Deuteronomy — Chapter 23

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1No man with crushed or severed genitals may enter the assembly of the LORD.

2No one of illegitimate birth may enter the assembly of the LORD, nor may any of his descendants, even to the tenth generation.

3No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, even to the tenth generation.

4For 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.

5Yet 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.

6You are not to seek peace or prosperity from them as long as you live.

7Do not despise an Edomite, for he is your brother. Do not despise an Egyptian, because you lived as a foreigner in his land.

8The third generation of children born to them may enter the assembly of the LORD.

9When you are encamped against your enemies, then you shall keep yourself from every wicked thing.

10If any man among you becomes unclean because of a nocturnal emission, he must leave the camp and stay outside.

11When evening approaches, he must wash with water, and when the sun sets he may return to the camp.

12You must have a place outside the camp to go and relieve yourself.

13And 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.

14For 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.

15Do not return a slave to his master if he has taken refuge with you.

16Let him live among you wherever he chooses, in the town of his pleasing. Do not oppress him.

17No daughter or son of Israel is to be a shrine prostitute.

18You 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.

19Do not charge your brother interest on money, food, or any other type of loan.

20You 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.

21If 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.

22But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty of sin.

23Be careful to follow through on what comes from your lips, because you have freely vowed to the LORD your God with your own mouth.

24When you enter your neighbor’s vineyard, you may eat your fill of grapes, but you must not put any in your basket.

25When 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.

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

2A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD.

3An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever:

4Because 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 of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee.

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

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

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

8The children that are begotten of them shall enter into the congregation of the LORD in their third generation.

9When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing.

10If there be among you any man, that is not clean by reason of uncleanness that chanceth him by night, then shall he go abroad out of the camp, he shall not come within the camp:

11But it shall be, when evening cometh on, he shall wash himself with water: and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp again.

12Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad:

13And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee:

14For the LORD thy God walketh 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.

15Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee:

16He shall dwell with thee, even among you, in that place which he shall choose in one of thy gates, where it liketh him best: thou shalt not oppress him.

17There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.

18Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the LORD thy God.

19Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury:

20Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it.

21When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.

22But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.

23That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the LORD thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth.

24When thou comest into thy neighbour’s vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure; but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel.

25When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour’s standing corn.

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

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

3An 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:

4because 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.

5Nevertheless 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.

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

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

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

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

10If there be among you any man, that is not clean by reason of that which chanceth him by night, then shall he go abroad out of the camp, he shall not come within the camp:

11but it shall be, when evening cometh on, he shall bathe himself in water; and when the sun is down, he shall come within the camp.

12Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad:

13and thou shalt have a paddle among thy weapons; and it shall be, when thou sittest down abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee:

14for Jehovah thy God walketh 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 may not see an unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee.

15Thou shalt not deliver unto his master a servant that is escaped from his master unto thee:

16he shall dwell with thee, in the midst of thee, in the place which he shall choose within one of thy gates, where it pleaseth him best: thou shalt not oppress him.

17There shall be no prostitute of the daughters of Israel, neither shall there be a sodomite of the sons of Israel.

18Thou shalt not bring the hire of a harlot, or the wages of a dog, into the house of Jehovah thy God for any vow: for even both these are an abomination unto Jehovah thy God.

19Thou shalt not lend upon interest to thy brother; interest of money, interest of victuals, interest of anything that is lent upon interest:

20unto a foreigner thou mayest lend upon interest; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon interest, that Jehovah thy God may bless thee in all that thou puttest thy hand unto, in the land whither thou goest in to possess it.

21When thou shalt vow a vow unto Jehovah thy God, thou shalt not be slack to pay it: for Jehovah thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.

22But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.

23That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt observe and do; according as thou hast vowed unto Jehovah thy God, a freewill-offering, which thou hast promised with thy mouth.

24When thou comest into thy neighbor`s vineyard, then thou mayest eat of grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure; but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel.

25When thou comest into thy neighbor`s standing grain, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thy hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbor`s standing grain.

1A man with crushed or severed genitals may not enter the assembly of the Lord.

