(ט) אַתֶּ֨ם נִצָּבִ֤ים הַיּוֹם֙ כֻּלְּכֶ֔ם לִפְנֵ֖י ה׳ אֱלֹקֵיכֶ֑ם רָאשֵׁיכֶ֣ם שִׁבְטֵיכֶ֗ם זִקְנֵיכֶם֙ וְשֹׁ֣טְרֵיכֶ֔ם כֹּ֖ל אִ֥ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (י) טַפְּכֶ֣ם נְשֵׁיכֶ֔ם וְגֵ֣רְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּקֶ֣רֶב מַחֲנֶ֑יךָ מֵחֹטֵ֣ב עֵצֶ֔יךָ עַ֖ד שֹׁאֵ֥ב מֵימֶֽיךָ׃ (יא) לְעׇבְרְךָ֗ בִּבְרִ֛ית ה׳ אֱלֹקֶ֖יךָ וּבְאָלָת֑וֹ אֲשֶׁר֙ ה׳ אֱלֹקֶ֔יךָ כֹּרֵ֥ת עִמְּךָ֖ הַיּֽוֹם׃
(9) You stand this day, all of you, before the ETERNAL your God—your tribal heads, your elders and your officials, all the men of Israel, (10) your children, your wives, and the stranger within your camp, from woodchopper to waterdrawer— (11) to enter into the covenant of the ETERNAL, your God, which the ETERNAL your God is concluding with you this day, with its sanctions;
It seems that "from woodchopper to waterdrawer" modifies "the stranger within your camp. Is the phrase illustrating the range of menial work available to strangers?
Are "strangers" also part of the covenant, as verses 10-11 seem to indicate?
What if "ger," usually translated "stranger" is actually a class category: "from woodchopper to waterdrawer?" Maybe a "ger" is any landless worker? Any itinerant menial laborer? Maybe an intersection of ethnicity and class?
Let's look at other gerim and other woodchoppers and consider the possibilities.
(יט) וַאֲהַבְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־הַגֵּ֑ר כִּֽי־גֵרִ֥ים הֱיִיתֶ֖ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(19) You must love the ger, for you were gerim in the land of Egypt.
(כ) וְגֵ֥ר לֹא־תוֹנֶ֖ה וְלֹ֣א תִלְחָצֶ֑נּוּ כִּֽי־גֵרִ֥ים הֱיִיתֶ֖ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(20) You shall not wrong a ger or oppress him, for you were gerim in the land of Egypt.
Without denying the importance of loving the ethnic/national outsider and not wronging or oppressing them, how do these verses strike us if we understand gerim as laborers or people without land/capital resources?
(ד) וְזֶה֙ דְּבַ֣ר הָרֹצֵ֔חַ אֲשֶׁר־יָנ֥וּס שָׁ֖מָּה וָחָ֑י אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַכֶּ֤ה אֶת־רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ בִּבְלִי־דַ֔עַת וְה֛וּא לֹא־שֹׂנֵ֥א ל֖וֹ מִתְּמֹ֥ל שִׁלְשֹֽׁם׃ (ה) וַאֲשֶׁר֩ יָבֹ֨א אֶת־רֵעֵ֥הוּ בַיַּ֘עַר֮ לַחְטֹ֣ב עֵצִים֒ וְנִדְּחָ֨ה יָד֤וֹ בַגַּרְזֶן֙ לִכְרֹ֣ת הָעֵ֔ץ וְנָשַׁ֤ל הַבַּרְזֶל֙ מִן־הָעֵ֔ץ וּמָצָ֥א אֶת־רֵעֵ֖הוּ וָמֵ֑ת ה֗וּא יָנ֛וּס אֶל־אַחַ֥ת הֶעָרִים־הָאֵ֖לֶּה וָחָֽי׃ (ו) פֶּן־יִרְדֹּף֩ גֹּאֵ֨ל הַדָּ֜ם אַחֲרֵ֣י הָרֹצֵ֗חַ כִּי־יֵחַם֮ לְבָבוֹ֒ וְהִשִּׂיג֛וֹ כִּֽי־יִרְבֶּ֥ה הַדֶּ֖רֶךְ וְהִכָּ֣הוּ נָ֑פֶשׁ וְלוֹ֙ אֵ֣ין מִשְׁפַּט־מָ֔וֶת כִּ֠י לֹ֣א שֹׂנֵ֥א ה֛וּא ל֖וֹ מִתְּמ֥וֹל שִׁלְשֽׁוֹם׃
(4) Now this is the case of the manslayer who may flee there and live: one who has killed another unwittingly, without having been their enemy in the past. (5) For instance, a person goes with their neighbor into a grove to chop wood; as their hand swings the ax to cut down a tree, the ax-head flies off the handle and strikes the other so that they die. That person shall flee to one of these cities and live.— (6) Otherwise, when the distance is great, the blood-avenger, pursuing the manslayer in hot anger, may overtake them and kill him; yet they did not incur the death penalty, since they had never been the other’s enemy.
