Deuteronomy 23:20-25

20 You may lend on interest to the foreigner, but to your countryman you may not lend on interest, so that Yahweh your God may bless you {in all your undertakings} in {the land where you are going}, {in order to take possession of it}.

21 "{When you make a vow} to Yahweh your God, you shall not postpone {fulfillment of it}, [for] certainly Yahweh your God shall require it from you and [if postponed] {you will incur guilt}.

22 And {if you refrain from vowing}, {you shall not incur guilt}.

23 The utterance of your lips {you must perform diligently} [just] as you have vowed freely to Yahweh your God whatever [it was] that you promised with your mouth.

24 "When you come into the vineyard of your neighbor, then you may eat grapes {as you please} and {until you are full}, but you shall not put [any] into your container.

25 "When you come into the standing grain of your neighbor, then you may pluck ears with your hand, but you may not {swing} a sickle among the standing grain of your neighbor."

Deuteronomy 23:20-25 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "brother"
• [b]. Literally "in all the sending[s] out of your hand"
• [c]. Literally "the land that you [are] going there"
• [d]. Literally "to take possession"
• [e]. Literally "When/if you vow a vow"
• [f]. Literally "to fulfill it"
• [g]. Literally "it shall become against you [as] sin"
• [h]. Literally "if you refrain to make a vow"
• [i]. Literally "it shall not become against you [as] sin"
• [j]. Literally "you must observe and you shall do"
• [k]. Or "spoke"
• [l]. Or "If"
• [m]. Literally "according to your desire"
• [n]. Literally "to your satiation"
• [o]. Or "If"
• [p]. Literally "wave"