of residency is significant in the Bible, as it often relates to themes of belonging, community, and divine purpose.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, the Israelites are frequently described in terms of their residency in the Promised Land. God’s covenant with Abraham included the promise of land for his descendants, making residency in Canaan a fulfillment of divine promise. Genesis 17:8 states, "And to you and your descendants I will give the land of your sojourn—all the land of Canaan—as an eternal possession; and I will be their God."

The concept of residency also extends to the sojourners or foreigners living among the Israelites. The Law provided specific instructions on how residents who were not native Israelites were to be treated. Leviticus 19:34 commands, "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."

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, the idea of residency takes on a spiritual dimension. Believers are often described as temporary residents or sojourners on earth, with their true citizenship in heaven. This is evident in 1 Peter 2:11 , which exhorts, "Beloved, I urge you as foreigners and exiles to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul."

The early Christian communities were marked by a sense of belonging and shared identity, transcending geographical and ethnic boundaries. Acts 2:44-45 illustrates this communal residency: "All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they shared with anyone who was in need."

Theological Implications

Theologically, residency in the Bible underscores the transient nature of earthly life and the eternal nature of God's promises. The physical residency of the Israelites in the Promised Land serves as a type and shadow of the spiritual inheritance believers have in Christ. Hebrews 11:9-10 reflects this, stating, "By faith he [Abraham] dwelt in the promised land as a stranger in a foreign country. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God."

Practical Applications

For contemporary believers, the biblical concept of residency encourages a perspective of stewardship and hospitality. Christians are called to be good stewards of the places where they reside, reflecting God's love and justice. Additionally, the treatment of residents, especially foreigners and strangers, is a recurring biblical theme that calls for compassion and inclusion, echoing the command to love one's neighbor as oneself.

In summary, the biblical understanding of residents encompasses both physical and spiritual dimensions, highlighting themes of promise, community, and eternal hope.1786. entopios -- of a place, a resident
... Word Origin from en and topos Definition of a place, a resident NASB Word Usage
local residents (1). local. From en and topos; a resident -- of that place. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1786.htm - 6k

2730. katoikeo -- to inhabit, to settle
... to inhabit, to settle NASB Word Usage dwell (17), dwelling (1), dwells (3), dwells
within (1), live (7), lived (8), living (4), residents (1), settled (2). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2730.htm - 8k

3427. yashab -- to sit, remain, dwell
... occupants (1), occupied (1), passed (1), peaceful (1), placed (1), remain (21),
remained (27), remaining (1), reposed (1), resettle (1), residents (1), retire ...
/hebrew/3427.htm - 7k

Chapter twenty-nine
... boon of physical toil was denied them. There were various comments on
the part of the residents. One of the new-comers, a young ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sheldon/in his steps/chapter twenty-nine.htm

Habits and Condition of the People. Mission Work and Retirement.
... An old General, one of its first residents, told us that one day the preceding year
he saw a tiger walking leisurely above his house, and looking down, as if ...
/.../chapter xxiii habits and condition.htm

God's Love for a Sinning World
... No living man can claim under such a will, and none the better though
these elect were described as residents of Oberlin. Since ...
//christianbookshelf.org/finney/sermons on gospel themes/i gods love for a.htm

The Anti-Missionary Agitation.
... "Because the foreign residents in China report the truth in ... But the testimony of
missionaries agrees in this respect with that of other foreign residents. ...
/.../fagg/forty years in south china/x the anti-missionary agitation.htm

Six Years in North Bengal --Missionary and Indigo Planter
... The civil servants, who were termed Residents, had not political duties with tributary
sovereigns as now, but from great factory-like palaces, and on large ...
/.../smith/the life of william carey/chapter iv six years in.htm

From the Close of the General Conference of 1836 to the ...
... This magnificent city contains many residents from different parts of Europe and
the United States, and being a place of considerable trade, a number of ...
/.../chapter 14 from the close.htm

Life of Bunyan
... donkey is still browzing there, and yonder is old Bunyan's self"the brawny tramper
dispread on the settle, retailing to the more clownish residents tap-room ...
//christianbookshelf.org/hamilton/life of bunyan/life of bunyan.htm

Preaching (ii. ).
... chapter. As usual in a health resort abroad, the English residents represented
many different shades of Church opinion and practice. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/moule/to my younger brethren/chapter xi preaching ii.htm

The Routing of Giant Doubt
... saw before! "Pilgrim Sincere, we have been talking with pilgrims and
residents of Canaan, and now we have come to see you. Will ...
/.../berry/adventures in the land of canaan/chapter eleven the routing of.htm

Ancient Versions Based Upon the Septuagint.
... on the other hand, the Greek Bible was a sealed book; for Carthage, colonised from
Rome before the capital had been flooded by Greek residents, retained the ...
/.../chapter iv ancient versions based.htm

Residents (9 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Residents (9 Occurrences). Acts 2:9 Parthians, Medes,
Elamites, and people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia ...
/r/residents.htm - 8k

Consist (7 Occurrences)
... of the writer, a much longer list than any other in the Epistles, and all
presumably-on theory that the passage is integral to the Epistle-residents at Rome. ...
/c/consist.htm - 80k

Romans (8 Occurrences)
... of the writer, a much longer list than any other in the Epistles, and all
presumably-on theory that the passage is integral to the Epistle-residents at Rome. ...
/r/romans.htm - 44k

Resident (6 Occurrences)

/r/resident.htm - 8k

Vulture (16 Occurrences)
... They flocked over the altars for the entrails from sacrifice, and devoured
scraps cast aside by tent-dwellers and residents of cities. ...
/v/vulture.htm - 14k

Foreigner (99 Occurrences)
... They enjoyed in many things equal rights with the native-born residents (Exodus
12:49; Leviticus 24:22; Numbers 15:15; 35:15), but were not allowed to do ...
/f/foreigner.htm - 41k

Resides (7 Occurrences)

/r/resides.htm - 8k

Ephesian (4 Occurrences)
... e-fe'-zhan (Ephesios), e-fe'-zhanz: A term which, as in Acts 19:28, 34, 35 and Acts
21:29, was applied to those natives or residents of the city of Ephesus who ...
/e/ephesian.htm - 8k

Poison (17 Occurrences)
... POISON. poi'-z'-n (chemah, ro'-sh; thumos, ios): Residents in Palestine must,
from the first, have been acquainted with venomous serpents. ...
/p/poison.htm - 17k

Birds (125 Occurrences)
... was offensive to Moses on account of extremely filthy nesting habits, but was
considered a great delicacy when captured in migration by residents of southern ...
/b/birds.htm - 62k

From whom are the modern Palestinians descended? | GotQuestions.org

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Who were the Bereans in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

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