CHAPTER 23 REGULATION CONCERNING THOSE WHOM YAHWEH MAKES WELCOME AND UNWELCOME (1-18): REGULATIONS CONCERNING HONEST DEALINGS (19-25). Moses now came to the question as to whom in the future were to be welcome to become true Israelites with full rights in the community and who would not, and them w... [ Continue Reading ]
KEEPING THE MILITARY CAMP RITUALLY CLEAN (DEUTERONOMY 23:9). Having established the purity of the assembly of Israel Moses now moved on to the question of the purity of the military camp of Israel. If they desired Yahweh to be with them in their midst they must preserve the purity of the camp. Ana... [ Continue Reading ]
OTHER ASPECTS OF ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIOUR (DEUTERONOMY 23:15). Analysis in the words of Moses: a You shall not deliver to his master a slave who is escaped from his master to you, he shall dwell with you, in the midst of you, in the place which he shall choose within one of your gates, where it plea... [ Continue Reading ]
BOTH MALE AND FEMALE PROSTITUTION FORBIDDEN IN ISRAEL (DEUTERONOMY 23:17). In contrast with the welcome given to the escaped slave are the unwelcome Israelite male and female prostitutes. Deuteronomy 23:17 ‘ There shall be no cult prostitute (holy one) of the daughters of Israel, neither shall th... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR UNCLEAN MONEY NOT TO BE ACCEPTED IN THE HOUSE OF GOD (DEUTERONOMY 23:18). The comparison here was of not allowing anything unclean in the place where Yahweh dwelt (Deuteronomy 23:10). Deuteronomy 23:18 ‘ You shall not bring the hire of a prostitute, or the wages of a dog, into the house of... [ Continue Reading ]
COVENANT MATTERS AND HONEST DEALINGS (DEUTERONOMY 23:19). The section on what should be welcomed and what should not was then followed by the approach to covenant responsibilities fulfilled out of honest goodness; such as not taking from the poor interest on loans (Deuteronomy 23:19), not taking fro... [ Continue Reading ]
FOOD MAY BE PICKED FROM A NEIGHBOUR'S PROPERTY TO BE EATEN BY HAND (DEUTERONOMY 23:24). Further provision was made here for the poor, but it also applied to any who were feeling hungry and looked for the means at hand to satisfy it, especially when travelling. For the land was Yahweh's and He may or... [ Continue Reading ]