Deuteronomy 23:9-14

Rules for the war camp

9 When you are camped in battle against your enemies, guard yourself from every possible evil.

10 If an individual in the camp becomes polluted due to a nighttime emission, he must exit the camp area and not reenter.

11 When the next evening arrives, he must wash with water; and when the sun sets, he can come back to the camp.

12 The latrines must be outside the camp. You will use them there, outside the camp.

13 Carry a shovel with the rest of your gear; once you have relieved yourself, use it to dig a hole, then refill it, covering your excrement.

14 Do these things because the LORD your God travels with you, right in the middle of your camp, ready to save you and to hand your enemies over to you. For this reason your camp must be holy. The LORD must not see anything indecent among you, or he will turn away from you.

Deuteronomy 23:9-14 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]. LXX, Syr, Vulg place of the hand (a euphemism); MT has only hand.