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Deuteronomy Chapter
Twenty-three
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 23
Orders
are here given to restrain certain persons from entering into the congregation
of the Lord, Deuteronomy 23:1,
and to take care that there be no unclean person in the camp, or any indecent
thing done in it, Deuteronomy 23:9,
to protect fugitive servants, and not deliver them up to their masters, Deuteronomy 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, Deuteronomy 23:17,
then follow some laws against usury, and for the payment of vows, Deuteronomy 23:19,
and the chapter is concluded with some directions how to behave in a
neighbour's vineyard, or standing corn, Deuteronomy 23:24.
Deuteronomy 23:1 “He who is emasculated by crushing or mutilation shall not
enter the assembly of the Lord.
YLT
1`One wounded, bruised, or
cut in the member doth not enter into the assembly of Jehovah;
He that is wounded in the stones,.... In any of them, not
accidentally, but purposely; which are crushed and bruised by the hands of men,
with a design to make him unfit for generation, or to make an eunuch of him:
or that hath his privy member cut by himself or another, and is a
thorough eunuch by the hands of men; for of such eunuchs that are made by men,
and not born so, the law speaks; so Maimonides interprets itF6Hilchot
lssure Biah, c. 16. sect. 8. ; See Gill on Matthew 19:12.
shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; which is to
be understood not of the sanctuary of the Lord, or of being refused admittance
into the church of God, and to join in religious rites, and partake of sacred
ordinances, which all Israelites, and strangers that were proselytes, had a
right unto; such might bring their offerings, keep the passover, &c. Exodus 12:48 nor of
the commonwealth of Israel, as if unfit to be members of civil society; it
cannot be thought that such defects should abridge them of their civil rights
and privileges: but by the congregation is to be understood the elders, judges,
and representatives of the people, that met together in some one place to
execute judgment; see Numbers 35:12, into
which such persons were not to be admitted; either because disgraceful and
dishonourable, or because of the influence such defects have on their minds,
they thereby becoming effeminate, irresolute, and wanting courage, as well as
in opposition to the customs and usages of the Heathens, with whom it was
common to admit such persons to civil offices; hence the word eunuch is
sometimes used for an officer, Genesis 37:36 and
elsewhere; the JewsF7Targum Jon. in loc. Misn. Yebamot, c. 8. sect.
2, 4, 5, 6. Maimon. Moreh Nevochim, par. 3. c. 49. restrain this law to
marriage, but unnecessarily.
Deuteronomy 23:2 2 “One of illegitimate birth shall not enter the assembly
of the Lord; even to the tenth generation none of his descendants shall
enter the assembly of the Lord.
YLT
2a bastard doth not enter
into the assembly of Jehovah; even a tenth generation of him doth not enter
into the assembly of Jehovah.
A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord,.... That is
born of whoredom, as the Targum of Jonathan; and for the sake of avoiding
whoredom and deterring from it was this law made, according to MaimonidesF8Targum
Jon. in loc. Misn. Yebamot, c. 8. sect. 2, 4, 5, 6. Maimon. Moreh Nevochim,
par. 3. c. 49. , that adulterers might see, as he observes, that they affect
their whole family with an irreparable stain, should they commit such an
infamous action; though the Jews commonly interpret it of one that is born of
any of those incestuous copulations forbidden in Leviticus 18:1
which they gather from this following upon, and being near unto one of those
incests mentioned in the last verse of the preceding chapterF9Bartenora
in Misn. Kiddushin, c. 3. sect. 12. ; and it is a rule with themF11Misn.
Kiddushin, c. 3. sect. 12. & Misn. Yebamot, c. 4. sect. 13. Jarchi &
Aben Ezra in loc. , that persons born of such copulations were reckoned
bastards; now such an one, according to Jarchi, might not marry an Israelitish
woman, or rather might not be admitted into the assembly of elders, or bear any
public office. Jephthah may seem to be an objection to this, who was the son of
an harlot, Judges 11:1 which
might be owing to the badness of the times, the laws of God being neglected, or
to the providence of God so ordering it, who is not bound by his own laws,
though men are; nor was he the son of a common harlot, nor of an incestuous
person, but of his father's concubine; besides some think such only are
intended who were born of strangers and not Israelites:
even unto his tenth generation shall he not enter into the
congregation of the Lord; which seems as if he might at the eleventh; but it is generally
interpreted never, as is gathered from the following verse, and from the tenth
number being an absolute and perfect one; yet according to the Jewish writers
there were ways and means by which their posterity became legitimate; so they
say, bastards may be purified (or legitimated), how? if one marries a servant
maid, the child is a servant, who if he becomes free, (his) son is a free manF12Misn.
