Deuteronomy 23:7-14

(2) TEMPORARY EXCLUSION FOR EGYPTIANS, MOABITES AND PHYSICALLY UNCLEAN (Deuteronomy 23:7-14)

7 Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a sojourner in his land. 8 The children of the third generation that are born unto them shall enter into the assembly of Jehovah.
9 When thou goest forth in camp against thine enemies, then thou shalt keep thee from every evil thing. 10 If 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: 11 but 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. 12 Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad; 13 and 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: 14 for 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.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 23:7-14

390.

Why the lenient attitude toward the Egyptians? Were they not idolators? Discuss.

391.

Read Deuteronomy 23:14 first, then read Deuteronomy 23:9 through 13. If Jehovah was so near then what of today?

392.

There must be some connection between physical uncleanness and moral defilement. Discuss.

AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION 23:7-14

7 You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother [Esau's descendant]. You shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you were a stranger and temporary resident in his land.
8 Their children may enter into the congregation of the Lord in their third generation.
9 When you go forth against your enemies and are in camp, you shall keep yourself from every evil thing.
10 If there is among you any man who is not clean by reason of what happens to him at night, then he shall go outside the camp, he shall not come within the camp;
11 But when evening comes he shall bathe himself in water, and when the sun is down, he may return to the camp.
12 You shall have a place also outside the camp to which you shall go [as a comfort station];
13 And you shall have a paddle or shovel among your weapons, and when you sit down outside [to relieve yourself], you shall dig a hole with it, and turn back and cover up what has come from you.
14 For the Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp to deliver you and to give up your enemies before you; therefore shall your camp be holy, that He may see nothing indecent among you, and turn away from you.

COMMENT 23:7-14

The Edomites, as descendants of Esau, Jacob's brother, and the Egyptians, because Israel sojourned in their land, were to be allowed into the assembly of the congregation after three generations within Israel's borders. Egypt, of course, has been the spawning ground of Israelbeginning with seventy souls (Genesis 46:27), and leaving some four hundred years later with a great host which must have totaled well over two million (See the Introduction, II).

Those men deemed unclean while Israel was encamped against the enemy (Deuteronomy 23:9-14) were also to be excluded until they had complied with the cleansing formula here described. See the Rules for conducting the Holy War, (II, B, g, 7) following Deuteronomy 21:14.