Deuteronomy 23:9-14

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.^[a]

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.

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]. Lv 15:16-17