Is this woodchopper a ger? A foreigner? A laborer?
Then they certainly need protection from a revenge killing!
Also, note that if this person is ger, they still have a neighbor - rea.
(א) וַיְהִ֣י כִשְׁמֹ֣עַ כׇּֽל־הַמְּלָכִ֡ים אֲשֶׁר֩ בְּעֵ֨בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֜ן בָּהָ֣ר וּבַשְּׁפֵלָ֗ה וּבְכֹל֙ ח֚וֹף הַיָּ֣ם הַגָּד֔וֹל אֶל־מ֖וּל הַלְּבָנ֑וֹן הַֽחִתִּי֙ וְהָ֣אֱמֹרִ֔י הַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙ הַפְּרִזִּ֔י הַחִוִּ֖י וְהַיְבוּסִֽי׃ (ב) וַיִּֽתְקַבְּצ֣וּ יַחְדָּ֔ו לְהִלָּחֵ֥ם עִם־יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ וְעִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל פֶּ֖ה אֶחָֽד׃ {פ} (ג) וְיֹשְׁבֵ֨י גִבְע֜וֹן שָׁמְע֗וּ אֵת֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֧ה יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ לִירִיח֖וֹ וְלָעָֽי׃ (ד) וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֤וּ גַם־הֵ֙מָּה֙ בְּעׇרְמָ֔ה וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ וַיִּצְטַיָּ֑רוּ וַיִּקְח֞וּ שַׂקִּ֤ים בָּלִים֙ לַחֲמ֣וֹרֵיהֶ֔ם וְנֹאד֥וֹת יַ֙יִן֙ בָּלִ֔ים וּמְבֻקָּעִ֖ים וּמְצֹרָרִֽים׃ (ה) וּנְעָל֨וֹת בָּל֤וֹת וּמְטֻלָּאוֹת֙ בְּרַגְלֵיהֶ֔ם וּשְׂלָמ֥וֹת בָּל֖וֹת עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וְכֹל֙ לֶ֣חֶם צֵידָ֔ם יָבֵ֖שׁ הָיָ֥ה נִקֻּדִֽים׃ (ו) וַיֵּלְכ֧וּ אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה הַגִּלְגָּ֑ל וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ אֵלָ֜יו וְאֶל־אִ֣ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל מֵאֶ֤רֶץ רְחוֹקָה֙ בָּ֔אנוּ וְעַתָּ֖ה כִּרְתוּ־לָ֥נוּ בְרִֽית׃ (ז) (ויאמרו) [וַיֹּ֥אמֶר] אִֽישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶל־הַחִוִּ֑י אוּלַ֗י בְּקִרְבִּי֙ אַתָּ֣ה יוֹשֵׁ֔ב וְאֵ֖יךְ (אכרות) [אֶֽכְרָת־]לְךָ֥ בְרִֽית׃ (ח) וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ עֲבָדֶ֣יךָֽ אֲנָ֑חְנוּ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֧ם יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ מִ֥י אַתֶּ֖ם וּמֵאַ֥יִן תָּבֹֽאוּ׃ (ט) וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו מֵאֶ֨רֶץ רְחוֹקָ֤ה מְאֹד֙ בָּ֣אוּ עֲבָדֶ֔יךָ לְשֵׁ֖ם ה׳ אֱלֹקֶ֑יךָ כִּי־שָׁמַ֣עְנוּ שׇׁמְע֔וֹ וְאֵ֛ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה בְּמִצְרָֽיִם׃ (י) וְאֵ֣ת ׀ כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֗ה לִשְׁנֵי֙ מַלְכֵ֣י הָאֱמֹרִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּעֵ֣בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן לְסִיחוֹן֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ חֶשְׁבּ֔וֹן וּלְע֥וֹג מֶלֶךְ־הַבָּשָׁ֖ן אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּעַשְׁתָּרֽוֹת׃ (יא) וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלֵ֡ינוּ זְֽקֵינֵ֩ינוּ֩ וְכׇל־יֹשְׁבֵ֨י אַרְצֵ֜נוּ לֵאמֹ֗ר קְח֨וּ בְיֶדְכֶ֤ם צֵידָה֙ לַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וּלְכ֖וּ לִקְרָאתָ֑ם וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֤ם