Kiddushin, c. 3. sect. 13. .
Deuteronomy 23:3 3 “An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter the assembly of
the Lord; even to the tenth generation none of his descendants shall
enter the assembly of the Lord forever,
YLT
3`An Ammonite and a Moabite
doth not enter into the assembly of Jehovah; even a tenth generation of them
doth not enter into the assembly of Jehovah -- to the age;
An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of
the Lord,.... Or marry an Israelitish woman, as Jarchi, and so the Targum
of Jonathan,"the male Ammonites and Moabites are not fit to take a wife of
the congregation of the Lord;'for the Jews restrain this to men, because it is,
as Aben Ezra observes, an Ammonite, not an Ammonitess, a Moabite, not a
Moabitess; they allow that females of those nations might be married to
Israelites, that is, provided they were proselytesses, as Ruth wasF13Misn.
Yebamot, c. 8. sect. 3. :
even to their tenth generation, shall they not enter into the
congregation of the Lord for ever; that is, not only to the
tenth generation, but for ever; and this law was understood as in force in
Nehemiah's time, which was more than ten generations from the making of it;
though now, as these nations are no more a distinct people, they suppose it is
no longer bindingF14Misn. Yadaim, c. 4. sect. 4. .
Deuteronomy 23:4 4 because they did not meet you with bread and water on
the road when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam
the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia,[a] to curse
you.
YLT
4because that they have not
come before you with bread and with water in the way, in your coming out from
Egypt, and because he hath hired against thee Balaam son of Beor, of Pethor of
Aram-Naharaim, to revile thee;
Because they met you not with bread and with water,.... To supply
them therewith, either as a gift, which was a piece of humanity to strangers
and travellers, or rather to sell unto them, for on no other terms did the
Israelites desire their bread and their water:
in the way when ye came forth out of Egypt; not as soon
as they came forth from thence, for it was near forty years after; but it was
while they were in the way from thence, as they were journeying to the land of
Canaan, and so were travellers, and should have had kindness shown them as
such; for though they needed not bread and water, God providing both for them,
yet this does not excuse the inhumanity of these people: the words are to be
understood by way of distribution; this charge here only belongs to the
Ammonites, for it appears that the Moabites did give them bread and water for
money, Deuteronomy 2:28 as
what follows belongs peculiarly to the Moabites and not the Ammonites:
and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Pethor of
Mesopotamia, to curse thee; this the Moabites did in conjunction with
the Midianites, but the Ammonites had no concern in it; see Numbers 22:7, it
was not therefore because the Moabites and Ammonites were born in incest that
they were forbidden entrance into the congregation of the Lord; which might
have been thought to have been the reason of it, these instances following upon
the former, had not these reasons been assigned.
Deuteronomy 23:5 5 Nevertheless the Lord your God
would not listen to Balaam, but the Lord your God
turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loves you.
YLT
5and Jehovah thy God hath
not been willing to hearken unto Balaam, and Jehovah thy God doth turn for thee
the reviling to a blessing, because Jehovah thy God hath loved thee;
Nevertheless, the Lord thy God would not hearken unto Balaam,.... To his
solicitations, and the methods he took to prevail on the Lord to suffer him to
curse Israel, which he gladly would have done for the sake of Balak's reward:
but the Lord thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee; in the very
mouth of Balaam, as the Targum of Jonathan; for when he opened his mouth and
Balak expected he would have cursed Israel, and he intended it, could he have
been permitted, the Lord overruled his tongue, and put such words into his
mouth, that instead of cursing Israel, he blessed him; see Numbers 23:11,
because the Lord thy God loved thee; and therefore would not
suffer them to be cursed; for whom the Lord loves they are blessed, and shall
be so in time and to eternity.
Deuteronomy 23:6 6 You shall not seek their peace nor their prosperity all
your days forever.
YLT
6thou dost not seek their
peace and their good all thy days -- to the age.
Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days
for ever. Not that they were to retain malice towards them, or indulge a
spirit of revenge, or not do them any good offices in a private way, which is
contrary to the law of love; nor does this contradict any offices of kindness
and friendship that might be performed in a personal way: so we find that David
had a kindness for Hanun the Ammonite, and showed it, though ill rewarded for
it, yet is not blamed for doing it; 2 Samuel 10:2 for
these words respect not persons in a private capacity, but the people of Israel
as a body politic, who, as such, were not to carry on trade and commerce with
those people, nor intermarry with them, nor make leagues and enter into
alliances with them; the reason of which was, because being very near
neighbours to them, had there not been such a law, as a wall of partition
between them, they might have become very familiar, and so have learnt their
evil ways and customs, which this was designed to prevent: the Jews restrainF15Hilchot
Melachim, c. 6. sect. 6. this to overtures and proclamations of peace, which
they were not to make with these nations, as they were directed to do when they
went out to war with others, Deuteronomy 20:10.
Deuteronomy 23:7 7 “You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your
brother. You shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you were an alien in his
land.
YLT
7`Thou dost not abominate an
Edomite, for thy brother he [is]; thou dost not abominate an Egyptian, for a
sojourner thou hast been in his land;
Thou shall not abhor an Edomite,.... Or an Idumean, the
descendants of Esau, whose name was Edom, Genesis 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.
Deuteronomy 23:8 8 The children of the third generation born to them may
enter the assembly of the Lord.
YLT
8sons who are begotten of
them, a third generation of them, doth enter into the assembly of Jehovah.
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 daughterF16Vid. Kimchi
in 1Reg. 3. 1. or 1 Kings 3. 1. & Misn. Yebamot, c. 8. sect. 3. .
Deuteronomy 23:9 9 “When the army goes out against your enemies, then keep
yourself from every wicked thing.
YLT
9`When a camp goeth out
against thine enemies, then thou hast kept from every evil thing.
When the host goeth forth against thine enemies,.... An army
of soldiers march in order to meet the enemy and fight him:
then keep thee from every wicked thing; the Targum of
Jonathan adds, by way of explanation,"from strange worship, uncovering of
nakedness, and from shedding innocent blood;'that is, from idolatry,
uncleanness of every sort, and murder; and all other wickednesses ought to be
abstained from at all times by all persons, but especially by soldiers in such
a circumstance, just going to battle; since sin committed weakens natural
courage, as it loads the conscience with guilt; and since victory and success,
which depend upon the blessing of God on arms, cannot be reasonably expected,
where vices of all sorts are indulged and abound; and especially seeing such
are about to expose their lives to the utmost danger, and know not but that in
a few hours they must exchange this life for another, and appear before God,
the Judge of all, against whom they sin; and yet how little are these things
thought of by such in common! it was the wisdom of the Jewish legislature,
which was of God, to inculcate such things into the minds of their soldiers.
Deuteronomy 23:10 10 If there is any man among you who becomes unclean by
some occurrence in the night, then he shall go outside the camp; he shall not
come inside the camp.
YLT
10`When there is in thee a
man who is not clean, from an accident at night -- then he hath gone out unto
the outside of the camp -- he doth not come in unto the midst of the camp –
If there be among you any man that is not clean,.... Any
unclean person in the army, that was even ceremonially unclean in any of the
instances the law makes so, one of which put for the rest is mentioned:
by reason of uncleanness that chanceth him by night; through
pollution by a nocturnal flux, as the Septuagint version, or a gonorrhoea, an
involuntary one, occasioned by impure thoughts and imaginations in dreams; the
same case as in Leviticus 15:16.
then shall he go abroad out of the camp; out of the
army, lest others should be defiled by such; they not having houses to retire
to, and chambers to keep themselves in separate from others, as when at home:
he shall not come within the camp; that is, not till he has
done what is prescribed him in the next verse. Jarchi says, he might not come
into the camp of the Levites, and much less into the camp of God.
Deuteronomy 23:11 11 But it shall be, when evening comes, that he shall
wash with water; and when the sun sets, he may come into the camp.
YLT
11and it hath been, at the
turning of the evening, he doth bathe with water, and at the going in of the
sun he doth come in unto the midst of the camp.
