Deuteronomy 23

1 None that is gelded or hath his preuey membres cutt of, shall come in to the congregacion of the Lorde.

2 And he that is borne of a comen woman shall not come in the congregacion of the Lorde, no in the tenth generacyon he shall not entre in to the congregacyon of the Lorde.

3 The Ammonites and the Moabites shall not come in to the cogregacyon of the Lorde, no not in the tenth generacion, no they shall neuer come in to the cogregacion of the Lorde,

4 because they met you not with bred and water in the waye when ye came out of Egipte, and because they hyred agenst the Balaam the sonne of Beor the interpreter of Mesopotamia, to curse the

5 Neuerthelesse the Lorde thy God wolde not herken vnto Balaam, but turned the curse to a blessinge vnto the, because the Lorde thy God loued the.

6 Thou shalt neuer therfore seke that which is prosperouse or good for them all thy dayes for euer.

7 Thou shalt not abhorre an Edomite, for he is thy brother: nether shalt thou abhorre an Egiptian, because thou wast a straunger in hys londe.

8 The childern that are begotten of them shall come in to the congregacyon of the Lorde in the .iij. generacion.

9 When thou goest out with the host agenst thine enemies, kepe the fro all wekednesse for the Lorde is amonge you.

10 Yf there be any man that is vncleane by the reason of vnclennesse that chaunceth hym by nyght, let him goo out of the host and not come in agayne

11 vntyll he haue wasshed him selfe with water before the euen: ad then whe the sonne is doune, let him come in to the host agayne.

12 Thou shalt haue a place without the host whother thou shalt resorte to

13 and thou shalt haue a sharpe poynte at the ende of thy wepon: and when thou wilt ease thy selfe, digge therewith and turne and couer that which is departed from the.

14 For the Lorde thy God walketh in thyne host, to rydd the and to sett thine enemyes before the. Let thine host be pure that he se no vncleane thinge amonge you and turne from you

15 Thou shalt not delyuer vnto his master the seruaunt which is escaped from his master vnto the.

16 Let him dwel with the, eue amonge you in what place he him selfe liketh best, in one of thi cities where it is good for him, and vexe him not.

17 There shalbe no whore of the doughters of Israel, nor whorekeper of the sonnes of Israel

18 Thou shalt nether brynge the hyre of an whore nor the pryce of a dogge in to the housse of the Lorde thy God; in no maner of vowe: for eue both of them are abhominacion vnto the Lorde thy God.

19 Thou shalt be no vsurer vnto thy brother, nether in mony nor in fode, nor in any maner thinge that is lent vppon vserye

20 Vnto a strauger thou maist lende vppon vserye, but not vnto thy brother, that the Lorde thy God maye blesse the in all that thou settest thyne hande to in the londe whother thou goest to conquere it.

21 When thou hast vowed a vowe vnto the Lorde thy God, se thou be not slacke to paye it. For he will surely requyre it of the, and it shalbe synne vnto the

22 Yf thou shalt leue vowinge, it shalbe no synne vnto the:

23 but that which is once gone out off thy lippes, thou must kepe and doo, accordynge as thou hast vowed vnto the Lorde thy god a frewilloffrynge whiche thou hast spoken with thy mouth.

24 When thou comest in to thy neghboures vyneyarde, thou mayst eate grapes thy belyfull at thine awne pleasure: but thou shalt put none in thy bagge.

25 When thou goest in to thy neyghbours corne, thou mayst plucke the eares with thine had but thou mayst not moue a sycle vnto thy neghbours corne.

Deuteronomy 23 Commentary

Chapter 23

Who are shut out from the congregation. (1-8) Cleanliness enjoined. (15-25) Of fugitive servants, Usury, and other precepts. (9-14)

Verses 1-8 We ought to value the privileges of God's people, both for ourselves and for our children, above all other advantages. No personal blemishes, no crimes of our forefathers, no difference of nation, shuts us out under the Christian dispensation. But an unsound heart will deprive us of blessings; and a bad example, or an unsuitable marriage, may shut our children from them.

Verses 9-14 The camp of the Lord must have nothing offensive in it. If there must be this care taken to preserve the body clean, much more should we be careful to keep the mind pure.

Verses 15-25 It is honourable to shelter and protect the weak, provided they are not wicked. Proselytes and converts to the truth, should be treated with particular tenderness, that they may have no temptation to return to the world. We cannot honour God with our substance, unless it be honestly and honourably come by. It must not only be considered what we give, but how we got it. Where the borrower gets, or hopes to get, it is just that the lender should share the gain; but to him that borrows for necessary food, pity must be showed. That which is gone out of thy lips, as a solemn and deliberate vow, must not be recalled, but thou shalt keep and perform it punctually and fully. They were allowed to pluck and eat of the corn or grapes that grew by the road side; only they must not carry any away. This law intimated what great plenty of corn and wine they should have in Canaan. It provided for the support of poor travellers, and teaches us to be kind to such, teaches us to be ready to distribute, and not to think every thing lost that is given away. Yet it forbids us to abuse the kindness of friends, or to take advantage of what is allowed. Faithfulness to their engagements should mark the people of God; and they should never encroach upon others.

Chapter Summary

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.