אֲלֵיהֶם֙ עַבְדֵיכֶ֣ם אֲנַ֔חְנוּ וְעַתָּ֖ה כִּרְתוּ־לָ֥נוּ בְרִֽית׃ (יב) זֶ֣ה ׀ לַחְמֵ֗נוּ חָ֞ם הִצְטַיַּ֤דְנוּ אֹתוֹ֙ מִבָּ֣תֵּ֔ינוּ בְּי֥וֹם צֵאתֵ֖נוּ לָלֶ֣כֶת אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם וְעַתָּה֙ הִנֵּ֣ה יָבֵ֔שׁ וְהָיָ֖ה נִקֻּדִֽים׃ (יג) וְאֵ֨לֶּה נֹאד֤וֹת הַיַּ֙יִן֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר מִלֵּ֣אנוּ חֲדָשִׁ֔ים וְהִנֵּ֖ה הִתְבַּקָּ֑עוּ וְאֵ֤לֶּה שַׂלְמוֹתֵ֙ינוּ֙ וּנְעָלֵ֔ינוּ בָּל֕וּ מֵרֹ֥ב הַדֶּ֖רֶךְ מְאֹֽד׃ (יד) וַיִּקְח֥וּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֖ים מִצֵּידָ֑ם וְאֶת־פִּ֥י ה׳ לֹ֥א שָׁאָֽלוּ׃ (טו) וַיַּ֨עַשׂ לָהֶ֤ם יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ שָׁל֔וֹם וַיִּכְרֹ֥ת לָהֶ֛ם בְּרִ֖ית לְחַיּוֹתָ֑ם וַיִּשָּׁבְע֣וּ לָהֶ֔ם נְשִׂיאֵ֖י הָעֵדָֽה׃ (טז) וַיְהִ֗י מִקְצֵה֙ שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֔ים אַחֲרֵ֕י אֲשֶׁר־כָּרְת֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם בְּרִ֑ית וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֗וּ כִּֽי־קְרֹבִ֥ים הֵם֙ אֵלָ֔יו וּבְקִרְבּ֖וֹ הֵ֥ם יֹשְׁבִֽים׃ (יז) וַיִּסְע֣וּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וַיָּבֹ֛אוּ אֶל־עָרֵיהֶ֖ם בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֑י וְעָֽרֵיהֶם֙ גִּבְע֣וֹן וְהַכְּפִירָ֔ה וּבְאֵר֖וֹת וְקִרְיַ֥ת יְעָרִֽים׃ (יח) וְלֹ֤א הִכּוּם֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּֽי־נִשְׁבְּע֤וּ לָהֶם֙ נְשִׂיאֵ֣י הָעֵדָ֔ה בַּֽה׳ אֱלֹקֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּלֹּ֥נוּ כׇל־הָעֵדָ֖ה עַל־הַנְּשִׂיאִֽים׃ (יט) וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ כׇל־הַנְּשִׂיאִים֙ אֶל־כׇּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה אֲנַ֙חְנוּ֙ נִשְׁבַּ֣עְנוּ לָהֶ֔ם בַּה׳ אֱלֹקֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְעַתָּ֕ה לֹ֥א נוּכַ֖ל לִנְגֹּ֥עַ בָּהֶֽם׃ (כ) זֹ֛את נַעֲשֶׂ֥ה לָהֶ֖ם וְהַחֲיֵ֣ה אוֹתָ֑ם וְלֹֽא־יִֽהְיֶ֤ה עָלֵ֙ינוּ֙ קֶ֔צֶף עַל־הַשְּׁבוּעָ֖ה אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥עְנוּ לָהֶֽם׃ (כא) וַיֹּאמְר֧וּ אֲלֵיהֶ֛ם הַנְּשִׂיאִ֖ים יִֽחְי֑וּ וַ֠יִּֽהְי֠וּ חֹטְבֵ֨י עֵצִ֤ים וְשֹׁאֲבֵי־מַ֙יִם֙ לְכׇל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבְּר֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם הַנְּשִׂיאִֽים׃ (כב) וַיִּקְרָ֤א לָהֶם֙ יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר לָ֩מָּה֩ רִמִּיתֶ֨ם אֹתָ֜נוּ לֵאמֹ֗ר רְחוֹקִ֨ים אֲנַ֤חְנוּ מִכֶּם֙ מְאֹ֔ד וְאַתֶּ֖ם בְּקִרְבֵּ֥נוּ יֹשְׁבִֽים׃ (כג) וְעַתָּ֖ה אֲרוּרִ֣ים אַתֶּ֑ם וְלֹא־יִכָּרֵ֨ת מִכֶּ֜ם עֶ֗בֶד וְחֹטְבֵ֥י עֵצִ֛ים וְשֹׁ֥אֲבֵי מַ֖יִם לְבֵ֥ית אֱלֹקָֽי׃ (כד) וַיַּעֲנ֨וּ אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁ֜עַ וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ כִּי֩ הֻגֵּ֨ד הֻגַּ֤ד לַעֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ אֵת֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֜ה ה׳ אֱלֹקֶ֙יךָ֙ אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֣ה עַבְדּ֔וֹ לָתֵ֤ת