Why is the word "ger" translated as both convert and stranger in one sentence?

Question

What is the basis for translating the word "Ger" in Devarim 10:19?

The verse is often translated "You shall love the convert because you were strangers in the land of Egypt."

Why not, "Love the stranger because you were strangers in the land of Egypt?"

Why is one word, ger, translated as both convert and stranger, in one sentence? The meanings are so different. Further, various translations are not all in agreement.

Not all translations use the word convert, but many do. For example: Stone Humash; http://www.aish.com/tp/b/tb/48965941.html; http://www.shemayisrael.co.il/publicat/hazon/tzedaka/memory.htm; https://www.jetottawa.com/blog/; http://www.frumtoronto.com/Blogger.asp?Articles=expand&ShowAll=Series2&BlogCategoryID=96&page=18 (These and more similar translations popped up with a quick web search.) Other translations use the word "stranger" for both occurances of the word "ger" (e.g., Hertz).

Answer 1

Firstly, many "precise" or more literal translations (e.g. the JPS translation) translate this word as "stranger" both times. In truth, it is possible that the meaning of convert comes from the meaning of stranger, since converts come from another nation, and are outsiders to some extent. When we look at it like that, the translations don't differ so much.

Secondly, there is actually an excellent precedent to translate them differently (although perhaps not exactly the way you have seen them translated). Onkelos here translates this verse as:

וְתִרְחֲמוּן יָת גִּיּוֹרָא, אֲרֵי דַּיָּירִין הֲוֵיתוֹן בְּאַרְעָא דְּמִצְרָיִם.

As you can see from the bolded terms, the word "Ger" has been translated as both Giyora (stranger/convert) and Dayar (a sojourner, or something like that).

Answer 2

Sefaria.org translates the first word as "stranger" and not "convert". I can see that your notion of the word ger means "convert" because we tend to call converts "gerim". However, use of the word "ger" to mean "convert" is not a universal translation in Tanac"h. Often it means "stranger", i.e., someone who is a I.e. a *ger toshav" or a resident alien.

One reason I state that this is its meaning in this verse, is that Rash"i, on this verse says, "Do not remind him of your own blemish" (paraphrase). Well, we certainly were never Gentiles who "converted". But we were strangers living in another land.

See also, Mechilta 22:20 in it he cites uses of the term ger in Tanac"h that don't mean "convert. I'm excerpting this from Sefaria's translation:

Abraham called himself a stranger, viz. (Genesis 23:4) "A stranger and a sojourner am I with you." David called himself a stranger, viz. (Psalms 119:19) "I am a stranger in the land," and (I Chronicles 29:15) "For we are strangers before You and sojourners as all of our ancestors. As a shadow are our days upon the earth, without a prospect." And it is written (Psalms 39:13) "For a stranger am I with You, a sojourner as all of my ancestors."