But it shall be, when evening cometh on,.... When the
day declines, and it is near sun setting:
he shall wash himself with water; dip himself all over in
water, not only wash his garments but his flesh:
and when the sun is down he shall come into the camp again; and take his
place and rank in the army. Now if all this was necessary on account of
ceremonial uncleanness, which as much as possible was to be avoided, how much
more careful were they to be of moral uncleanness, as fornication, adultery,
and all sorts of debauchery and lewdness? and yet nothing more frequent among
those that are of the military order; it would be well if there was no occasion
for the reproach MaimonidesF17Moreh Nevochim, par. 3. c. 41. casts
upon the camps of the Heathens, among whom, no doubt, he means Christians, if
not principally; when he observes that these orders were given, that this might
be deeply fixed in the mind of every one, that their camp ought to be holy as
the sanctuary of God, and not like the camps of the Gentiles, in which abound
corruptions of all kinds, transgressions, rapines, thefts, and other sins.
Deuteronomy 23:12 12 “Also you shall have a place outside the camp, where
you may go out;
YLT
12`And a station thou hast at
the outside of the camp, and thou hast gone out thither without,
Thou shalt have also a place without the camp,.... A place
prepared, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, provided on purpose for the
use hereafter suggested; so Ben Melech:
whither thou shalt go forth abroad; to do the necessities of
nature, which they were to do without the camp, not in any place they thought
fit and most convenient, but what was appointed for that purpose.
Deuteronomy 23:13 13 and you shall have an implement among your equipment,
and when you sit down outside, you shall dig with it and turn and cover your
refuse.
YLT
13and a nail thou hast on thy
staff, and it hath been, in thy sitting without, that thou hast digged with it,
and turned back, and covered thy filth;
And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon,.... A nail or
spike, some kind of instrument to make a hole in the ground with, which was
fastened to the sword upon their loins; which was to be instead of a spade or
mattock to dig with:
and it shall be, when thou shall ease thyself abroad; without the
camp, in the place appointed for that use, whenever nature required such an
action to be performed:
thou shall dig therewith; with, the paddle, an
hole in the earth: the Essenes used, according to Josephus, to make it a foot
deep with a spade or mattock, and to everyone that was newly admitted among
them, a little pickaxe was given for that purposeF18De Bello Jud. l.
2. c. 8. sect. 9. :
and shalt turn back; having eased nature:
and cover that which cometh from thee; their dung,
with the earth they dug out of the hole they made. This law was made to
preserve modesty and decency becoming men, and not act like brute beasts, as
well as cleanliness in the camp, and, the health of themselves and their fellow
soldiers; and that, they might not be offensive to the smell, as well as
pernicious to the health of one another; and especially for a reason that
follows in Deuteronomy 23:14;
so MaimonidesF19Moreh Nevochim, par. 3. c. 41. says, the intention
of this law is especially cleanliness, and to avoid nastiness, filthiness, and
impurities of every kind, that men might not be like the brute animals.
Deuteronomy 23:14 14 For the Lord your God
walks in the midst of your camp, to deliver you and give your enemies over to
you; therefore your camp shall be holy, that He may see no unclean thing among
you, and turn away from you.
YLT
14for Jehovah thy God is
walking up and down in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give
thine enemies before thee, and thy camp hath been holy, and He doth not see in
thee the nakedness of anything, and hath turned back from after thee.
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
writerF20Moreh Nevochim, par. 3. c. 41. observes, by these actions
(of purity and cleanliness) God meant to confirm the faith of those that
engaged in war, that the divine Majesty dwelt among them; for which reason such
orders were strictly to be observed by them:
therefore shall thy camp be holy; both in a moral and
ceremonial sense:
that he see no unclean thing in thee; whether
natural, moral, or ceremonial; the word here used signifies such nakedness as
is forbidden to be uncovered, Leviticus 18:6.
Hence MaimonidesF21lbid. applies it to whoredom; for he
says,"by this phrase God meant to deter and dehort from whoredom, which is
too usual and common among soldiers, as long as they are absent from their own
houses; that therefore we may be delivered and abstain from those impure works,
God has commanded such things to be done, which may bring to our remembrance
that his glory dwells in the midst of us:"
and turn away from thee; and so they fall into
the hands of their enemies, and become an easy prey to them, their God having
forsaken them; and that this might not be their case, care should be taken not
to offend him, and cause him to depart from them.
Deuteronomy 23:15 15 “You shall not give back to his master the slave who
has escaped from his master to you.
