Deuteronomy 23:2-9 King James Version (KJV)

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.

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:

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.

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.


Deuteronomy 23:2-9 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

2 A bastard H4464 shall not enter H935 into the congregation H6951 of the LORD; H3068 even to his tenth H6224 generation H1755 shall he not enter H935 into the congregation H6951 of the LORD. H3068

3 An Ammonite H5984 or Moabite H4125 shall not enter H935 into the congregation H6951 of the LORD; H3068 even to their tenth H6224 generation H1755 shall they not enter H935 into the congregation H6951 of the LORD H3068 for H5704 ever: H5769

4 Because H1697 they met H6923 you not with bread H3899 and with water H4325 in the way, H1870 when ye came forth H3318 out of Egypt; H4714 and because they hired H7936 against thee Balaam H1109 the son H1121 of Beor H1160 of Pethor H6604 of Mesopotamia, H763 to curse H7043 thee.

5 Nevertheless the LORD H3068 thy God H430 would H14 not hearken H8085 unto Balaam; H1109 but the LORD H3068 thy God H430 turned H2015 the curse H7045 into a blessing H1293 unto thee, because the LORD H3068 thy God H430 loved H157 thee.

6 Thou shalt not seek H1875 their peace H7965 nor their prosperity H2896 all thy days H3117 for ever. H5769

7 Thou shalt not abhor H8581 an Edomite; H130 for he is thy brother: H251 thou shalt not abhor H8581 an Egyptian; H4713 because thou wast a stranger H1616 in his land. H776

8 The children H1121 that are begotten H3205 of them shall enter H935 into the congregation H6951 of the LORD H3068 in their third H7992 generation. H1755

9 When the host H4264 goeth forth H3318 against thine enemies, H341 then keep H8104 thee from every wicked H7451 thing. H1697


Deuteronomy 23:2-9 American Standard (ASV)

2 A bastard shall not enter into the assembly of Jehovah; even to the tenth generation shall none of his enter into the assembly of Jehovah.

3 An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into the assembly of Jehovah; even to the tenth generation shall none belonging to them enter into the assembly of Jehovah for ever:

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 from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee.

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


Deuteronomy 23:2-9 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

2 a bastard doth not enter into the assembly of Jehovah; even a tenth generation of him doth not enter into the assembly of Jehovah.

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;

4 because 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;

5 and 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;

6 thou dost not seek their peace and their good all thy days -- to the age.

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;

8 sons who are begotten of them, a third generation of them, doth enter into the assembly of Jehovah.

9 `When a camp goeth out against thine enemies, then thou hast kept from every evil thing.


Deuteronomy 23:2-9 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

2 A bastard shall not come into the congregation of Jehovah; even his tenth generation shall not come into the congregation of Jehovah.

3 An Ammonite or Moabite shall not come into the congregation of Jehovah; even their tenth generation shall not come into the congregation of Jehovah for ever;

4 because they met you not with bread and with water on 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 But Jehovah thy God would not listen to Balaam; and Jehovah thy God turned the curse into blessing unto thee, because Jehovah 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 sojourner in his land.

8 Children that are born to them shall come into the congregation of Jehovah in the third generation.

9 When thou goest forth into camp against thine enemies, then keep thee from every evil thing.


Deuteronomy 23:2-9 World English Bible (WEB)

2 A bastard shall not enter into the assembly of Yahweh; even to the tenth generation shall none of his enter into the assembly of Yahweh.

3 An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into the assembly of Yahweh; even to the tenth generation shall none belonging to them enter into the assembly of Yahweh forever:

4 because they didn't meet you with bread and with water in the way, when you came forth out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you.

5 Nevertheless Yahweh your God wouldn't listen to Balaam; but Yahweh your God turned the curse into a blessing to you, because Yahweh your God loved you.

6 You shall not seek their peace nor their prosperity all your days forever.

7 You shall not abhor an Edomite; for he is your brother: you shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you lived as a foreigner in his land.

