“Everyone
who is native-born must do these things in this way when they present a food
offering as an aroma pleasing to the Lord. For the generations to come,
whenever a foreigner or anyone else living among you presents a food offering
as an aroma pleasing to the Lord, they must do exactly as you do. The
community is to have the same rules for you and for the foreigner residing
among you; this is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. You and the
foreigner shall be the same before the Lord: The same laws and regulations
will apply both to you and to the foreigner residing among you.” Numbers
15:13-16
The
community of Israelites traveling in the wilderness included outsiders they
picked up along the way, and some Egyptians.
God had a clear way to handling them—they must follow the same rules as
everyone else. They were not treated
special with any extra benefits, but the same expectations for the nationals applied
to the foreigners.