YLT
15`Thou dost not shut up a
servant unto his lord, who is delivered unto thee from his lord;
Thou shall not deliver unto his master the servant which is
escaped from his master unto thee. That is, one that has
been used ill by a cruel and tyrannical master, and was in danger of his life
with him, or of being lamed by him, and therefore obliged to make his escape
from him on that account; such an one, when he fell into the hands of an
Israelite, was not to be taken and bound, and sent back to his master again,
but was to be retained till his master's anger subsided; or however until
inquiry could be made into the cause of the difference between him and his
master, and matters be made up between them to mutual satisfaction; or if it
appeared that the flight of the servant was just, and it was not safe for him
to return to his master, then he was to be used as hereafter directed; for it
cannot be thought that this law was made to encourage and protect every idle,
disobedient, and fugitive servant, which would be very sinful and unjust: the
Jewish writers generally understand it of the servants of idolaters fleeing for
the sake of religion; Onkelos renders it,"a servant of the people,'of
Heathen people; the Targum of Jonathan is,"thou shalt not deliver a
stranger (i.e. a proselyte of righteousness, as MaimonidesF23Hilchot
Abadim, c. 8. sect. 11. calls this servant) into the hands of those that
worship idols, but he shall be delivered by you, that he may be under the
shadow of my Shechinah, because that he fled from the worship of his
idol.'Jarchi makes mention of another sense; that it may be understood
of"a Canaanitish servant of an Israelite that flees (from his master)
without the land, where he was not obliged to go with him, and serve him
against his will; but I suppose a proselyte is meant;'and much more then will
this hold good of an Hebrew servant in such circumstances. Aben Ezra interprets
this of a servant not an Israelite, who, in time of war, flees from his master,
not an Israelite also, unto the camp of Israel, and that for the glory of the
divine name which is called upon Israel; such an one, though a servant, might
not be delivered to his master.
Deuteronomy 23:16 16 He may dwell with you in your midst, in the place
which he chooses within one of your gates, where it seems best to him; you
shall not oppress him.
YLT
16with thee he doth dwell, in
thy midst, in the place which he chooseth within one of thy gates, where it is
pleasing to him; thou dost not oppress him.
He shall dwell in thee, even among you,.... This
seems to confirm the sense of it, being a stranger, a: proselyte servant that
is here spoken of, since the law provides for his dwelling among the
Israelites:
in that place he shall choose, in one of thy gates, where it
liketh him best: he was not to be detained by the person that took him up in his
own house, or be obliged to dwell in any certain place under, a restraint, but
he might take up his abode in any of the cities of Israel, which would be most
for his good, profit, and advantage:
thou shalt not oppress him; by words, as the Targum
of Jonathan adds,"calling him a fugitive servant, or by any opprobrious
name.'
Deuteronomy 23:17 17 “There shall be no ritual harlot[b] of the
daughters of Israel, or a perverted[c] one of the
sons of Israel.
YLT
17`There is not a whore among
the daughters of Israel, nor is there a whoremonger among the sons of Israel;
There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel,.... The word
for "whore" is "kedeshah", which properly signifies an
"holy" one; and here, by an antiphrasis, an unholy, an impure person,
one that is defiled by man; See Gill on Genesis 38:18.
Jarchi interprets the word, one that makes herself common, that is sanctified,
or set apart; that is, one that separates herself for such service, and
prostitutes herself to everyone that passes by: but some understand this not of
common harlots in the streets, but of sacred whores, or such as were
consecrated to Heathen deities, as such there were to Venus. StraboF24Geograph.
l. 8. p. 261. tells us that the temple of Venus at Corinth was so rich, that
more than a thousand of those sacred harlots were kept, whom men and women had
devoted to that goddess; and so a multitude of the same sort were at Comana,
which he calls little CorinthF25lb. l. 12. p. 385. ; now these of
all harlots being the most abominable are forbidden to be among the daughters
of Israel:
nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel: by the same
rule that "kedeshah" is rendered "a whore" in the preceding
clause, "kadesh" should be rendered "an whoremonger" here,
as in the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions; though Aben Ezra interprets it
passively, one that is lain with, and Jarchi one that is prepared to lie with a
male, that prostitutes his body in this unnatural way; and it looks as if there
were such sort of persons sacred to idols, since we read of the houses of the
sodomites, which were by, or rather in the house of the Lord, 2 Kings 23:7.
Deuteronomy 23:18 18 You shall not bring the wages of a harlot or the price
of a dog to the house of the Lord your God
for any vowed offering, for both of these are an abomination to the Lord your God.