8 The children of the third generation who are born to them shall enter into the assembly of Yahweh.

9 When you go forth in camp against your enemies, then you shall keep you from every evil thing.


Deuteronomy 23:2-9 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

2 One whose father and mother are not married may not come into the meeting of the Lord's people, or any of his family to the tenth generation.

3 No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their people to the tenth generation may come into the meeting of the Lord's people:

4 Because they gave you no bread or water on your way, when you came out of Egypt: and they got Balaam, the son of Peor, from Pethor in Aram-naharaim to put curses on you.

5 But the Lord your God would not give ear to Balaam, but let the curse be changed into a blessing to you, because of his love for you.

6 Do nothing for their peace or well-being for ever.

7 But have no hate for an Edomite, because he is your brother, or for an Egyptian, for you were living in his land.

8 Their children in the third generation may come into the meeting of the Lord's people.

9 When you go out to war and put your tents in position, keep from every evil thing.

Commentary on Deuteronomy 23 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 23

De 23:1-25. Who May and Who May Not Enter into the Congregation.

1-3. He that is wounded …, shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord—"To enter into the congregation of the Lord" means either admission to public honors and offices in the Church and State of Israel, or, in the case of foreigners, incorporation with that nation by marriage. The rule was that strangers and foreigners, for fear of friendship or marriage connections with them leading the people into idolatry, were not admissible till their conversion to the Jewish faith. But this passage describes certain limitations of the general rule. The following parties were excluded from the full rights and privileges of citizenship: (1) Eunuchs—It was a very ancient practice for parents in the East by various arts to mutilate their children, with a view to training them for service in the houses of the great. (2) Bastards—Such an indelible stigma in both these instances was designed as a discouragement to practices that were disgraceful, but too common from intercourse with foreigners. (3) Ammonites and Moabites—Without provocation they had combined to engage a soothsayer to curse the Israelites; and had further endeavored, by ensnaring them into the guilt and licentious abominations of idolatry, to seduce them from their allegiance to God.

3. even to the their tenth generation shall they not enter—Many eminent writers think that this law of exclusion was applicable only to males; at all events that a definite is used for an indefinite number (Ne 13:1; Ru 4:10; 2Ki 10:2). Many of the Israelites being established on the east side of Jordan in the immediate neighborhood of those people, God raised this partition wall between them to prevent the consequences of evil communications. More favor was to be shown to Edomites and Egyptians—to the former from their near relationship to Israel; and to the latter, from their early hospitalities to the family of Jacob, as well as the many acts of kindness rendered them by private Egyptians at the Exodus (Ex 12:36). The grandchildren of Edomite or Egyptian proselytes were declared admissible to the full rights of citizenship as native Israelites; and by this remarkable provision, God taught His people a practical lesson of generosity and gratitude for special deeds of kindness, to the forgetfulness of all the persecution and ill services sustained from those two nations.

9-14. When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing—from the excesses incident to camp life, as well as from habits of personal neglect and impurity.

15, 16. Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which has escaped from his master unto thee—evidently a servant of the Canaanites or some of the neighboring people, who was driven by tyrannical oppression, or induced, with a view of embracing the true religion, to take refuge in Israel.

19, 20. Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother … Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury—The Israelites lived in a simple state of society, and hence they were encouraged to lend to each other in a friendly way without any hope of gain. But the case was different with foreigners, who, engaged in trade and commerce, borrowed to enlarge their capital, and might reasonably be expected to pay interest on their loans. Besides, the distinction was admirably conducive to keeping the Israelites separate from the rest of the world.

21, 22. When thou shalt vow a vow—(See on Nu 30:2).

24, 25. When thou comest into thy neighbour's vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure—Vineyards, like cornfields mentioned in the next verse [De 23:25], were often unenclosed. In vine-growing countries grapes are amazingly cheap; and we need not wonder, therefore, that all within reach of a person's arm, was free; the quantity plucked was a loss never felt by the proprietor, and it was a kindly privilege afforded to the poor and wayfaring man.