Deuteronomy 23:6

6 Thou shalt not speak peaceably or profitably to them all thy days for ever.

Deuteronomy 23:6 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 23:6

Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy
days for ever.
] Not that they were to retain malice towards them, or indulge a spirit of revenge, or not do them any good offices in a private way, which is contrary to the law of love; nor does this contradict any offices of kindness and friendship that might be performed in a personal way: so we find that David had a kindness for Hanun the Ammonite, and showed it, though ill rewarded for it, yet is not blamed for doing it; ( 2 Samuel 10:2 ) for these words respect not persons in a private capacity, but the people of Israel as a body politic, who, as such, were not to carry on trade and commerce with those people, nor intermarry with them, nor make leagues and enter into alliances with them; the reason of which was, because being very near neighbours to them, had there not been such a law, as a wall of partition between them, they might have become very familiar, and so have learnt their evil ways and customs, which this was designed to prevent: the Jews restrain F15 this to overtures and proclamations of peace, which they were not to make with these nations, as they were directed to do when they went out to war with others, ( Deuteronomy 20:10 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F15 Hilchot Melachim, c. 6. sect. 6.

Deuteronomy 23:6 In-Context

4 because they met you not with bread and water by the way, when ye went out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Mesopotamia to curse thee.
5 But the Lord thy God would not hearken to Balaam; and the Lord thy God changed the curses into blessings, because the Lord thy God loved thee.
6 Thou shalt not speak peaceably or profitably to them all thy days for ever.
7 Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite, because he is thy brother; thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian, because thou wast a stranger in his land.
8 If sons be born to them, in the third generation they shall enter into the assembly of the Lord.

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.