WEB
Deuteronomy 23
1He who is wounded in the stones, or has his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the assembly of Yahweh.
2A bastard shall not enter into the assembly of Yahweh; even to the tenth generation shall none of his enter into the assembly of Yahweh.
3An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into the assembly of Yahweh; even to the tenth generation shall none belonging to them enter into the assembly of Yahweh forever:
4because they didn't meet you with bread and with water in the way, when you came forth 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 shall enter into the assembly of Yahweh.
9When you go forth in 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 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 on, he shall bathe himself in water; and when the sun is down, he shall come within the camp.
12You shall have a place also outside of the camp, where you shall go forth abroad:
13and you shall have a paddle among your weapons; and it shall be, when you sit down abroad, you shall dig therewith, and shall turn back and cover that which comes from you:
14for Yahweh your God walks in the midst 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 is escaped from his master to you:
16he shall dwell with you, in the midst of 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 dog, into the house of Yahweh your God for any vow: for even both 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:
20to a foreigner you may lend on interest; but to your brother you shall not lend on 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 shall 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 shall forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in you.
23That which is gone out of your lips you shall observe and do; according as you have vowed to Yahweh your God, a freewill offering, which you have promised with your mouth.
24When you come into your neighbor's vineyard, then you may eat of grapes your fill at your own pleasure; but you shall not put any in your vessel.
25When you come into your neighbor's standing grain, then you may pluck the ears with your hand; but you shall not move a sickle to your neighbor's standing grain.
Study This Passage
Key Words and Topics
These study connections are drawn from the internal BSB concordance and topical index imported into Daily Bread Intake.
Key Words in This Passage
Select a word to open the full concordance search.
Related Topics
Abomination to God: The Hire of a Whore and Price of a Dog, As a Consecrated Gift Deuteronomy 23:18
You must not bring the wages of a prostitute, whether female or male, into the house of the LORD your God to fulfill any vow, because both are detestable to the LORD your God.
Adultery: Forbidden Deuteronomy 23:17
No daughter or son of Israel is to be a shrine prostitute.
Agriculture or Farming: Enactments to Protect: Not to Cut Down Crops of Another Deuteronomy 23:25
When you enter your neighbor’s grainfield, you may pluck the heads of grain with your hand, but you must not put a sickle to your neighbor’s grain.
Agriculture or Farming: Implements of The Sickle Deuteronomy 23:25
When you enter your neighbor’s grainfield, you may pluck the heads of grain with your hand, but you must not put a sickle to your neighbor’s grain.
Agriculture: Laws Concerning Deuteronomy 23:24, 25
When you enter your neighbor’s vineyard, you may eat your fill of grapes, but you must not put any in your basket. / When you enter your neighbor’s grainfield, you may pluck the heads of grain with your hand, but you must not put a sickle to your neighbor’s grain.
Aliens: Jews Authorized to Take Usury From Deuteronomy 23:20
You may charge a foreigner interest, but not your brother, so that the LORD your God may bless you in everything to which you put your hand in the land that you are entering to possess.
Aliens: Kindness to Edomites, Enjoined Deuteronomy 23:7
Do not despise an Edomite, for he is your brother. Do not despise an Egyptian, because you lived as a foreigner in his land.
Ammonites: Excluded from the Congregation of Israel Deuteronomy 23:3–6
No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, even to the tenth generation. / For they did not meet you with food and water on your way out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram-naharaim to curse you. / Yet the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam, and the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you.
Anthropomorphisms: Miscellaneous Acts and States of Mind Attributed to Walking Deuteronomy 23:14
For the LORD your God walks throughout your camp to protect you and deliver your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy, lest He see anything unclean among you and turn away from you.
Armies: March in Ranks: Holiness Enjoined Deuteronomy 23:9
When you are encamped against your enemies, then you shall keep yourself from every wicked thing.
Balaam: from Mesopotamia Deuteronomy 23:4
For they did not meet you with food and water on your way out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram-naharaim to curse you.
Bankruptcy Deuteronomy 23:19, 20
Do not charge your brother interest on money, food, or any other type of loan. / You may charge a foreigner interest, but not your brother, so that the LORD your God may bless you in everything to which you put your hand in the land that you are entering to possess.
Bastard: Excluded from the Congregation Deuteronomy 23:2
No one of illegitimate birth may enter the assembly of the LORD, nor may any of his descendants, even to the tenth generation.
Breaking a Vow Deuteronomy 23:21–23
If you make a vow to the LORD your God, do not be slow to keep it, because He will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin. / But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty of sin. / Be careful to follow through on what comes from your lips, because you have freely vowed to the LORD your God with your own mouth.
Brother: Signifies: A Neighbor Deuteronomy 23:7
Do not despise an Edomite, for he is your brother. Do not despise an Egyptian, because you lived as a foreigner in his land.
Charging Interest Deuteronomy 23:19, 20
Do not charge your brother interest on money, food, or any other type of loan. / You may charge a foreigner interest, but not your brother, so that the LORD your God may bless you in everything to which you put your hand in the land that you are entering to possess.
Children: Bastard, Excluded from the Privileges of the Congregation Deuteronomy 23:2
No one of illegitimate birth may enter the assembly of the LORD, nor may any of his descendants, even to the tenth generation.
Children: Illegitimate: Excluded from the Congregation Deuteronomy 23:2
No one of illegitimate birth may enter the assembly of the LORD, nor may any of his descendants, even to the tenth generation.
Church of Israel: Persons Excluded From Deuteronomy 23:1–4
No man with crushed or severed genitals may enter the assembly of the LORD. / No one of illegitimate birth may enter the assembly of the LORD, nor may any of his descendants, even to the tenth generation. / No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, even to the tenth generation.
Church: House of the Lord Deuteronomy 23:18
You must not bring the wages of a prostitute, whether female or male, into the house of the LORD your God to fulfill any vow, because both are detestable to the LORD your God.
Cleanliness: Regulation Relating To, in Camp Deuteronomy 23:12–14
You must have a place outside the camp to go and relieve yourself. / And you must have a digging tool in your equipment so that when you relieve yourself you can dig a hole and cover up your excrement. / For the LORD your God walks throughout your camp to protect you and deliver your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy, lest He see anything unclean among you and turn away from you.
Congregation: Those Who Were Excluded From Deuteronomy 23:1–3
No man with crushed or severed genitals may enter the assembly of the LORD. / No one of illegitimate birth may enter the assembly of the LORD, nor may any of his descendants, even to the tenth generation. / No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, even to the tenth generation.
Corn: Mosaic Laws Concerning Deuteronomy 23:25
When you enter your neighbor’s grainfield, you may pluck the heads of grain with your hand, but you must not put a sickle to your neighbor’s grain.
Creditor: Laws Concerning Deuteronomy 23:19, 20
Do not charge your brother interest on money, food, or any other type of loan. / You may charge a foreigner interest, but not your brother, so that the LORD your God may bless you in everything to which you put your hand in the land that you are entering to possess.
Select a topic to open the full topical search.
Bible Dictionary
Related Dictionary Terms
Explore people, places, themes, and biblical terms connected to this passage.
Commentary Insights
Study and Reflection
Explore devotional and study commentary connected to this passage.
Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
Pastoral and devotional reflections focused on spiritual formation and application.
Deuteronomy 23:1-8 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.
Deuteronomy 23:9-14 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.
Deuteronomy 23:15-25 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.