1 He that is wounded in the stones, H6481 H1795 or hath his privy member H8212 cut off, H3772 shall not enter H935 into the congregation H6951 of the LORD. H3068
2 A bastard H4464 shall not enter H935 into the congregation H6951 of the LORD; H3068 even to his tenth H6224 generation H1755 shall he not enter H935 into the congregation H6951 of the LORD. H3068
3 An Ammonite H5984 or Moabite H4125 shall not enter H935 into the congregation H6951 of the LORD; H3068 even to their tenth H6224 generation H1755 shall they not enter H935 into the congregation H6951 of the LORD H3068 for H5704 ever: H5769
4 Because H1697 they met H6923 you not with bread H3899 and with water H4325 in the way, H1870 when ye came forth H3318 out of Egypt; H4714 and because they hired H7936 against thee Balaam H1109 the son H1121 of Beor H1160 of Pethor H6604 of Mesopotamia, H763 to curse H7043 thee.
5 Nevertheless the LORD H3068 thy God H430 would H14 not hearken H8085 unto Balaam; H1109 but the LORD H3068 thy God H430 turned H2015 the curse H7045 into a blessing H1293 unto thee, because the LORD H3068 thy God H430 loved H157 thee.
6 Thou shalt not seek H1875 their peace H7965 nor their prosperity H2896 all thy days H3117 for ever. H5769
7 Thou shalt not abhor H8581 an Edomite; H130 for he is thy brother: H251 thou shalt not abhor H8581 an Egyptian; H4713 because thou wast a stranger H1616 in his land. H776
8 The children H1121 that are begotten H3205 of them shall enter H935 into the congregation H6951 of the LORD H3068 in their third H7992 generation. H1755
9 When the host H4264 goeth forth H3318 against thine enemies, H341 then keep H8104 thee from every wicked H7451 thing. H1697
10 If there be among you any man, H376 that is not clean H2889 by reason of uncleanness that chanceth H7137 him by night, H3915 then shall he go H3318 abroad H2351 out of the camp, H4264 he shall not come H935 within H8432 the camp: H4264
11 But it shall be, when evening H6153 cometh on, H6437 he shall wash H7364 himself with water: H4325 and when the sun H8121 is down, H935 he shall come H935 into H8432 the camp H4264 again.
12 Thou shalt have a place also H3027 without H2351 the camp, H4264 whither thou shalt go forth H3318 abroad: H2351
13 And thou shalt have a paddle H3489 upon thy weapon; H240 and it shall be, when thou wilt ease H3427 thyself abroad, H2351 thou shalt dig H2658 therewith, and shalt turn back H7725 and cover H3680 that which cometh H6627 from thee:
14 For the LORD H3068 thy God H430 walketh H1980 in the midst H7130 of thy camp, H4264 to deliver H5337 thee, and to give up H5414 thine enemies H341 before H6440 thee; therefore shall thy camp H4264 be holy: H6918 that he see H7200 no unclean H6172 thing H1697 in thee, and turn away H7725 from thee. H310
15 Thou shalt not deliver H5462 unto his master H113 the servant H5650 which is escaped H5337 from his master H113 unto thee:
16 He shall dwell H3427 with thee, even among H7130 you, in that place H4725 which he shall choose H977 in one H259 of thy gates, H8179 where it liketh him best: H2896 thou shalt not oppress H3238 him.
17 There shall be no whore H6948 of the daughters H1323 of Israel, H3478 nor a sodomite H6945 of the sons H1121 of Israel. H3478
18 Thou shalt not bring H935 the hire H868 of a whore, H2181 or the price H4242 of a dog, H3611 into the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 thy God H430 for any vow: H5088 for even both H8147 these are abomination H8441 unto the LORD H3068 thy God. H430
19 Thou shalt not lend upon usury H5391 to thy brother; H251 usury H5392 of money, H3701 usury H5392 of victuals, H400 usury H5392 of any thing H1697 that is lent upon usury: H5391
20 Unto a stranger H5237 thou mayest lend upon usury; H5391 but unto thy brother H251 thou shalt not lend upon usury: H5391 that the LORD H3068 thy God H430 may bless H1288 thee in all that thou settest H4916 thine hand H3027 to in the land H776 whither thou goest H935 to possess H3423 it.
