Deuteronomychapter 23

25 verses · ASV

This chapter sends 197 cross-references outward and receives 139 — heaviest partner: Leviticus.

Chapter summary

The assembly, the camp's purity, and various laws. Castrated and bastards barred from the assembly of the LORD; Ammonite and Moabite to the tenth generation; Edomite and Egyptian admitted in the third generation. The camp must be kept clean — a place outside for nature, a paddle on the weapon to cover it — ‘for the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp’. The escaped slave finds asylum. No harlots, no sodomites, no usury to a brother. Vows to be paid promptly. Eating freely in a neighbour's vineyard or cornfield as you pass through, but not filling a vessel or putting a sickle to his grain.

Drafted from Matthew Henry, Calvin, Gill, Clarke, JFB, and Barnes.

Context

Law · Moses — see the Deuteronomy overview for the book's full setting.

1 He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the assembly of Jehovah.

2 A bastard shall not enter into the assembly of Jehovah; even to the tenth generation shall none of his enter into the assembly of Jehovah.

3 An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into the assembly of Jehovah; even to the tenth generation shall none belonging to them enter into the assembly of Jehovah for ever:

4 because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt, and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee.

5 Nevertheless Jehovah thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but Jehovah thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because Jehovah thy God loved thee.

6 Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days for ever.

7 Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a sojourner in his land.

8 The children of the third generation that are born unto them shall enter into the assembly of Jehovah.

9 When thou goest forth in camp against thine enemies, then thou shalt keep thee from every evil thing.