YLT
18thou dost not bring a gift
of a whore, or a price of a dog, into the house of Jehovah thy God, for any
vow; for the abomination of Jehovah thy God [are] even both of them.
Thou shall not bring the hire of a whore,.... Which was
given to her as a reward for the use of her body:
or the price of a dog; not of the firstborn of
a dog, the price for the redemption of it, as some; nor for the loan of a
hunting dog, or a shepherd's dog for breed, as JosephusF26Antiqu. l.
4. c. 8. sect. 9. interprets this law. Abarbinel understands it figuratively of
a sodomite, comparable to a dog, for his uncleanness and impudence; see Revelation 22:15;
and the price of such an one the gain he got by the prostitution of his body to
unnatural lusts; and so as the hire of a whore answers to one in Deuteronomy 23:17,
the price of a dog to a sodomite here; and in this he is followed by some, nor
is it a sense to be despised; though the JewsF1In R. Sol. Urbin.
Ohel Moed, fol. 28. 2. understand it literally of a dog, and of the exchange of
another creature with that; so Onkelos renders it,"the exchange of a
dog:'now neither of these might a man bring
into the house of the Lord thy God for any vow; that is, when
a man vowed to offer any sacrifice to the Lord, it was not to be anything that
was given to a whore as her hire; as, for instance, as Jarchi, if he gave her
for her hire a lamb, it was not fit to be offered; which agrees with the JewishF2Misn.
Temurah, c. 6. sect. 2, 4. canons,"what is the hire of a whore? if one
says to a whore, take this lamb for thy hire, though an hundred, they are all
forbidden; and so if one says to his neighbour, lo, this lamb is thine, that
thine handmaid may lie with my a servant, Rabbi says it is not the hire of a
whore, but the wise men say it is.--If he gives her money, lo, this is free;
wines, oils, and fine flour, and the like, that are offered on the altar, are
forbidden; (but the commentators sayF3Maimon. & Bartenora in ib.
, wheat, olives, and grapes, out of which fine flour, oil, and wine are made,
are free;) if he gives her consecrated things, lo, these are free, birds, they
are forbidden.'Now this law seems to be made in opposition to the customs and
practices of the Phoenicians and Canaanites, whose land the Israelites were
going to inhabit; whose women, as we are toldF4Athanasius contra
Gentes, p. 21. , used to prostitute themselves in the temples of their idols,
and dedicate there the hire of their bodies to their gods, thinking thereby to
appease their deities and obtain good things for themselves; and the like did
the. Babylonians and Assyrians; See Gill on Micah 1:7; so it is
askedF5,"what is the price of a dog? if a man says to his
neighbour, take this lamb for that dog; so if two partners divide, one takes
ten (lambs), and the other nine and a dog; what is in lieu of the dog is
forbidden, but those that are taken with him are free:'a whore and a dog are
fitly put together, because both are libidinous, impure, and impudent; perhaps
the vileness and baseness of the creature is chiefly regarded in this law, to
keep up the credit and veneration of sacrifices as sacred things; and it may be
in reference to the worship of this creature, as by the Egyptians, who are said
to worship a dog, their god AnubisF6"Oppida tota canem
venerantur", Juvenal. Satyr. 15. l. 8. "latrator Anubis", Virgil
Aeneid. l. 8. prope finem. , the image of which had a dog's head on it; or to
its being offered in sacrifice to idols, as it was by others; the Colophonians
sacrificed the whelps of dogs to their goddess Enodius, as others did to
Enyalius or MarsF7Pausanias in Laconic. sive, l. 3. p. 188. :
for even both these are an abomination to the Lord thy God; both the hire
of the whore and the price of the dog, when brought as a sacrifice to him; the
one being a breach of the moral law, and the other tending to bring into
contempt the sacrifices of the ceremonial law, if not a favouring idolatry,
than which nothing is more abominable to God, who cannot endure anything evil,
base, and impure.
Deuteronomy 23:19 19 “You shall not charge interest to your
brother—interest on money or food or anything that is lent out at
interest.
YLT
19`Thou dost not lend in
usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of food, usury of anything which is
lent on usury.
Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother,.... One of
the same nation and religion, and who is in poor and necessitous circumstances,
and wants either food for himself and family, or money to carry on his
husbandry, till such times as the fruits of his ground will bring him in a
sufficiency for his support, and the payment of what he borrows, and which is
to be lent him without any interest: as the Jews were chiefly employed in
husbandry, and not merchandise, they had but little occasion to borrow, and
when they did could not afford to pay interest, as persons concerned in
merchandise, whose gains are great, are able to do; and it is but reasonable
that such persons should; but that the Israelites, when poor and in distress,
might not be bowed down under their burdens, this law is made for their relief:
usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of anything that is lent
upon usury; this takes in all sorts of usury, whether what is lent be money
or food, or anything else, no interest was to be taken for it; See Gill on Leviticus 25:36;
See Gill on Leviticus 25:37.
Deuteronomy 23:20 20 To a foreigner you may charge interest, but to your
brother you shall not charge interest, that the Lord your God
may bless you in all to which you set your hand in the land which you are
entering to possess.
YLT
20To a stranger thou mayest
lend in usury, and to thy brother thou dost not lend in usury, so that Jehovah
thy God doth bless thee in every putting forth of thy hand on the land whither
thou goest in to possess it.
Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury,.... To any
Gentile, though some Jewish writers except the Edomites and Ishmaelites, as
being brethren, and restrain it to the seven nations of Canaan; but it seems to
design one that was not an Israelite, or a proselyte of righteousness, and
especially to regard such that traded and merchandised, as the Gentiles very
much did, and especially their neighbours the Phoenicians; and of such it was
lawful to take interest, as it was but reasonable, when they gained much by the
money they lent them, and as it is but reasonable should be the case among
Christians in such circumstances; this is to be regarded not as a precept, but
as a permission:
but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury; which is
repeated, that it might be taken notice of, and carefully observed:
that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest
thine hand unto, in the land whither thou goest to possess it; for their
charity, humanity, and the kind usage of their poor brethren in distress, would
not pass unnoticed by the Lord; but he would make the land they tilled
fruitful, and their vineyards and oliveyards to produce abundance, and their
flocks and their herds to increase greatly, which would be sufficient and more
than a recompence for all that they had freely lent unto their brethren,
without taking any usury of them.
Deuteronomy 23:21 21 “When you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay to pay it; for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and it would be sin to you.
YLT
21`When thou vowest a vow to
Jehovah thy God, thou dost not delay to complete it; for Jehovah thy God doth
certainly require it from thee, and it hath been in thee -- sin.
When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God,.... Which
must be of things in a man's power to perform, and of what are lawful to be
done, and according to the mind and will of God revealed in his word, and
agreeably to the manner of worship prescribed by him; as that he will offer
such a sacrifice, a freewill offering to him, and the like, besides what he was
bound to do, or give such and such things for the repair of the sanctuary, or
for the relief of the poor; See Gill on Numbers 30:2. This
law is thought by Aben Ezra to be repeated on the mention of the hire of a
whore, &c. being forbidden to be brought for a vow, Deuteronomy 23:18,
thou shall not slack to pay it; or delay the payment of
it, but do it immediately; since zeal and affection might abate, and there
might not be hereafter an ability to perform, or death might come and prevent
it; the Targum of Jonathan adds, at the three feasts, that is, of the passover,
pentecost, and tabernacles; and the Jewish writersF8Maimon. &
Bartenora in Misn. Roshhashanah, c. 1. sect. 1. & in Ediot, c. 7. sect. 4.
say, that no man transgresses this precept respecting the delay of paying a
vow, until the three feasts have passed:
for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee; exact the
payment of it, and expect it, insist upon the performance of it, and punish for
neglect:
and it would be sin in thee; guilt of sin would be
contracted, and punishment inflicted; Aben Ezra interprets it of the latter.
Deuteronomy 23:22 22 But if you abstain from vowing, it shall not be sin to
you.
YLT
22`And when thou forbearest
to vow, it is not in thee a sin.
But if thou shalt forbear to vow,.... That a man might do,
though there was ability; it was expected indeed that men should vow and bring
freewill offerings in proportion to their ability; whether they were of the
greater sort, of the herd and flock, or of fowls, or even of fine flour, these
were acceptable to the Lord: but if they were not vowed and brought:
it shall be no sin in thee; no charge of guilt be
brought or punishment laid; it should not be reckoned a crime, nor be
punishable in any respect, and especially where there was a willing mind and no
ability; otherwise negligence, niggardliness, and ingratitude, are not well
pleasing in the sight of God.
