CITIZENSHIP (sTtl-z'n-ship), (Gr. roXirda, dyads, citizenship).
Strict isolation did by no means, as some sup pose, form the leading principle in the system of theocracy as laid down by Moses, since even non Israelites, under various names, not only were allowed to reside in Palestine. but had the fullest protection of the law, equally with the native Israelites (Exod. xii:19; Lev. xxiv:22: Num. 5, xxxv:15; pout. i:16; xxiv:t 7; the law of usury, Dent. XXIII:20, made, however, an exception), and were besides recommended in general terms by Moses to humanity and charity (Fwd, xxii:21; xxiii:9; Lxv. xix :33. 34: Dent. x Comp Jer. vii :6; Mal. iii :c : Joseph. Cantra Ap 11.28). as well as to a participation in certain prerogatives granted to the poor of the land. such as a share in the tithe and feast offering, and the harvest in the Jubilee year (Dcut. xiv :29; xvi:io, t4 ; xxvi :it; Lev. xxv:0).
In return, it was required on the part of non Israelites not to commit acts by which the relig ious feelings of the people might be hurt (Exod.
xx :10 ; Lev. XVII :10 ; XX :2; Xxiv : Deut. v:14). The eating of an animal which had died a natural death (Dent. xiv :21 ) seems to have been the sole exception. The advantage the Jew had over the Gentile was thus strictly spir itual, in his being a citizen, a member of the the ocracy, of the community of God, on whom posi tive laws were enjoined. But even to this spir
itual privilege Gentiles were admitted under cer tain restrictions (Deut. xxiii :1-9) ; thus we find among the Israelites an Edomite ( t Sam. xxi:7). as also a Hittite (a Canaanite). The only nations that were altogether excluded from the citizen ship of the theocracy by especial command of the Lord were the Ammonites and Moabites, from a feeling of vengeance against them; and in the same situation were all castrated persons, and bastards, from a feeling of disgrace and shame (Deut. In the time of Solomon no less than t53,Goo strangers were resident in Pales tine (2 Chron.
Roman citizenship (Acts xxii :28, ins civitatis, civitas) was granted in the times of the emperors to whole provinces and cities (Dion Cass. xli:25; Suet. Aug. 47), as also to single individuals, for some service rendered to the state or the im perial family (Suet. 47), or even for a cer tain sum of money (Acts xxii :28; Dion Cass. xli: 24). The apostle Paul was a Roman citizen by family, and hence his protesting against corporal or capital punishment (Acts xvi :37).