1-8 Who may or may not enter into the congregation 9-14 Uncleanness is to be avoided in the host 15,16 Of the fugitive servant 17 Of filthiness 18 Of abominable sacrifices 19 Of usury 20-23 Of vows 24,25 Of trespass

wounded Le 21:17-21 22:22-24 Ga 3:28

shall not enter It is evident that his law was not meant to exclude such Israelites either from the common benefits of civil society, or any essential religious advantages; but merely to lay them under a disgraceful distinction. This would tend to discourage parents from thus treating their children; a practice which was exceedingly common in those ages and countries. To this they were induced by the custom which prevailed, of employing such in the houses in the great and the courts of princes; so they often rose to the highest posts of honour and authority. Some expositors therefore consider the phrase, `shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord,' as meaning, that they should be incapable of bearing any office in that government which was placed over the people of God, who must thus enter a protest against this custom, and deliver selfish parents from this temptation. De 23:2,3,8 Ne 13:1-3 Isa 56:3,4 La 1:10

2 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.

Isa 57:3 Zec 9:6 Joh 8:41 Heb 12:8

3 An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever:

Ammonite These nations were subjected for their impiety, wickedness, and enmity to Israel, to peculiar disgrace; and on this account were not permitted to hold any office among the Israelites. This did not, however, disqualify them from becoming proselytes; for Ruth, who was a Moabitess, was married to Boaz, and became one of the progenitors of our Lord Ru 4:6,10-22 Ne 4:3,7 13:1,2,23 Isa 56:3

4 Because they 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.

Because they met De 2:28,29 Ge 14:17,18 1Sa 25:11 1Ki 18:4 Isa 63:9 Zec 2:8 Mt 25:40 Ac 9:4

because they hired Nu 22:5,7,17 Ne 13:2

5 Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the LORD thy God loved thee.

Nevertheless Nu 22:35 23:5-12,16-26 24:9 Mic 6:5 Ro 8:31 2Co 4:17

because the De 7:7,8 33:3 Ps 73:1 Jer 31:3 Eze 16:8 Mal 1:2 Ro 9:13 11:28 Eph 2:4,5

6 Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days for ever.

Thou shalt 2Sa 8:2 12:31 Ezr 9:12 Ne 13:23-25

prosperity [heb] good

7 Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land.

he is thy Ge 25:24-26,30 Nu 20:14 Ob 1:10-12 Mal 1:2

because thou De 10:19 Ge 45:17,18 46:7 47:6,12,27 Ex 22:21 23:9 Le 19:34 Ps 105:23 Ac 7:10-18

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

enter into De 23:1 Ro 3:29,30 Eph 2:12,13

third generation De 23:2,3 Ex 20:5,6

9 When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing.

Jos 6:18 7:11-13 Jud 20:26 2Ch 19:4 20:3-13 31:20,21 32:1-22 Lu 3:14 Re 19:11-14

10 If there be among you any man, that is not clean by reason of uncleanness that chanceth him by night, then shall he go abroad out of the camp, he shall not come within the camp:

Le 15:16 Nu 5:2,3 1Co 5:11-13

11 But it shall be, when evening cometh on, he shall wash himself with water: and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp again.

when evening Le 11:25 15:17-23

cometh on [heb] turneth toward
wash himself Le 14:9 15:5,11,13 22:6 Ps 51:2,7 Eze 36:25 Mt 3:11 Lu 11:38,39 Eph 5:26,27 Heb 9:9,10 1Pe 3:21 Re 1:5

12 Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad:

In such a vast camp as that of the Israelites, (See notes on Nu 1 and 2) and indeed, as Schuchzer remarks, in every well regulated camp, cleanliness is considered as indispensably necessary.

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 cover that which cometh from thee:

wilt ease thyself [heb] sittest down
cover that Eze 24:6-8

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.

walketh Ge 17:1 Le 26:12 2Co 6:16

unclean thing [heb] nakedness of any thing

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

We cannot suppose that this law required the Israelites to entertain slaves who had robbed their masters, or left their service without cause; but such only as were cruelly treated, and fled to them for protection, especially from the neighbouring nations. To such they were commanded to afford shelter, and shew great kindness. 1Sa 30:15 Ob 1:14 Phm 10:19

16 He shall dwell with thee, even among you, in that place which he shall choose in one of thy gates, where it liketh him best: thou shalt not oppress him.

shall dwell Isa 16:3,4 Lu 15:15-24 Tit 3:2,3

liketh him best [heb] is good for him
thou shalt not Ex 22:21 23:9 Jer 7:6 Zec 7:10 Mal 3:5 Jas 2:6

17 There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.

There shall be, etc. The prohibition in the text, like many others, has no direct application to practices that were common among the Israelites at that time; but was intended to guard them against the enormities which were practised among the surrounding nations. De 22:21,29 Le 19:29 Pr 2:16

whore. or, sodomitess Ro 1:26

sodomite Ge 19:4,5 Jud 19:22 1Ki 14:24 15:12 22:46 2Ki 23:7 Ro 1:27,28 1Co 6:9 1Ti 1:10

18 Thou shalt not bring the 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.

hire Eze 16:33

dog Ps 22:16 Pr 26:11 Isa 56:10,11 Mt 7:6 Php 3:2 2Pe 2:22 Re 22:15

any vow De 23:21 12:6 Le 7:16 Ps 5:4-6 Isa 61:8 Hab 1:13 Mal 1:14

19 Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury:

Ex 22:25 Le 25:35-37 Ne 5:1-7 Ps 15:5 Eze 18:7,8,13,16-18 22:12 Lu 6:34,35

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

a stranger De 14:21 15:3 Le 19:33,34

that the De 15:10 Pr 19:17 Isa 1:19 Lu 14:14 1Co 15:58

21 When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.

De 23:18 Ge 28:20 35:1-3 Le 27:2 Nu 30:2 Ps 56:12 66:13,14 76:11 116:18 Ec 5:4,5 Jon 1:16 2:9 Na 1:15

22 But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.

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

That which Nu 30:2 Jud 11:30,31,35 1Sa 1:11 Ps 66:13,14 116:18 Pr 20:25 Ec 5:4,5

has vowed 1Sa 14:24 Jer 44:25-27 Mr 6:22,23

24 When thou comest into thy neighbor's vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure; but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel.

thou mayest Ro 12:13 1Co 10:26 Heb 13:5

25 When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbor, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbor's standing corn.

then thou mayest Mt 12:1,2 Mr 2:23 Lu 6:1,2