Deuteronomy 23:7 Komentář

The laws of this chapter provide, I. For the preserving of the purity and honour of the families of Israel, by excluding such as would be a disgrace to them (Deu 23:1-8). II. For the preserving of the purity and honour of the camp of Israel when it was abroad (Deu 23:9-14). III. For the encouraging and entertaining of slaves who fled to them (Deu 23:15, Deu 23:16). IV. Against whoredom (Deu 23:17, Deu 23:18). V. Against usury (Deu 23:19, Deu 23:20). IV. Against the breach of vows (Deu 23:21-23). VII. What liberty a man might take in his neighbour's field and vineyard, and what not (Deu 23:23, Deu 23:25).

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 23 Orders are here given to restrain certain persons from entering into the congregation of the Lord, Deu 23:1, and to take care that there be no unclean person in the camp, or any indecent thing done in it, Deu 23:9, to protect fugitive servants, and not deliver them up to their masters, Deu 23:15 not to suffer a filthy person to be among them, or any filthy thing to be brought into the house of God for a vow, Deu 23:17, then follow some laws against usury, and for the payment of vows, Deu 23:19, and the chapter is concluded with some directions how to behave in a neighbour's vineyard, or standing corn, Deu 23:24.

Thou shall not abhor an Edomite,.... Or an Idumean, the descendants of Esau, whose name was Edom, Gen 25:30 the Targum of Jonathan adds, "that comes to be made a proselyte"; he was not to be rejected with abhorrence, because of the old grudge between Jacob and Esau, and which was become national in their posterity: for he is thy brother; the Israelites and the Edomites were nearest akin to each other of all the nations; for Jacob and Esau were own brothers by father's and mother's side, yea, were twin brothers; the relation was very near: thou shall not abhor an Egyptian; that comes to be made a proselyte also, as the same Targum; though the Israelites were so ill used by them, their lives made bitter with hard bondage, and their male infants slain by them, and they for a long time refused their liberty to depart: because thou wast a stranger in his land: and at first received many favours and kindnesses from them, being supported and supplied with provisions during a long famine; and had one of the richest and most fruitful parts of the country assigned them to dwell in; and old favours were not to be forgotten, though they had been followed with great unkindness and cruelty.

At any rate [Scripture] says openly, “You shall not loathe Egyptians, since you lived as strangers in Egypt.” By Egyptian it means “Gentile,” in fact anyone from anywhere in the world. It is further forbidden to think of enemies as enemies, even if they are presently besieging your walls in the effort to capture your city, until you have sent them an envoy to invite them to peace.

WHO MAY AND WHO MAY NOT ENTER INTO THE CONGREGATION. (Deu. 23:1-25) He that is wounded . . ., shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord--"To enter into the congregation of the Lord" means either admission to public honors and offices in the Church and State of Israel, or, in the case of foreigners, incorporation with that nation by marriage. The rule was that strangers and foreigners, for fear of friendship or marriage connections with them leading the people into idolatry, were not admissible till their conversion to the Jewish faith. But this passage describes certain limitations of the general rule. The following parties were excluded from the full rights and privileges of citizenship: (1) Eunuchs--It was a very ancient practice for parents in the East by various arts to mutilate their children, with a view to training them for service in the houses of the great. (2) Bastards--Such an indelible stigma in both these instances was designed as a discouragement to practices that were disgraceful, but too common from intercourse with foreigners. (3) Ammonites and Moabites--Without provocation they had combined to engage a soothsayer to curse the Israelites; and had further endeavored, by ensnaring them into the guilt and licentious abominations of idolatry, to seduce them from their allegiance to God.

Regulations as to the Right of Citizenship in the Congregation of the Lord - Deuteronomy 23 From the sanctification of the house and the domestic relation, to which the laws of marriage and chastity in the previous chapter pointed, Moses proceeds to instructions concerning the sanctification of their union as a congregation: he gives directions as to the exclusion of certain persons from the congregation of the Lord, and the reception of others into it (Deu 23:1-8); as to the preservation of the purity of the camp in time of war (Deu 23:9-14); as to the reception of foreign slaves into the land, and the removal of licentious persons out of it (Deu 23:15-18); and lastly, as to certain duties of citizenship (Deu 23:19-25).