FRAMEWORKS:
Deuteronomy 23: Holiness & Righteousness in the Nation
CONTEXT
Part
4: Ch.21-25 Moses lays out Relational Laws
Ch.21
– Misc. Administrative Laws
Ch.22
– Civil Laws, Marriage Laws & Abuse Laws
Ch.23
– Holiness & Righteousness in the Nation
Ch.24
– Relational Laws for a Holy Community
Ch.25
– Sentencing, Succession, Misc. Laws
v.1-8
Exclusion From the Assembly
v.9-14
Uncleanness in the Camp
v.15-25
Miscellaneous Righteousness Laws
v.1-8
Exclusion From the Assembly
v.1
No
one who has been emasculated by crushing or cutting may enter
the assembly of the Lord
.
v.2
No
one born of a forbidden marriage nor any of their descendants
may enter the assembly of the Lord , not even in the tenth generation.
v.3
No
Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the
assembly of the Lord
, not even
in the tenth generation.
v.4
For
they did not come to meet you with bread and water on your way
when you came out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam son of Beor
from Pethor in Aram Naharaim to pronounce a curse on you.
v.5
However,
the Lord
your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into
a blessing for you, because the Lord
your God loves
you.
v.6 Do
not seek a treaty of friendship with them as long as you live.
v.7
Do
not despise an Edomite, for the Edomites are related to you. Do
not despise an Egyptian, because you resided as foreigners in
their country.
v.8
The
third generation of children born to them may enter the assembly
of the Lord
.
[Notes:
This group of verses seeks for purity within the nation
and specifically the ceremonial aspects of the nation, purity
from disability, or race.]
v.9-14
Uncleanness in the Camp
v.9
When
you are encamped against your enemies, keep away from everything
impure.
v.10
If
one of your men is unclean because of a nocturnal emission, he
is to go outside the camp and stay there.
v.11
But
as evening approaches he is to wash himself, and at sunset he
may return to the camp.
v.12
Designate
a place outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself.
v.13
As
part of your equipment have something to dig with, and when you
relieve yourself, dig a hole and cover up your excrement.
v.14
For
the Lord
your God moves about in your camp to protect you and to deliver
your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy, so that he will not
see among you anything indecent and turn away from you.
[Notes:
Cleanliness and hygiene rules.]
v.15-25
Miscellaneous Righteousness Laws
v.15,16
Protect slaves
v.15
If
a slave has taken refuge with you, do not hand them over to their
master.
v.16
Let
them live among you wherever they like and in whatever town they
choose. Do not oppress them.
v.17,18
Avoid all aspects of prostitution
v.17
No
Israelite man or woman is to become a shrine prostitute.
v.18
You
must not bring the earnings of a female prostitute or of a male
prostitute into the house of the Lord
your God to
pay any vow, because the Lord
your God detests
them both.
v.19,20
Only charge interest to foreigner, not your own people
v.19
Do
not charge a fellow Israelite interest, whether on money or food
or anything else that may earn interest.
v.20
You
may charge a foreigner interest, but not a fellow Israelite, so
that the Lord
your God may
bless you in everything you put your hand to in the land you are
entering to possess.
v.21-23
Be careful about making vows
v.21
If
you make a vow to the Lord
your God,
do not be slow to pay it, for the Lord
your God will
certainly demand it of you and you will be guilty of sin.
v.22 But
if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty.
v.23
Whatever
your lips utter you must be sure to do, because you made your
vow freely to the Lord
your God with
your own mouth.
v.24,25
Caring & Sharing in limited ways
v.24
If
you enter your neighbor's vineyard, you may eat all the grapes
you want, but do not put any in your basket.
v.25
If
you enter your neighbor's grainfield, you may pick kernels with
your hands, but you must not put a sickle to their standing grain.
[Notes:
Again rules for behaviour within the nation that marks
them out as holy and God-conscious.]