Chapter 23

23:1 He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, ^a shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD.

(a) Either to bear office, or to marry a wife.

23:2 ^b A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD.

(b) This was to cause them to live chastely, that their posterity might not be rejected.

23:4 Because they ^c met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee.

(c) By this he condemns all who do not aid the children of God in their calling.

23:6 Thou ^d shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days for ever.

(d) You shall have nothing to do with them.

23:8 The children that are begotten ^e of them shall enter into the congregation of the LORD in their third generation.

(e) If the fathers have renounced their idolatry, and received circumcision.

23:12 Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither

thou shalt (f) go forth abroad:
(f) For the necessities of nature.

23:13 And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and ^g cover that which cometh from thee:

(g) Meaning by this that his people should be pure both in body and soul.

23:15 Thou shalt not ^h deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee:

(h) This is meant of the heathen , who fled because of their masters cruelty, and embrace the true religion.

23:18 Thou shalt not bring the ⁱ hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these [are] abomination unto the LORD thy God.

(i) Forbidding that any income gained from evil things should be applied to the service of God, ( Micah 2:7 ).

23:20 Unto a ^k stranger thou mayest lend upon usury; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury: that the LORD thy God may ^l bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it.

(k) This was permitted for a time because of the hardness of their hearts.
(l) If you show charity to your brother, God will declare his love toward you.

23:23 That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt ^m keep and perform; [even] a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the LORD thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth.

(m) If the vow is lawful and godly.

23:24 When thou comest into ⁿ thy neighbours vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure; but thou shalt not put [any] in thy ^o vessel.

(n) Being hired for labour.
(o) To bring home to your house.