Deuteronomy 23

Exclusion and Inclusion

1 "No man whose [testicles] have been crushed^[a] or whose penis has been cut off may enter the Lord's assembly.

2 No one of illegitimate birth may enter the Lord's assembly; none of his descendants, even to the tenth generation, may enter the Lord's assembly.

3 No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the Lord's assembly; none of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, may ever enter the Lord's assembly.

4 This is because they did not meet you with food and water on the journey after you came out of Egypt, and because Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram-naharaim was hired to curse you.#fn

5 Yet the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam, but He turned the curse into a blessing for you because the Lord your God loves you.^[b]

6 Never seek peace or friendship with them as long as you live.

7 Do not despise an Edomite, because he is your brother. Do not despise an Egyptian, because you were a foreign resident in his land.

8 The children born to them in the third generation may enter the Lord's assembly.

Cleanliness of the Camp

9 "When you are encamped against your enemies, be careful to avoid anything offensive.

10 If there is a man among you who is unclean because of a bodily emission during the night, he must go outside the camp; he may not come anywhere inside the camp.

11 When evening approaches, he must wash with water, and when the sun sets he may come inside the camp.^[c]

12 You must have a place outside the camp and go there [to relieve yourself].

13 You must have a digging tool in your equipment; when you relieve yourself, dig a hole with it and cover up your excrement.

14 For the Lord your God walks throughout your camp to protect you and deliver your enemies to you; so your encampments must be holy. He must not see anything improper among you or He will turn away from you.

Fugitive Slaves

15 "Do not return a slave to his master when he has escaped from his master to you.

16 Let him live among you wherever he wants within your gates. Do not mistreat him.

Cult Prostitution Forbidden

17 "No Israelite woman is to be a cult prostitute, and no Israelite man is to be a cult prostitute.

18 Do not bring a female prostitute's wages or a male prostitute's^[d] earnings into the house of the Lord your God to fulfill any vow, because both are detestable to the Lord your God.

Interest on Loans

19 "Do not charge your brother interest on money, food, or anything that can earn interest

20 You may charge a foreigner interest, but you must not charge your brother interest, so that the Lord your God may bless you in everything you do^[e] in the land you are entering to possess.^[f]

Keeping Vows

21 "If you make a vow to the Lord your God, do not be slow to keep it, because He will require it of you, and it will be counted against you as sin

22 But if you refrain from making a vow, it will not be counted against you as sin.

23 Be careful to do whatever comes from your lips, because you have freely vowed what you promised^[g] to the Lord your God.^[h]

Neighbor's Crops

24 "When you enter your neighbor's vineyard, you may eat as many grapes as you want until you are full, but you must not put [any] in your container.

25 When you enter your neighbor's standing grain, you may pluck heads of grain with your hand, but you must not put a sickle to your neighbor's grain.

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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit man bruised by crushing
• [b]. Nm 22:5-6
• [c]. Nm 23:11; 24:10
• [d]. Lv 15:16-17
• [e]. Lit a dog's
• [f]. Lit you put your hand to
• [g]. Ex 22:25
• [h]. Lit promised with your mouth
• [i]. Ec 5:4-7

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.