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Deuteronomy 23

World English Bible

WEB

1He who is emasculated by crushing or cutting shall not enter into Yahweh’s assembly. 2A person born of a forbidden union shall not enter into Yahweh’s assembly; even to the tenth generation shall no one of his enter into Yahweh’s assembly. 3An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into Yahweh’s assembly; even to the tenth generation shall no one belonging to them enter into Yahweh’s assembly forever, 4because they didn’t meet you with bread and with water on the way when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you. 5Nevertheless Yahweh your God wouldn’t listen to Balaam, but Yahweh your God turned the curse into a blessing to you, because Yahweh your God loved you. 6You shall not seek their peace nor their prosperity all your days forever. 7You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother. You shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you lived as a foreigner in his land. 8The children of the third generation who are born to them may enter into Yahweh’s assembly. 9When you go out and camp against your enemies, then you shall keep yourselves from every evil thing. 10If there is among you any man who is not clean by reason of that which happens to him by night, then shall he go outside of the camp. He shall not come within the camp; 11but it shall be, when evening comes, he shall bathe himself in water. When the sun is down, he shall come within the camp. 12You shall have a place also outside of the camp where you go relieve yourself. 13You shall have a trowel among your weapons. It shall be, when you relieve yourself, you shall dig with it, and shall turn back and cover your excrement; 14for Yahweh your God walks in the middle of your camp, to deliver you, and to give up your enemies before you. Therefore your camp shall be holy, that he may not see an unclean thing in you, and turn away from you. 15You shall not deliver to his master a servant who has escaped from his master to you. 16He shall dwell with you, among you, in the place which he shall choose within one of your gates, where it pleases him best. You shall not oppress him. 17There shall be no prostitute of the daughters of Israel, neither shall there be a sodomite of the sons of Israel. 18You shall not bring the hire of a prostitute, or the wages of a male prostitute, into the house of Yahweh your God for any vow; for both of these are an abomination to Yahweh your God. 19You shall not lend on interest to your brother: interest of money, interest of food, interest of anything that is lent on interest. 20You may charge a foreigner interest; but you shall not charge your brother interest, that Yahweh your God may bless you in all that you put your hand to, in the land where you go in to possess it. 21When you vow a vow to Yahweh your God, you shall not be slack to pay it, for Yahweh your God will surely require it of you; and it would be sin in you. 22But if you refrain from making a vow, it shall be no sin in you. 23You shall observe and do that which has gone out of your lips. Whatever you have vowed to Yahweh your God as a free will offering, which you have promised with your mouth, you must do. 24When you come into your neighbor’s vineyard, then you may eat your fill of grapes at your own pleasure; but you shall not put any in your container. 25When you come into your neighbor’s standing grain, then you may pluck the ears with your hand; but you shall not use a sickle on your neighbor’s standing grain.

World English Bible, 2020 stable text edition. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org. eBible.org

Overview

Deuteronomy Chapter 23 provides a series of laws and regulations that reflect God's holiness and the moral conduct expected of His people, the #Israelites. The chapter begins by addressing who may enter the assembly of the Lord, stating that certain individuals, such as those who are emasculated or born of forbidden unions, are excluded from this assembly (Deuteronomy 23:1-2). This emphasizes the importance of purity and the need for the community to maintain a standard that honors God. The chapter also includes provisions for the #Ammonites and #Moabites, who are forbidden from entering the assembly due to their past hostility towards Israel (Deuteronomy 23:3-6). This serves as a reminder of the consequences of opposing God's chosen people and the importance of loyalty to Him.

The chapter continues with instructions regarding cleanliness and proper conduct in the camp, highlighting the need for the Israelites to be holy as God is holy (Deuteronomy 23:9-14). It emphasizes the importance of maintaining a clean and respectful environment, especially during times of worship and battle. Additionally, the chapter addresses issues of lending and the treatment of runaway slaves, urging compassion and justice (Deuteronomy 23:15-16). The concluding verses remind the Israelites of the importance of keeping their vows to God and the seriousness of making promises (Deuteronomy 23:21-23). Overall, this chapter serves as a guide for the Israelites to live in a way that reflects their covenant relationship with God, ensuring that they remain distinct and holy among the nations.

In summary, Deuteronomy 23 calls the #Israelites to uphold God's standards of holiness, justice, and compassion, reminding them of their identity as His chosen people and the responsibilities that come with it.

Study

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Referenced by

  1. Leviticus 27:9-10v21Leviticus 27:9-10 outlines the rules for redeeming vowed animals, while Deuteronomy 23:21-23 stresses the seriousness of fulfilling vows to the Lord.
  2. Numbers 22:12v5In Numbers 22:12, God tells Balaam not to curse Israel because they are blessed. Deuteronomy 23:5 reiterates that God turned Balaam's intended curse into a blessing because of His love for Israel.
  3. Numbers 23:21v5Numbers 23:21 speaks of God's favor and presence with Israel, despite their imperfections, which is further explained in Deuteronomy 23:5 where God turns Balaam's intended curse into a blessing.
  4. Numbers 30:2v21Numbers 30:2 emphasizes the importance of keeping vows made to the Lord, which is reiterated in Deuteronomy 23:21-23, highlighting the seriousness of making and fulfilling vows.
  5. Nehemiah 13:1v3Nehemiah 13:1 refers to the law that no Ammonite or Moabite should enter the assembly of God, which is originally stated in Deuteronomy 23:3-5. This highlights the importance of adhering to God's commandments regarding the purity of the assembly.
  6. Ecclesiastes 5:4v21Ecclesiastes 5:4 emphasizes the importance of fulfilling vows made to God, which is echoed in Deuteronomy 23:21, where it is commanded that one must not delay in fulfilling a vow to the Lord.
  7. Ezekiel 44:9v1Ezekiel 44:9 prohibits foreigners and the uncircumcised in heart and flesh from entering the sanctuary, echoing the restrictions in Deuteronomy 23:1-3 regarding who may enter the assembly of the LORD.
  8. Hosea 4:14v17Hosea 4:14 and Deuteronomy 23:17 both condemn the practice of cult prostitution, highlighting the moral and spiritual corruption that results from forsaking God's commandments.

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