Deuteronomy 23:14

_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._ No JFB commentary on this verse....

9-14 The camp of the Lord must have nothing offensive in it. If there must be this care taken to preserve the body clean, much more should we be careful to keep the mind pure....

The whole passage refers not to the encampments of the nation while passing from Egypt through the wilderness, but to future warlike expeditions seat out from Canaan....

EXPOSITION CIVIL RIGHTS. WHO MAY AND WHO MAY NOT ENTER INTO THE CONGREGATION. UNCLEANNESS IN THE CAMP TO BE AVOIDED. RECEPTION OF FUGITIVE SLAVES. LICENTIOUS PERSONS TO BE REMOVED, AND GIFTS THE PRICE OF IMPURITY TO BE REFUSED. LAWS REGARDING USURY, VOWS, AND

FOR THE LORD THY GOD WALKETH IN THE MIDST OF THY CAMP,.... In the tabernacle, which moved when the host marched after the camps of Judah and Reuben, and before those of Ephraim and Dan, in the midst of them: this was the position of it while in the wilderness, and afterwards when they came into the land of Canaan, and went to war with their enemies, the ark sometimes went with them, the symbol of the divine Presence; and here it is made a reason why they should avoid all uncleanness, since the holy God, or that token of his, presence, was in the midst of them: TO DELIVER THEE, AND GIVE UP THINE ENEMIES BEFORE THEE: to save them from falling into the hands of their enemies, and to deliver their enemies into their hands, which depended not upon their numbers, strength, and skill, but on the Presence, providence, and power of God with them; wherefore, as the above writer t observes, by the...

19. THE CONGREGATION OF JEHOVAH AND ITS CONSTITUTION AND HOLINESS CHAPTER 23 _ 1. The constitution of the congregation of Jehovah (Deuteronomy 23:1)_ 2. The cleanness of the camp in time of war (Deuteronomy 23:9) 3. Concerning the escaped slave and the harlot (Deuteronomy 23:15) 4. Usury forbidden (Deuteronomy 23:19) 5. Concerning vows (Deuteronomy 23:21) 6. The neighbor's vineyard and field ...

ANOTHER SECTION DEALING WITH WAR (see Deuteronomy 20:1; Deuteronomy 21:10). Regulations for securing the ceremonial purity of the camp (see Numbers 5:2 (P)). The reason stated (Deuteronomy 23:14) is that Yahweh is in the camp (_cf. Deuteronomy 20:1_); Schwally and others suspect that the original motive is the belief that impurity attracted evil spirits. [J. G. Frazer (_Taboo and the Perils of the Soul_, pp. 158f.) points out that the rules of ceremonial purity, by which the Hebrew warriors were bound, are identica

WALKETH. Figure of speech _Anthropopatheia._ App-6. Compare Genesis 3:8; Leviticus 26:12. CAMP. Some codices, with Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "camps". HOLY. separated. See note on Exodus 3:5....

(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

LAWS REGARDING ADMITTANCE TO THE CONGREGATION, CLEANLINESS IN THE CAMP, UNCHASTITY, USURY, AND VOWS 1. Shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord] i.e. not merely as priests (see Leviticus 21:16) but as ordinary members of the nation of Israel, all of whom are 'holy unto the Lord.' The reference in this v. is probably to the self-mutilation practised by the devotees of certain heathen gods, and alluded to by St. Paul in Galatians 5:12 : cp. Deuteronomy 14:1....