Deuteronomy 23:23 23 That which has gone from your lips you shall keep and
perform, for you voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God
what you have promised with your mouth.
YLT
23The produce of thy lips
thou dost keep, and hast done [it], as thou hast vowed to Jehovah thy God; a
free-will-offering, which thou hast spoken with thy mouth.
That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform,.... Which
were in their power to perform and lawful to do; and this is observed to make
them watchful and cautious, and not be rash in making vows, since, when once
they were made, an exact and rigid performance of them was expected; see Ecclesiastes 5:4,
even a freewill
offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the Lord thy God, which thou hast
promised with thy mouth; be it what it will, as to the matter of it, it was to be paid,
and in the manner as it was vowed and promised. Aben Ezra observes, that every
vow is a freewill offering, but not every freewill offering a vow; the Targum
of Jonathan enumerates the several things to be performed, sin offerings,
trespass offerings, burnt offerings, and oblations of holy things, and drink
offerings, and gifts of the house of the sanctuary, and alms to the poor.
Deuteronomy 23:24 24 “When you come into your neighbor’s vineyard, you may
eat your fill of grapes at your pleasure, but you shall not put any in
your container.
YLT
24`When thou comest in unto
the vineyard of thy neighbour, then thou hast eaten grapes, according to thy
desire, thy sufficiency; but into thy vessel thou dost not put [any].
When thou comest into thy neighbour's vineyard,.... To take a
walk in it for recreation, and to see how the vines flourish, and what sort of
fruit and what quantity of it they bear; being invited thither by the owner, or
occasionally passing that way stepped in, and even it may be on purpose to
taste the fruits of the vine and quench thirst and satisfy appetite:
then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill, at thine own pleasure; as many as
they would, till nature was satisfied:
but thou shall not put any in thy vessel; to carry
away, to be eaten by them or theirs at another time and place; they were to put
none into their pockets or into their baskets, as the Targum of Jonathan, or
whatsoever vessel they might have with them in the vineyard. Jarchi says, the
Scripture speaks of a workman, and only at the time of gathering the grapes,
when he was putting into his master's vessels, and might not put any into his
own, and carry away; so the Jewish writersF9Maimon. & Bartenora
in Misn. Maaserot, c. 2. sect. 7. generally interpret it of a workman only, and
of his eating those things in which he works, and not of such as pass by the
way; so the Targums: and there are many traditions in the MisnahF11Misn.
Bava Metzia, c. 7. sect. 2,4,5,6. concerning this affair; as that by this law a
workman might eat while in his work, as the ox may while it is treading out the
corn, and when his work is perfect; and that he may eat of what he is employed
about; only if he is at work upon figs, he may not eat of grapes, and if on
grapes, he may not eat of figs; nor might he eat more than his hire came to;
and that he might make a covenant for his son and daughter, servant and
handmaid, adult (that they shall take money and not eat), and for his wife,
because they are endowed with knowledge; but not for his son and daughter,
servant and maidservant, minors, because they are not: but JosephusF12Antiqu.
l. 4. c. 8. sect. 21. , their countryman, better interprets this law, who says,
that travellers, of those that passed by the way, were not forbidden tasting
ripe fruits, and even were permitted to fill themselves with them as if their
own, whether they were of the country or strangers.
Deuteronomy 23:25 25 When you come into your neighbor’s standing grain, you
may pluck the heads with your hand, but you shall not use a sickle on your
neighbor’s standing grain.
YLT
25When thou comest in among
the standing-corn of thy neighbour, then thou hast plucked the ears with thy
hand, but a sickle thou dost not wave over the standing-corn of thy neighbour.
When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour,.... Passest
through it to go to some other place, the road lying through it, as it often
does through standing corn; so Christ and his disciples are said to go through
the corn, Matthew 12:1; but
Jarchi says this Scripture speaks of a workman also, and so the Targum of
Jonathan,"when thou goest in to take thine hire according to work in thy
neighbour's standing corn;'but the other sense is best, and is confirmed and
illustrated by the instance given, as well as best agrees with what follows:
then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; the ears of
wheat, and rub them, to separate the grain from the husk or beard, and eat it,
as did the disciples of Christ; Luke 6:1; to
satisfy hunger: but thou shall not move a sickle unto thy neighbour's standing
corn to cut it down and carry any of it off; which would have been an unjust
thing.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)