Deuteronomy 23:8

_THOU SHALT NOT SEEK THEIR PEACE NOR THEIR PROSPERITY ALL THY DAYS FOR EVER._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

1-8 We ought to value the privileges of God's people, both for ourselves and for our children, above all other advantages. No personal blemishes, no crimes of our forefathers, no difference of nation, shuts us out under the Christian dispensation. But an unsound heart will deprive us of blessings; and a bad example, or an unsuitable marriage, may shut our children from them....

The Edomite, as descended from Esau the twin brother of Jacob (compare Deuteronomy 2:4), and the Egyptian, as of that nation which had for long shown hospitality to Joseph and his brethren, were not to be objects of abhorrence. The oppression of the Egyptians was perhaps regarded as the act of the Pharaohs rather than the will of the people Exodus 11:2; and at any rate was not to cancel the memory of preceding hospitality. Deuteronomy 23:8 IN THEIR THIRD GENERATION - i. e. the great grandchildren of the Edomite or Egyptian alien: compare the similar phrase in Exodus

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

THE CHILDREN THAT ARE BEGOTTEN OF THEM, Of such as became proselytes: SHALL ENTER INTO THE CONGREGATION OF THE LORD IN THEIR THIRD GENERATION; not in the third generation from the time that this law was made, but from the time that any of them should embrace the true religion; their sons were the second generation, and their grandchildren the third; and such might be admitted into the congregation, and be reckoned as of them, both in their civil and church state, and be capable of serving even offices among them, and of marriage with them, as the Targum of Jonathan; which some of the Jews interpret of males only, for females, according to them, might be married immediately as soon as made proselytes, in which way they account for the lawfulness of Solomon's marriage of Pharaoh's daughter p. p Vid. Kimchi in 1 Reg. 3. 1. or 1 Ki. 3. 1. Misn. Yebamot, c. 8. sect. 3....

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 ...

Classes to be refused admission into the religious community. Deuteronomy 23:1. Here two, but in Leviticus 22:24 two additional methods of making eunuchs are mentioned. Such mutilations were required in Syrian and other religions, and for that reason disqualify for Yahweh's Church; but see Isaiah 56:4 f. Deuteronomy 23:2. bastard: the offspring of an incestuous union. THE ASSEMBLY OF THE LORD (Yahweh): P's designation of Israel as a religious community. The expression belongs almost wholly to post-exilic Judaism, whence and for other (unconvincing) reasons Bertholet dates...

SHALL ENTER INTO THE CONGREGATION, &C. The Massorah (App-30) quotes the Babylonian Codex, which reads "shall enter unto you in the assembly of Jehovah", by reading _lakem,_ "unto you" instead of the second _lakem_ which the Revised Version ignores, and the Authorized Version paraphrases. The present Hebrew text reads "shall enter unto them", which can only mean unto the Edomite and Egyptian, which is incongruous. The reading of the Babylonian Codex makes all clear...

_VER._ 7, 8. _THOU SHALT NOT ABHOR AN EDOMITE—AN EGYPTIAN_— The first, the descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob, were thereby more than _neighbours;_ they were the _brethren_ of the Israelites: and as to the _Egyptians,_ though they at length cruelly oppressed the Jewish nation, yet were their ancestors at first very hospitably received by them; the memory of which benefit God would not permit them to lose. _The children begotten of them_ were to _enter into the congregation in the third generation._ Though neither the father nor the son could be incorporated into the Jewish community, the grandchild might; for, according to the Rabbis, the grandchildren are the _third generation._ See Selden de Jure N. & G. lib. 5: cap. 14. _Note;_ (1.) Near relations, though they may have treated us unnaturally, must be regarded by us with affection still. (2.) The unkindness that we may have rece...

(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