Deuteronomy 23

Chap. XXIII. Ver. 1—25. Miscellaneous laws.—We ought to value the privileges of the Lord’s people, both for ourselves and for our children, above all other advantages; and should carefully avoid whatever may throw a hinderance in the way of their possessing them. No personal blemishes, no crimes of profligates, no difference of nations, can exclude us from these blessings: but an unsound heart will deprive us of them; and a bad example, an improper education, and even unsuitable marriages, may occasion the loss of them to our children.—The conduct of God, as the righteous Governor of the universe, is not recorded for the imitation of private persons; but all men ought to follow the example of his patience, constant readiness to forgive, and kindness to his enemies.

Nor should we ever forget how he turns the curses of opposers into blessings, in behalf of those whom he loves, and teaches to love him.—The more imminent and evident the danger we are exposed to, the greater should be our watchfulness, diligence in self-examination, and earnestness in prayer for forgiveness, peace with God, and protection from him: and the scourge of war should remind the governors of kingdoms, and the commanders of armies, to exert themselves for reformation, and an attendance upon the ordinances of God. Nor can the help of the Lord be warrantably depended on by societies, or by individuals, while iniquity is indulged and connived at.—No natural filthiness is so loathsome to our senses, as the uncleanness of the heart is offensive to a holy God: in vain therefore do men, by pompous forms of godliness, costly oblations, or multiplied acts of showy beneficence, strive to compensate for their iniquity, while they indulge unlawful inclinations.

Such services are an attempt to bribe the Judge of the earth to “acquit the wicked;” but he abhors the blasphemous endeavour. It is the bounden duty of legislators and magistrates, to do all in their power, to prevent, to repress, and extirpate, the recesses of licentiousness here forbidden; and surely immensely more might be done, than is so much as attempted in Christian countries, or in this land, and its great cities; but whether they can or cannot banish such pernicious criminals, God will exclude for ever from the holy city, and shut up for ever in the lake of fire, all who persist in or encourage them.—The people of God must also keep at a distance from cruelty and oppression: and ever be ready to patronise the cause of the oppressed.

Fidelity to their engagements, and liberality without grudging to all around them, should mark their characters; for God is able to make all sufficiency to abound towards them: and at the same time they should be the last persons to encroach upon others. In fine, temperance, chastity, purity, equity, mercy, and truth, are the never-failing fruits of that Spirit which dwells in all the true disciples of Jesus Christ.—T. Scott.

Notes on the verses

Chap. XXIII. Ver. 1, &c. He that is wounded.—The persons here excluded from the rights of Israelitish citizenship are, 1. Eunuchs of two kinds, the one made by compression, the other by excision. 2. Children of prostitutes; but some think that the word denotes a profane corrupter. [It is evident that this 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 of the great and the courts of princes: so that 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.—Bagster. Ver. 2. A bastard.—LXX. and Vulgate, “Child of a harlot;” the word is emphatical, and does not mean merely illegitimate, but base-born; probably the child of a Canaanitish slave or of any incestuous connexion, and hence placed on a par with the following— Ver. 3. An Ammonite or Moabite.—These nations originated in the incest of Lot’s daughters, (Genesis 19:36-38).

[These nations were subjected for their impiety, wickedness, and enmity to Israel, (ver. 4, 5.) 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.—Bagster.——Unto the tenth generation.—That is, for many generations, or for ever. Ver.5. The Lord thy God turned the curse into a blessing.—See the history, (Numbers 22)—xxiv.—Since considering the above chapters, the Editor has met with an infidel objection, to this effect, that the messengers of Balak, travelling with Balaam, must have seen the angel as well as the prophet.

It is very possible, however, that Balaam might be in the rear of the procession, and the angel might not appear till they had passed; or if they did see the light, they might see no more, nor hear any thing that passed. Compare (Acts 9:7). Sp Ver. 12. Thou shalt have a place, &c.—These directions (says Dr. Clarke) may appear trifling, but they were necessary in present circumstances. Decency and cleanliness promote health, and prevent diseases. Ver. 15. Thou shalt not deliver, &c.—That is, a servant who had left a heathen master to avoid idolatry, might not be given up, or sent back. Isaiah xvi. 3, 4.—Obad. 14. [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 show great kindness; both in order to remain their religion, and to give them an opportunity of learning it.—Bagster. Ver. 18. The price of a dog.—The term dog appears to be here used for a wretch who hired himself for the horrid wickedness forbidden in the latter clause of ver. 17.; Ver. 19. Usury.—See (Leviticus 25:36), &c. Ver. 21. When thou shalt vow.—(Numbers 30:1), &c. Chap. XXIV. Ver. 1. Some uncleanness.—Hebrew, “Matter of nakedness;” i. e. indecency, (see ch. xxiii. 14.) or want of delicacy and propriety, without any charge of criminality; and this license was so far abused, that the Jewish doctors held that a man might put away his wife almost for any cause, however trifling.

See (Matthew 5:31), &c.; xix. 3, &c. Ver. 4. She is defiled.—The husband parted with her under that pretence, and must not take her back: she is not to be bandied backward and forward to humour his caprice. Ver. 5. When a man hath taken a new wife.—It is remarkable, that Alexander the Great, in his expedition against Persia, nearly conformed to this law; for after the battle of the Granicus, and before he went into winter quarters, he ordered all his army that had married that year, to return into Macedonia and spend the winter with their wives; appointing three captains over them, to lead them home, and to bring them back at the time appointed. See Prideaux’s Connexion.—Neither shall be charged with any business.

—Hebrew, “Not any thing shall pass upon him;” which the Vulgate justly explains, “No public business shall be enjoined him.” Ver. 6. The upper millstone.—Small handmills, formed of two stones, which were worked upon one another by one or two persons, were formerly in use among the Jews for grinding their corn, and are still used in many parts of the East. As they generally ground at one time only a sufficient quantity for a day’s consumption; hence they were forbidden to take either of the stones to pledge, because if they did, they would be deprived of the means of obtaining their necessary food, and the family be without bread. On this account they are called in the text, a man’s life.

The same reason holds good against receiving in pledge, or distraining for debt, any instrument of labour, by which men earn their livelihood.—Bagster. Ver. 9. Remember what the Lord did unto Miriam.—Miriam’s leprosy was inflicted for her contempt of the authority of Moses. See (Numbers 12:10), and compare (Luke 17:32). Ver. 10. Fetch his pledge.—This, as Bp. Patrick remarks, was a very merciful provision for the poor, whose houses he would have so privileged, that no man might enter into them without their consent, and there choose what he pleased for the security of his debt. But he was to take what the borrower could best spare.—Bagster. Ver. 13. Sleep in his own raiment.—The raiment here referred to was probably exactly the same as the Ayke of the Arabs, a long kind of blanket, resembling a Highland plaid, generally about six yards in length, and five or six feet broad, in which they often carry their provisions as well as wrap themselves in, in the day, and sleep in at night, it being their only substitute for a bed.

(See Shaw’s Travels.) How necessary, then, it was to restore the hyke to a poor man before the going down of the sun, that he might have something to repose on, will sufficiently appear from these considerations. It is probable, however, that the pledge, restored in the evening, was brought back to the creditor next morning.—Bagster. Ver. 15. At this day thou shalt give him daily, not weekly. See (Matthew 20:8).