Deuteronomy 23

Deuteronomy 23:1

congregation = assembly.

Deuteronomy 23:3

Moabite. Hebrew, masculine. Therefore not excluding Ruth the Moabitess. Matthew 1:5. Compare Rth 1:14-16.

Deuteronomy 23:4

they hired. Compare Numbers 22:5. Jude 1:11.

Mesopotamia. Hebrew = Aram-Naharaim, i.e. “Syria of the two rivers”.

Deuteronomy 23:7

Thou. Some codices, with Samaritan Pentateuch, Targum of Onkelos, Syriac, Vulgate, read “But thou”.

thy brother. The posterity of Esau. Genesis 25:25-30. Obadiah 1:10, Obadiah 1:12.

Deuteronomy 23:8

shall enter into the congregation, &c. The Massorah (App-30) quotes the Babylonian Codex, which reads “shall enter unto you in the assembly of Jehovah”, by reading lakem, “unto you” instead of the second lakem which the Revised Version ignores, and the Authorized Version paraphrases. The present Hebrew text reads “shall enter unto them”, which can only mean unto the Edomite and Egyptian, which is incongruous. The reading of the Babylonian Codex makes all clear

Deuteronomy 23:9

wicked. See App-44.

Deuteronomy 23:11

wash himself with water. See note on Leviticus 14:9.

Deuteronomy 23:13

paddle = blade.

weapon = staff.

wilt ease. Hebrew sit down. Beautiful Euphemy (App-6), when dealing with physical uncleanness, but plain speaking when dealing with moral uncleanness.

Deuteronomy 23:14

walketh. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6. Compare Genesis 3:8. Leviticus 26:12.

camp. Some codices, with Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read “camps”.

holy = separated. See note on Exodus 3:5.

Deuteronomy 23:17

whore = sodomitess. Hebrew means one consecrated as such in connection with heathen worship. Hence her name kedeshah, a separated one. Compare 1 Kings 14:24; 1 Kings 15:12; 1 Kings 22:46. Job 36:14 (“unclean” = temple women). Hosea 4:14. The Laws of Khammurabi refer to these (181, 187, 192).

sodomite. First occurrence. See above note.

Deuteronomy 23:18

whore = a prostitute. Hebrew. zonah, different from Deuteronomy 23:17.

dog. Hebrew. keleb; but here, probably = priest (of the above orgies), same as Arabic kaleb.

Deuteronomy 23:19

usury. Compare Exodus 22:25. Leviticus 25:35-37.

Deuteronomy 23:21

vow a vow. Figure of speech Polyptoton (App-6) make a solemn vow. Compare Numbers 30:2.

sin. See App-44.

Deuteronomy 23:24

at thine own pleasure = as thy soul [desireth], Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.

Deuteronomy 23:25

standing corn. Compare Matthew 12:1.