Oppress לָחַץ

We are in chapter twenty-two of Exodus with our word for today. לָחַץ push, oppress, squeeze, press, torment, crowd. It is used 19 times in the Old Testament. We find our word used in the basic sense to exert pressure or force to or on to press. Good examples of this are Balaam with his donkey and Elisha’s direction to the elders. Numbers 22:25 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, וַתִּלָּחֵץ֙ it pressed close to the wall, וַתִּלְחַ֛ץ crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat the donkey again. 2 Kings 6:32 Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. The king sent a messenger ahead, but before he arrived, Elisha said to the elders, “Don’t you see how this murderer is sending someone to cut off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door וּלְחַצְתֶּ֤ם and hold it shut against him. Is not the sound of his master’s footsteps behind him?”Our word is most often used in the sense to cause to suffer, whether physically or emotionally. A good example of this is what the Egyptians did to the Hebrew people which our word is used and is referenced 5 times in the Old Testament. Exodus 3:9 And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen הַלַּ֔חַץ the oppression with which the Egyptians לֹחֲצִ֥ים oppress them. Exodus 23:9 Do not תִלְחָ֑ץ oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt. This is how our word is used in our chapter today. Exodus 22:21 You shall not wrong a sojourner or תִלְחָצֶ֑נּוּ oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. Did you catch the reason God gives for not behaving this way? Like we saw yesterday with our word for wrong the same is true with our word for today. Because the people were in Egypt where they were not only wronged by them but they were also oppressed. They were oppressed in their slavery to Egypt so they should not act that way to others who are currently sojourners. We will look at more reasons not to do this with our word for tomorrow. But for today I’ll close with the good news of God’s grace and power to help us when we are being oppressed. Psalm 56:1-4 Be merciful to me, my God, for my enemies are in hot pursuit; all day long they יִלְחָצֵֽנִי press their attack. My adversaries pursue me all day long; in their pride many are attacking me. When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?