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23 He that is wounded in the testicles, or hath a severed organ, shall not enter into the Kahal Hashem.

(3) A mamzer shall not enter into the Kahal Hashem; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the Kahal Hashem.

(4) An Amoni or Moavi shall not enter into the Kahal Hashem; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the Kahal Hashem ad olam;

(5) Because they met you not with lechem and with mayim in the way, when ye came forth out of Mitzrayim; and because they hired against thee Balaam ben Beor from Petor in Aram Naharaim, to curse thee.

(6) Nevertheless Hashem Eloheicha would not give heed unto Balaam; but Hashem Eloheicha turned the kelalah into a brocha unto thee, because Hashem Eloheicha loved thee.

(7) Thou shalt not seek their shalom nor their tovat all thy yamim l’olam.

(8) Thou shalt not abhor an Edomi; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor a Mitzri (an Egyptian); because thou wast a ger in his land.

(9) The banim that are begotten of them shall enter into the Kahal Hashem in their third generation.

(10) When the machaneh (camp) goeth forth against thine enemies, then be shomer over thee against every wicked thing.

10 (11) If there be among you any ish, that is not tahor (clean) by reason of a nocturnal occurrence, then shall he go outside the machaneh, he shall not come within the machaneh;

11 (12) But it shall be, when erev cometh on, he shall wash himself with mayim; and when the shemesh is down, he shall come into the machaneh again.

12 (13) Thou shalt have a place also outside the machaneh, whither thou shalt go forth outside;

13 (14) And thou shalt have a shovel in addition to thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt relieve thyself outside, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee:

14 (15) For Hashem Eloheicha walketh in the midst of thy machaneh, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy machaneh be kadosh; that He see no ervat davar (shameful thing) in thee, and turn away from thee.

15 (16) Thou shalt not give back unto his adon the eved which is rescued from his adon unto thee [see PM]:

16 (17) He shall dwell with thee, even among you, in that place which he shall choose in one of thy she’arim, where it pleases him best; thou shalt not oppress him.

17 (18) There shall be no kedeshah (ritual prostitute) of the banot Yisroel, nor a kadesh (sodomite ritual prostitute) of the bnei Yisroel.

18 (19) Thou shalt not bring the hire of a zonah, or the price of a kelev (male prostitute), into the Bais Hashem Eloheicha for any neder; for even both of these are to’avat Hashem Eloheicha.

19 (20) Thou shalt not lend upon neshekh (interest) to thy brother; neshekh of kesef, neshekh of okhel, neshekh of any thing that is lent upon neshekh;

20 (21) Unto a nokhri thou mayest lend upon neshekh; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon neshekh; that Hashem Eloheicha may bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand to in ha’aretz whither thou goest to possess it.

21 (22) When thou shalt vow a neder unto Hashem Eloheicha, thou shalt not delay to pay it; for Hashem Eloheicha will surely require it of thee; and it would be chet (sin) in thee.

22 (23) But if thou shalt abstain from vowing, it shall be no chet in thee.

23 (24) That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt be shomer over and perform; even a vow thou hast voluntarily vowed unto Hashem Eloheicha, which thou hast promised with thy mouth.

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

25 (26) When thou comest into the standing grain of thy neighbor, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine yad; but thou shalt not use a sickle unto thy neighbor’s standing grain [see Mt 12:1; Mk 2:23; Lk 6:1 on the fact that where the Spirit of the L-rd is, there is liberty.T.N.].

Exclusion From the Assembly

23 [a]No one who has been emasculated(A) by crushing or cutting may enter the assembly of the Lord.

No one born of a forbidden marriage[b] nor any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord, not even in the tenth generation.

No Ammonite(B) or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord, not even in the tenth generation.(C) For they did not come to meet you with bread and water(D) on your way when you came out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam(E) son of Beor from Pethor in Aram Naharaim[c](F) to pronounce a curse on you.(G) However, the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse(H) into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loves(I) you. Do not seek a treaty(J) of friendship with them as long as you live.(K)

Do not despise an Edomite,(L) for the Edomites are related to you.(M) Do not despise an Egyptian, because you resided as foreigners in their country.(N) The third generation of children born to them may enter the assembly of the Lord.

Uncleanness in the Camp

When you are encamped against your enemies, keep away from everything impure.(O) 10 If one of your men is unclean because of a nocturnal emission, he is to go outside the camp and stay there.(P) 11 But as evening approaches he is to wash himself, and at sunset(Q) he may return to the camp.(R)

12 Designate a place outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself. 13 As part of your equipment have something to dig with, and when you relieve yourself, dig a hole and cover up your excrement. 14 For the Lord your God moves(S) about in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy,(T) so that he will not see among you anything indecent and turn away from you.

Miscellaneous Laws

15 If a slave has taken refuge(U) with you, do not hand them over to their master.(V) 16 Let them live among you wherever they like and in whatever town they choose. Do not oppress(W) them.

17 No Israelite man(X) or woman is to become a shrine prostitute.(Y) 18 You must not bring the earnings of a female prostitute or of a male prostitute[d] into the house of the Lord your God to pay any vow, because the Lord your God detests them both.(Z)

19 Do not charge a fellow Israelite interest, whether on money or food or anything else that may earn interest.(AA) 20 You may charge a foreigner(AB) interest, but not a fellow Israelite, so that the Lord your God may bless(AC) you in everything you put your hand to in the land you are entering to possess.

21 If you make a vow to the Lord your God, do not be slow to pay it,(AD) for the Lord your God will certainly demand it of you and you will be guilty of sin.(AE) 22 But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty.(AF) 23 Whatever your lips utter you must be sure to do, because you made your vow freely to the Lord your God with your own mouth.

24 If you enter your neighbor’s vineyard, you may eat all the grapes you want, but do not put any in your basket. 25 If you enter your neighbor’s grainfield, you may pick kernels with your hands, but you must not put a sickle to their standing grain.(AG)

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 23:1 In Hebrew texts 23:1-25 is numbered 23:2-26.
  2. Deuteronomy 23:2 Or one of illegitimate birth
  3. Deuteronomy 23:4 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
  4. Deuteronomy 23:18 Hebrew of a dog