Skip to content

Alien

Easton's Bible Dictionary

1

A foreigner, or person born in another country, and therefore not entitled to the rights and privileges of the country where he resides. Among the Hebrews there were two classes of aliens.

2

Those who were strangers generally, and who owned no landed property.

3

Strangers dwelling in another country without being naturalized (Lev 22:10; Ps 39:12).

Both of these classes were to enjoy, under certain conditions, the same rights as other citizens (Lev 19:33, 34; Deut 10:19). They might be naturalized and permitted to enter into the congregation of the Lord by submitting to circumcision and abandoning idolatry (Deut 23:3-8).

This term is used (Eph 2:12) to denote persons who have no interest in Christ.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

al'-yen: Found in the King James Version for ger, (Exod 18:3) = "guest," hence: "foreigner," "sojourner" the Revised Version (British and American); also for nekhar (Isa 61:5) = "foreign," "a foreigner" the Revised Version (British and American) (concrete), "heathendom" (abstract), "alien," "strange" (-er), and for nokhri (Deut 14:21 the Revised Version (British and American) "foreigner"; compare Job 19:15; Ps 69:8; Lam 5:2)--"strange," in a variety of degrees and meanings: "foreign," "non-relative," "adulterous," "different," "wonderful," "alien," "outlandish," "strange." In the New Testament we find apellotriomenos (Eph 4:18; Col 1:21) = "being alienated," and allotrios (Heb 11:34) = "another's," "not one's own," hence: "foreign," "not akin," "hostile." In the Old Testament the expression was taken in its literal sense, referring to those who were not Israelites--the heathen; in the New Testament it is given a figurative meaning, as indicating those who have not become naturalized in the kingdom of God, hence are outside of Christ and the blessing of the gospel.

Frank E. Hirsch

Kilde: Easton's Bible Dictionary (M.G. Easton, 1897) og International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (red. James Orr, 1915/1939), public domain. Translated into Danish with AI and not yet proofread (fully or partially). Links to people and places: Theographic Bible Metadata (CC BY-SA 4.0).