Deuteronomy 23:12

12 Thou shalt have a place also outside the camp where thou shalt go forth abroad;

Deuteronomy 23:12 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 23:12

Thou shalt have also a place without the camp
A place prepared, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, provided on purpose for the use hereafter suggested; so Ben Melech:

whither thou shalt go forth abroad;
to do the necessities of nature, which they were to do without the camp, not in any place they thought fit and most convenient, but what was appointed for that purpose.

Deuteronomy 23:12 In-Context

10 When there is among you any man that is not clean by reason of uncleanness that chances by night, then he shall go abroad out of the camp; he shall not come within the camp.

11 And it shall be when evening comes, he shall wash himself with water, and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp again.

12 Thou shalt have a place also outside the camp where thou shalt go forth abroad;

13 and thou shalt have a stake among thy weapons; and it shall be when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig with it and shalt turn back and cover thy excrement;

14 for the LORD thy God walks in the midst of thy camp to deliver thee and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore, shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee and turn away from thee.