2A person of illegitimate birth may not enter the assembly of the Lord; to the tenth generation no one related to him may do so.

3No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the Lord; to the tenth generation none of their descendants shall ever do so,

4for they did not meet you with food and water on the way as you came from Egypt, and furthermore, they hired Balaam son of Beor of Pethor in Aram Naharaim to curse you.

5But the Lord your God refused to listen to Balaam and changed the curse to a blessing, for the Lord your God loves you.

6You must not seek peace and prosperity for them through all the ages to come.

7You must not hate an Edomite, for he is your relative; you must not hate an Egyptian, for you lived as a foreigner in his land.

8Children of the third generation born to them may enter the assembly of the Lord.

9When you go out as an army against your enemies, guard yourselves against anything impure.

10If there is someone among you who is impure because of some nocturnal emission, he must leave the camp; he may not reenter it immediately.

11When evening arrives he must wash himself with water, and then at sunset he may reenter the camp.

12You are to have a place outside the camp to serve as a latrine.

13You must have a spade among your other equipment, and when you relieve yourself outside you must dig a hole with the spade and then turn and cover your excrement.

14For the Lord your God walks about in the middle of your camp to deliver you and defeat your enemies for you. Therefore your camp should be holy, so that he does not see anything indecent among you and turn away from you.

15You must not return an escaped slave to his master when he has run away to you.

16Indeed, he may live among you in any place he chooses, in whichever of your villages he prefers; you must not oppress him.

17There must never be a sacred prostitute among the young women of Israel nor a sacred male prostitute among the young men of Israel.

18You must never bring the pay of a female prostitute or the wage of a male prostitute into the temple of the Lord your God in fulfillment of any vow, for both of these are abhorrent to the Lord your God.

19You must not charge interest on a loan to your fellow Israelite, whether on money, food, or anything else that has been loaned with interest.

20You may lend with interest to a foreigner, but not to your fellow Israelite; if you keep this command the Lord your God will bless you in all you undertake in the land you are about to enter to possess.

21When you make a vow to the Lord your God you must not delay in fulfilling it, for otherwise he will surely hold you accountable as a sinner.

22If you refrain from making a vow, it will not be sinful.

23Whatever you vow, you must be careful to do what you have promised, such as what you have vowed to the Lord your God as a freewill offering.

24When you enter the vineyard of your neighbor you may eat as many grapes as you please, but you must not take away any in a container.

25When you go into the ripe grain fields of your neighbor you may pluck off the kernels with your hand, but you must not use a sickle on your neighbor’s ripe grain.

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 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 lend on interest to a foreigner; 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 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 freewill offering, which you have promised with your mouth, you must do.

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 container.

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.

Summary
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
Commentary
Videos
Articles
Reflection

Summary

Moses lists who may and may not be admitted into the assembly of the LORD, including restrictions on Ammonites and Moabites due to their hostility toward Israel, alongside instructions welcoming Edomites and Egyptians after a few generations (vv. 1-8). He gives rules for keeping the military camp ritually clean, including provisions for bodily discharges and burying human waste outside the camp, since the LORD moves among them there (vv. 9-14). Moses closes with a range of further laws: not returning an escaped slave to his master, forbidding cult prostitution, prohibiting bringing the wages of prostitution into the LORD's house, forbidding interest charged to fellow Israelites, requiring that vows be kept once made, and permitting a hungry traveler to eat from a neighbor's field or vineyard but not to harvest it (vv. 15-25).

