Deuteronomy

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Deuteronomy 23 – Skeptic's Annotated Bible answered

A response and reply to the notes on Deuteronomy 23 in the Skeptic's Annotated Bible (SAB).

King James Version

SAB comment

My comment

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

(23:1) "He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD."
What the Bible says about going to church, penises, and testicles

The author of the SAB is mistaken that this reference is to the church, just the opposite. John Gill comments:

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. Ex. 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 Num. 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;

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.

(23:2) "A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation"
God won't let bastards attend church. Neither can the sons or daughters of bastards "even to the tenth generation."
Are we punished for the sins of others?

See verse 1.

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:

(23:3, 6) "An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation."
Did any Moabite enter the congregation of the Lord?

The word Ammonite is a male word. It does not say Ammonitess. As John Gill comments:

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 was.

Someone versed in Jewish law wrote to me:

he Jewish tradition is that we, Jews must obey the Jewish law literally, that is exactly as it is *written* in our Holy Scriptures. We have no obligation to follow the *spirit* of the law - Our religious laws were given to us by God and we don't have to guess the "spirit" of these divine laws. Had God intended a given law in a broader sense, according to the law's "spirit", we are confident God would have said so clearly and specifically. ...
The word "Moabite" appears there in the masculine form (Moavi) and not in the feminine form (Moaviya). Therefore we understand the prohibition as referring to male Moabites only. God said nothing about female Moabites! therefore there was nothing wrong with Ruth, a female, entering into the congregation of the Lord.

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.

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.

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

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.

(23:7) "Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother."
How should the Edomites be treated?

The meaning of ‘not abhor‘ is that Israel should not reject any Edomite that came to be made a proselyte.

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

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

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:

(23:10) "If there be among you any man, that is not clean by reason of uncleanness that chanceth him by night"
God lays down the law regarding wet dreams.
What the Bible says about wet dreams

The case can also be an involuntarily flood like gonorrhoea. The point here is that such things are carriers of infectious diseases, so they need to be treated carefully. There was no antibiotics in those days...

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.

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

(23:12-14) God's rules for defecating.
"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: For the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp."
Carefully cover up all feces "for the Lord walketh in the midst of thy camp." (You wouldn't want the divine foot to step in your shit, would you?)
Does God have a body?
What the Bible says about personal hygiene

If only the world had listened to the Bible with regards to sanitary conditions, it would have saved many, many millions.

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:

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.

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

(23:15-16) "Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped."
Don't return runaway slaves to their masters. Let them live with you in peace and freedom.
Does God approve of slavery?

This is most likely about slaves from heathen countries abroad. They probably had slaves in the modern sense of the world: people stolen from their families and enslaved, which was expressly forbidden, see Ex. 21:16. Or even if this was a debt slave, he could have fled because of bad treatment. In both cases the Israelites should treat him well.

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.

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

(23:17-18) "There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel."
Don't bring any whore, sodomite, or dog into the house of the Lord. For "these things are an abomination to the Lord." (Sodomites and dogs are biblical names for homosexuals.)

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.

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:

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.

(23:20) "Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury."
Usury is wrong except when lending to strangers. Then it's okay.

Usury means here charging interest. I'm not sure what this command means for our days as back then they had real money, not the current fiat money we employ and which is designed to get worth less every year.
I do not understand why the author of the SAB finds it cruel to charge interest. It was an act of charity not to charge it to their brethren, but why should that be extended to everyone?

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.

(23:21) "When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God".
Is it okay to take oaths?

See Matthew 5:34.

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.

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

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