21 When thou shalt vow H5087 a vow H5088 unto the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 thou shalt not slack H309 to pay H7999 it: for the LORD H3068 thy God H430 will surely H1875 require H1875 it of thee; and it would be sin H2399 in thee.
22 But if thou shalt forbear H2308 to vow, H5087 it shall be no sin H2399 in thee.
23 That which is gone out H4161 of thy lips H8193 thou shalt keep H8104 and perform; H6213 even a freewill offering, H5071 according as thou hast vowed H5087 unto the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 which thou hast promised H1696 with thy mouth. H6310
24 When thou comest H935 into thy neighbour's H7453 vineyard, H3754 then thou mayest eat H398 grapes H6025 thy fill H7648 at thine own pleasure; H5315 but thou shalt not put H5414 any in thy vessel. H3627
25 When thou comest H935 into the standing corn H7054 of thy neighbour, H7453 then thou mayest pluck H6998 the ears H4425 with thine hand; H3027 but thou shalt not move H5130 a sickle H2770 unto thy neighbour's H7453 standing corn. H7054
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Deuteronomy 23
Commentary on Deuteronomy 23 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 23
De 23:1-25. Who May and Who May Not Enter into the Congregation.
1-3. He that is wounded …, shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord—"To enter into the congregation of the Lord" means either admission to public honors and offices in the Church and State of Israel, or, in the case of foreigners, incorporation with that nation by marriage. The rule was that strangers and foreigners, for fear of friendship or marriage connections with them leading the people into idolatry, were not admissible till their conversion to the Jewish faith. But this passage describes certain limitations of the general rule. The following parties were excluded from the full rights and privileges of citizenship: (1) Eunuchs—It was a very ancient practice for parents in the East by various arts to mutilate their children, with a view to training them for service in the houses of the great. (2) Bastards—Such an indelible stigma in both these instances was designed as a discouragement to practices that were disgraceful, but too common from intercourse with foreigners. (3) Ammonites and Moabites—Without provocation they had combined to engage a soothsayer to curse the Israelites; and had further endeavored, by ensnaring them into the guilt and licentious abominations of idolatry, to seduce them from their allegiance to God.
3. even to the their tenth generation shall they not enter—Many eminent writers think that this law of exclusion was applicable only to males; at all events that a definite is used for an indefinite number (Ne 13:1; Ru 4:10; 2Ki 10:2). Many of the Israelites being established on the east side of Jordan in the immediate neighborhood of those people, God raised this partition wall between them to prevent the consequences of evil communications. More favor was to be shown to Edomites and Egyptians—to the former from their near relationship to Israel; and to the latter, from their early hospitalities to the family of Jacob, as well as the many acts of kindness rendered them by private Egyptians at the Exodus (Ex 12:36). The grandchildren of Edomite or Egyptian proselytes were declared admissible to the full rights of citizenship as native Israelites; and by this remarkable provision, God taught His people a practical lesson of generosity and gratitude for special deeds of kindness, to the forgetfulness of all the persecution and ill services sustained from those two nations.
9-14. When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing—from the excesses incident to camp life, as well as from habits of personal neglect and impurity.
15, 16. Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which has escaped from his master unto thee—evidently a servant of the Canaanites or some of the neighboring people, who was driven by tyrannical oppression, or induced, with a view of embracing the true religion, to take refuge in Israel.
19, 20. Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother … Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury—The Israelites lived in a simple state of society, and hence they were encouraged to lend to each other in a friendly way without any hope of gain. But the case was different with foreigners, who, engaged in trade and commerce, borrowed to enlarge their capital, and might reasonably be expected to pay interest on their loans. Besides, the distinction was admirably conducive to keeping the Israelites separate from the rest of the world.
21, 22. When thou shalt vow a vow—(See on Nu 30:2).
24, 25. When thou comest into thy neighbour's vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure—Vineyards, like cornfields mentioned in the next verse [De 23:25], were often unenclosed. In vine-growing countries grapes are amazingly cheap; and we need not wonder, therefore, that all within reach of a person's arm, was free; the quantity plucked was a loss never felt by the proprietor, and it was a kindly privilege afforded to the poor and wayfaring man.