לָכֶם֙ אֶת־כׇּל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וּלְהַשְׁמִ֛יד אֶת־כׇּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֥י הָאָ֖רֶץ מִפְּנֵיכֶ֑ם וַנִּירָ֨א מְאֹ֤ד לְנַפְשֹׁתֵ֙ינוּ֙ מִפְּנֵיכֶ֔ם וַֽנַּעֲשֵׂ֖ה אֶת־הַדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃ (כה) וְעַתָּ֖ה הִנְנ֣וּ בְיָדֶ֑ךָ כַּטּ֨וֹב וְכַיָּשָׁ֧ר בְּעֵינֶ֛יךָ לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת לָ֖נוּ עֲשֵֽׂה׃ (כו) וַיַּ֥עַשׂ לָהֶ֖ם כֵּ֑ן וַיַּצֵּ֥ל אוֹתָ֛ם מִיַּ֥ד בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וְלֹ֥א הֲרָגֽוּם׃ (כז) וַיִּתְּנֵ֨ם יְהוֹשֻׁ֜עַ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא חֹטְבֵ֥י עֵצִ֛ים וְשֹׁ֥אֲבֵי מַ֖יִם לָֽעֵדָ֑ה וּלְמִזְבַּ֤ח ה׳ עַד־הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה אֶל־הַמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִבְחָֽר׃ {פ}
(1) When all the kings west of-a the Jordan—in the hill country, in the Shephelah, and along the entire coast of the Mediterranean Sea up to the vicinity of Lebanon, the [land of the] Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—learned of this, (2) they gathered with one accord to fight against Joshua and Israel. (3) But when the inhabitants of Gibeon learned how Joshua had treated Jericho and Ai, (4) they for their part resorted to cunning. They set out in disguise:-b they took worn-out sacks for their asses, and worn-out waterskins that were cracked and patched; (5) they had worn-out, patched sandals on their feet, and threadbare clothes on their bodies; and all the bread they took as provision was dry and crumbly. (6) And so they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We come from a distant land; we propose that you make a pact with us.” (7) The men of Israel replied to the Hivites, “But perhaps you live among us; how then can we make a pact with you?” (8) They said to Joshua, “We will be your subjects.” But Joshua asked them, “Who are you and where do you come from?” (9) They replied, “Your servants have come from a very distant country, because of the fame of the LORD your God. For we heard the report of Him: of all that He did in Egypt, (10) and of all that He did to the two Amorite kings on the other side of the Jordan, King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan who lived in Ashtaroth. (11) So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country instructed us as follows, ‘Take along provisions for a trip, and go to them and say: We will be your subjects; come make a pact with us.’ (12) This bread of ours, which we took from our houses as provision, was still hot when we set out to come to you; and see how dry and crumbly it has become. (13) These wineskins were new when we filled them, and see how they have cracked. These clothes and sandals of ours are worn out from the very long journey.” (14) The men took [their word] because of-b their provisions, and did not inquire of the LORD. (15) Joshua established friendship with them; he made a pact with them to spare their lives, and the chieftains of the community gave them their oath. (16) But when three days had passed after they made this pact with them, they learned that they were neighbors, living among them. (17) So the Israelites set out, and on the third day they came to their towns; these towns were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. (18) But the Israelites did not attack them, since the chieftains of the community had sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. The whole community muttered against the chieftains, (19) but all the chieftains answered the whole community, “We swore to them by the LORD, the God of Israel; therefore we cannot touch them. (20) This is what we will do to them: We will spare their lives, so that there may be no wrath against us because of the oath that we swore to them.” (21) And the chieftains declared concerning them, “They shall live!” And they became hewers of wood and drawers of water for the whole community, as the chieftains had decreed concerning them. (22) Joshua summoned them and spoke to them thus: “Why did you deceive us and tell us you lived very far from us, when in fact you live among us? (23) Therefore, be accursed! Never shall your descendants cease to be slaves, hewers of wood and drawers of water for the House of my God.” (24) But they replied to Joshua, “You see, your servants had heard that the LORD your God had promised His servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all the inhabitants of the country on your account; so we were in great fear for our lives on your account. That is why we did this thing. (25) And now we are at your mercy; do with us what you consider right and proper.” (26) And he did so; he saved them from being killed by the Israelites. (27) That day Joshua made them hewers of wood and drawers of water—as they still are—for the community and for the altar of the LORD, in the place that He would choose.
(ט) גְּדוֹלֵי חַכְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיוּ מֵהֶן חוֹטְבֵי עֵצִים וּמֵהֶן שׁוֹאֲבֵי מַיִם וּמֵהֶן סוּמִים וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן הָיוּ עוֹסְקִין בְּתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה בַּיּוֹם וּבַלַּיְלָה וְהֵם מִכְּלַל מַעְתִּיקֵי הַשְּׁמוּעָה אִישׁ מִפִּי אִישׁ מִפִּי משֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ:
(9) Some of the great scholars in Israel were hewers of wood, some of them drawers of water, and some of them blind: nevertheless they engaged themselves in the study of the Torah by day and by night. Moreover, they are included among those who translated the tradition as it was transmitted from mouth of man to mouth of man, even from the mouth of Moses our Master.