Authorship & Background

Author: Moses. Deuteronomy is the fifth and final book of the Pentateuch, written at the end of the 40 years of wilderness wandering (approximately 1406 BC). Hebrew title: "Devarim" — "Words/Things." Greek title: "Deuteronomion" — "Second Law" (a repetition/expansion of the Law for the new generation). The book consists of Moses' farewell speeches to Israel on the plains of Moab, just before they enter the Promised Land. Moses will not enter with them — these are his final words to the nation he has led for 40 years.
Historical Context: Chapter 23 addresses membership in the covenant assembly (vv.1-8), camp holiness (vv.9-14), and various laws governing community life (vv.15-25). The exclusion laws (vv.1-8) define who may "enter the congregation of the LORD" — participate fully in Israel's worship assembly. Those excluded include the emasculated (v.1), those of illegitimate birth (v.2), and Ammonites and Moabites permanently (vv.3-6). However, Edomites (Israel's brother through Esau) and Egyptians (Israel's former host nation) may enter in the third generation (vv.7-8). These laws are not about salvation but about full participation in the covenant community's worship. Notably, Ruth the Moabitess was accepted into Israel and became an ancestor of David and Christ — showing that individual faith could transcend national exclusion. The camp holiness laws (vv.9-14) are remarkable for their theological reasoning: "the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp" (v.14). God's presence demands physical cleanliness — even in military camps. The remaining laws cover escaped slaves (protected, not returned — vv.15-16), cult prostitution (forbidden — vv.17-18), interest on loans to brothers (forbidden — vv.19-20), vows (must be fulfilled — vv.21-23), and eating from a neighbor's field (permitted in moderation — vv.24-25).
Classification: Historical Narrative
Key Themes: emasculated men, those of illegitimate birth, and Ammonites and Moabites permanently barred from the assembly while Edomites and Egyptians are readmitted after only three generations, camp sanitation regulated down to a tool for covering waste because the LORD himself is said to walk in the camp, an escaped slave deliberately protected from being returned to his master rather than handed back, a vow left optional to make but binding the moment it is spoken, and hunger in a neighbor's field permitted to be satisfied by hand while a sickle or a container crosses the line into theft
Exclusions from the Assembly (vv.1-8): "He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD" (v.1). Emasculation was associated with pagan worship practices. "A bastard shall not enter" (KJV) / "No one born of a forbidden union" (ESV) (v.2) — to the tenth generation. "An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter... for ever" (v.3). Two reasons: (1) "they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt" (v.4) — they showed no hospitality; (2) "they hired against thee Balaam... to curse thee" (v.4) — they sought Israel's destruction. But God "turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the LORD thy God loved thee" (v.5). "Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days for ever" (v.6). However: "Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother" (v.7). "Thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land" (v.7). Their descendants may enter "in their third generation" (v.8).
Camp Holiness (vv.9-14): "When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing" (v.9). Specific case: nocturnal uncleanness — the man goes outside the camp until evening, washes, then returns (vv.10-11). Sanitation: "Thou shalt have a place also without the camp" for bodily functions (v.12). "Thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon" (KJV) / "a trowel with your tools" (ESV) — dig and cover (v.13). The theological reason: "For the LORD thy God walketh 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" (v.14). God's presence demands holiness — even physical cleanliness.
Escaped Slaves Protected (vv.15-16): "Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee" (v.15). The escaped slave may live "in that place which he shall choose in one of thy gates, where it liketh him best" (v.16). "Thou shalt not oppress him" (v.16). This is remarkable — most ancient Near Eastern law codes required return of escaped slaves. Israel's law protects them.
Cult Prostitution Forbidden (vv.17-18): "There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel" (KJV) / "None of the daughters of Israel shall be a cult prostitute, and none of the sons of Israel shall be a cult prostitute" (ESV) (v.17). "Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD" (v.18). "Dog" = male cult prostitute (a term of contempt). Both are "abomination unto the LORD" (v.18). Sacred prostitution was central to Canaanite fertility worship — absolutely forbidden in Israel.
No Interest to Brothers (vv.19-20): "Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing" (v.19). No interest on loans to fellow Israelites — of any kind. "Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury" (v.20) — commercial loans to foreigners are permitted. "That the LORD thy God may bless thee" (v.20). Generosity to brothers brings God's blessing.
Vows Must Be Fulfilled (vv.21-23): "When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it" (v.21). God "will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee" (v.21). But: "if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee" (v.22). You are not required to vow — but once you do, you must fulfill it. "That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform" (v.23). Your word to God is binding.
Eating from a Neighbor's Field (vv.24-25): "When thou comest into thy neighbour's vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill" (v.24) — but "thou shalt not put any in thy vessel" (v.24). You may eat but not harvest. "When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand" (v.25) — but "thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour's standing corn" (v.25). Immediate hunger may be satisfied; commercial taking is theft.

