Deuteronomy 23:10-20

10 If one of your men is unclean because of a nocturnal emission, he is to go outside the camp and stay there.

11 But as evening approaches he is to wash himself, and at sunset he may return to the camp.

12 Designate a place outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself.

13 As part of your equipment have something to dig with, and when you relieve yourself, dig a hole and cover up your excrement.

14 For the LORD your God moves about in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy, so that he will not see among you anything indecent and turn away from you.

Miscellaneous Laws

15 If a slave has taken refuge with you, do not hand them over to their master.

16 Let them live among you wherever they like and in whatever town they choose. Do not oppress them.

17 No Israelite man or woman is to become a shrine prostitute.

18 You must not bring the earnings of a female prostitute or of a male prostitute^[a] into the house of the LORD your God to pay any vow, because the LORD your God detests them both.

19 Do not charge a fellow Israelite interest, whether on money or food or anything else that may earn interest.

20 You may charge a foreigner interest, but not a fellow Israelite, so that the LORD your God may bless you in everything you put your hand to in the land you are entering to possess.

Deuteronomy 23:10-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 23

Orders are here given to restrain certain persons from entering into the congregation of the Lord, De 23:1-8, and to take care that there be no unclean person in the camp, or any indecent thing done in it, De 23:9-14, to protect fugitive servants, and not deliver them up to their masters, De 23:15,16 not to suffer a filthy person to be among them, or any filthy thing to be brought into the house of God for a vow, De 23:17,18, then follow some laws against usury, and for the payment of vows, De 23:19-23, and the chapter is concluded with some directions how to behave in a neighbour's vineyard, or standing corn, De 23:24,25.

Cross References

• 1. Leviticus 15:16
• 2. S Leviticus 15:16
• 3. 1 Samuel 21:5
• 4. S Genesis 3:8; Leviticus 26:12
• 5. Exodus 3:5
• 6. 2 Samuel 22:3; Psalms 2:12; Psalms 71:1
• 7. 1 Samuel 30:15
• 8. Exodus 22:21; S Exodus 23:6
• 9. Genesis 19:25; 1 Kings 14:24; 1 Kings 15:12; 1 Kings 22:46; 2 Kings 23:7; Job 36:14
• 10. S Genesis 38:21; Leviticus 19:29; Deuteronomy 22:21
• 11. S Genesis 19:5; S Leviticus 20:13; Revelation 22:15
• 12. Exodus 22:25; S Leviticus 25:35-37; Nehemiah 5:2-7
• 13. S Genesis 31:15; S Deuteronomy 15:3
• 14. Deuteronomy 15:10; Deuteronomy 28:12

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew "of a dog"