Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  8000 The life of the believer  »  8700 Threats to the life of faith  »  8790 oppression  »  8791 oppression, nature of

Oppression leads to the exploitation of the weak and vulnerable by the strong.

The victims

The weak

Psalm 12:5 See also Psalm 10:2; Ecclesiastes 4:1; Ezekiel 34:4

The poor

Proverbs 22:22-23 See also Exodus 23:6; Deuteronomy 15:7; Proverbs 22:7,16; Proverbs 28:27; Ezekiel 22:29; Amos 2:6-7; Amos 5:11-12; Amos 8:4,6; Zechariah 7:10; James 2:6

Widows and orphans

Exodus 22:22 See also Deuteronomy 24:17; Job 24:3,9; Job 31:21,22; Psalm 94:5-6; Proverbs 23:10; Isaiah 1:23; Jeremiah 7:6; Zechariah 7:10; Malachi 3:5; Mark 12:40

The foreigner

Exodus 22:21 See also Genesis 15:13; Exodus 23:9; Leviticus 19:33-34; Deuteronomy 23:7; Deuteronomy 24:17; Psalm 94:6; Jeremiah 22:3; Ezekiel 22:29; Malachi 3:5

Servants

Deuteronomy 24:14-15 See also Genesis 16:6; Exodus 1:11; Exodus 3:9; Leviticus 19:13; Isaiah 58:3; Malachi 3:5; Acts 7:24; James 5:4

Examples of oppression

Genesis 16:6 Sarah oppresses Hagar; Genesis 31:39 Laban oppresses Jacob; Exodus 1:8-22 the Egyptians oppress Israel; Isaiah 52:4 the Assyrians oppress Israel

The oppressors' motives

Greed

Jeremiah 5:27-28 See also Proverbs 31:5; Ecclesiastes 5:8-9; Isaiah 1:23; Isaiah 10:2; Jeremiah 22:17; Amos 4:1

Lust for power

Exodus 1:10 See also 2 Chronicles 10:14; 2 C 10; Proverbs 28:15

God's attitude to the oppressor

Exodus 22:22-24 See also Deuteronomy 27:19; Proverbs 21:13; Isaiah 14:5-6; Jeremiah 6:6; Jeremiah 22:3-5; Amos 1:3,6,9,11; Amos 2:1; Zephaniah 3:1; Luke 20:47

The experience of oppression

It brings grief and crying to God

Psalm 42:9 See also Exodus 3:7; Judges 2:18; Psalm 43:2; Psalm 137:1; Ecclesiastes 4:1

The example of Jesus Christ

Isaiah 53:7 See also Matthew 27:27-31 pp Mark 15:16-20; Acts 8:32-35

Following Jesus Christ

1 Peter 2:21 See also John 16:33; Acts 14:22-23; 1 Thessalonians 3:2-4; 2 Timothy 2:3; Timothy 3:12

See also

5220  authority, abuse
5242  buying & selling
5310  exploitation
5311  extortion
5446  poverty
5457  power, human
5730  orphans
5743  widows
5972  unkindness
7530  foreigners
8343  servanthood in society
8797  persecution, attitudes