When the Law covenant was transmitted at Mount Sinai, special legislation was embodied governing, in a very loving spirit, the relationship of the alien resident to the natural Israelite. Being at a disadvantage because of not being a natural-born Israelite, the alien resident was given special consideration and protection under the Law covenant, which had many provisions for the weak and vulnerable. Regularly Jehovah called Israel’s attention to the fact that they themselves knew the afflictions that beset an alien resident in a land not his own and hence should extend to the alien residents among themselves the generous and protective spirit that they had not received. (Ex 22:21; 23:9; De 10:18) Basically, the alien resident, especially the proselyte, was to be treated as a brother.​—Le 19:33, 34.

Although the terms of the Law covenant allowed for persons of all national backgrounds to come into membership of the congregation of Israel by accepting the true worship of Jehovah and becoming circumcised, there were exceptions and restrictions. The Egyptians and Edomites could not enter into the congregation until the third generation, that is, the third generation living in the land of Israel. (De 23:7, 8) Illegitimate sons and their descendants were denied entry into the congregation “to the tenth generation.” (De 23:2) Ammonites and Moabites were prohibited “to the tenth generation . . . to time indefinite . . . You must not work for their peace and their prosperity all your days to time indefinite.” (De 23:3-6) These restrictions all applied to males of these nations. Also, no male mutilated in his sexual parts could ever become a member of the congregation.​—De 23:1.

The alien resident who had become a circumcised worshiper was bound to one law with the Israelites, that is, to obey all the terms of the Law covenant. (Le 24:22) A few examples are: He was required to keep the Sabbath (Ex 20:10; 23:12) and to celebrate the Passover (Nu 9:14; Ex 12:48, 49), the Festival of Unfermented Cakes (Ex 12:19), the Festival of Weeks (De 16:10, 11), the Festival of Booths (De 16:13, 14), and the Day of Atonement (Le 16:29, 30). He could offer sacrifices (Nu 15:14) and had to do so in the same manner as prescribed for the natural Israelite. (Nu 15:15, 16) His offerings were to be unblemished (Le 22:18-20) and brought to the entrance of the tent of meeting just as was done by the natural Israelite. (Le 17:8, 9) He could not engage in any false worship. (Le 20:2; Eze 14:7) He was required to drain blood out of game killed in hunting and would be “cut off” if he ate it undrained. (Le 17:10-14) He could receive forgiveness along with natural Israel for community responsibility for sins. (Nu 15:26, 29) He had to observe the purification procedures, for example, if unclean by touching a human corpse. (Nu 19:10, 11) The alien resident who could be given the body of an animal that had died of itself was evidently one who had not become a full-fledged worshiper of Jehovah.​—De 14:21.

Judicially, the alien resident was guaranteed impartial justice in judgments involving a natural Israelite. (De 1:16, 17) He was not to be defrauded or subjected to perverted judgment. (De 24:14, 17) Curses were laid on those who rendered injustice to alien residents. (De 27:19) The cities of refuge for the unintentional manslayer were available for the alien resident and the settler as well as the natural Israelite.​—Nu 35:15; Jos 20:9.

Alien residents, not having any land inheritance, might be merchants or hired laborers. Some were slaves. (Le 25:44-46) There was a possibility of their becoming wealthy. (Le 25:47; De 28:43) Generally, however, the Law classified them as among the poor and outlined arrangements for protecting and providing for them. The alien resident could share in the tithes provided every third year. (De 14:28, 29; 26:12) Gleanings of the field and of the vineyard were to be left for him. (Le 19:9, 10; 23:22; De 24:19-21) He could receive the benefits of what grew during Sabbath years. (Le 25:6) He was given equal protection with a native Israelite as a hired laborer. A poor Israelite might sell himself to a wealthy alien resident, in which case the Israelite was to be treated kindly, like a hired laborer, and could be repurchased at any time by himself or by a kinsman or, at the latest, was released on the seventh year of his service or at the Jubilee.​—Le 25:39-54; Ex 21:2; De 15:12.

The settler who was an uncircumcised dweller in the land did not eat of the Passover or of anything holy. (Ex 12:45; Le 22:10) He received benefits along with the alien residents and the poor during the Sabbath year and the Jubilee year by being able to share in what the land produced. (Le 25:6, 12) He or his offspring could be purchased as slaves by the Israelites and passed on as a permanent inheritance without the right of repurchase or benefit of Jubilee release. (Le 25:45, 46) On the other hand, an Israelite might sell himself as a slave to a settler or to members of the settler’s family, maintaining the right of repurchase at any time, as well as release in his seventh year of servitude or at the Jubilee.​—Le 25:47-54; Ex 21:2; De 15:12.