Map & Geography

  • Moses speaks from the plains of Moab. Nations excluded from or admitted to the assembly: Ammon and Moab excluded (v.3) — these border Israel to the east. Edom and Egypt admitted in the third generation (v.7-8).

Places on this map

  • Moabwest-central JordanThe plateau east of the Dead Sea, cut off from Israel by the rift valley and from Ammon by the Arnon gorge. High enough to farm grain, which is why Naomi's family went there in a famine. Wikipedia
  • AmmonAmman, JordanThe plateau at the desert's edge east of Gilead, with its capital Rabbah at the head of a wadi where modern Amman still preserves the name. Squeezed between the desert and Israel, it spent its history pushing west whenever Israel was weak. Wikipedia
  • Edomsouthern JordanThe red sandstone highlands south-east of the Dead Sea, holding the King's Highway and later Petra. Settlements sat behind cliffs and narrow gorges, which is the pride Obadiah addresses when he speaks to those who dwell in the clefts of the rock. Wikipedia
  • EgyptEgyptA ribbon of irrigated land along the Nile, ending in the Delta where Israel settled in Goshen. Rain-fed Canaan depended on weather; Egypt depended on a river that flooded on schedule, which made it the place everyone went when the harvest failed. Wikipedia

Towns sit on their excavated or traditional site. Regions, rivers and seas are ringed rather than dotted, because for those a single point is only an anchor. Coastlines from Natural Earth.

Commentary

  • Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik notes that the exclusion laws are about assembly participation, not personal salvation — Ruth the Moabitess proves that individual faith transcends national exclusion. He emphasizes that the escaped slave law is remarkably progressive for the ancient world — most law codes required return of fugitive slaves. He highlights v.14 as the theological key: God's presence demands holiness in every area of life.
  • Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871): blueletterbible.org A critical and explanatory commentary on the whole Bible, more concise than Matthew Henry and closer to the Hebrew and Greek, with attention to historical and geographical detail. Public domain.
  • Matthew Henry's Exposition (1710): blueletterbible.org A devotional verse-by-verse commentary in the Puritan tradition, still among the most widely read three centuries on. Public domain.

Videos

Deuteronomy 23 Summary: 5 Minute Bible Study
2BeLikeChrist

Deuteronomy 23-25 | Purity and Presence | Bible Study
Spoken Gospel

Articles

  • GotQuestions.org: gotquestions.org On the whole book: an overview of the book of Deuteronomy -- who wrote it, when, why, and how it fits the rest of Scripture.

Links open on the publisher's own site. Nothing here is reproduced on this page.

Reflection

  • God Reverses What Enemies Intend for Harm (v.5) — When Balaam was hired to curse Israel, God turned that curse into a blessing simply because He loved His people. Is there a situation right now where you're waiting to see how God might turn something meant to hurt you into something good?
  • Holiness Because God Is Present (v.14) — Even the camp's sanitation practices mattered because the Lord Himself walked among His people and wanted nothing unclean in their midst. Does the awareness that God is genuinely present in your everyday life change how you handle the ordinary, unseen details of it?
  • Siding With the Vulnerable (v.16) — An escaped servant was to be given freedom and protection rather than returned to whoever held power over him. Where do you have a chance to protect someone who is vulnerable, even when the more convenient choice would be to hand them back to whatever was harming them?
  • Generosity Instead of Profit Among Brothers (v.20) — Israel was forbidden from charging interest on loans to fellow Israelites, treating that relationship as one meant for generosity rather than gain. Are there relationships where you've let the instinct to profit crowd out the instinct to simply help?
  • The Weight of a Promise Made to God (v.22) — No one was required to make a vow, but once spoken, it had to be kept in full. Is there a commitment you made to God — in prayer, in a season of gratitude, or in a moment of need — that you've quietly let slide?