Deuteronomy

This verse constitutes 22.30 in some editions, so that chapter 23 starts with the next verse. No householder householder See the first note at 1.31. shall take his father’s former wife [as his own wife], so as to remove his father’s garment. remove his father’s garment I.e., lay claim to what his father had possessed. Cf. Lev. 18.8; 20.11; Ezek. 16.8; Ruth 3.9.

No man whose testes are crushed or whose member is cut off shall be admitted into the congregation congregation Heb. qahal; whether women are in view is uncertain, here and in vv. 3–9; cf. Deut. 5.19; 31.30; Josh. 8.35. of יהוה.

No one misbegotten misbegotten Meaning of Heb. mamzer uncertain; in Jewish law, the offspring of adultery or incest between Jews. Social-gender force uncertain. shall be admitted into the congregation of יהוה; no descendant of such, even in the tenth generation, shall be admitted into the congregation of יהוה.

No Ammonite or Moabite No Ammonite or Moabite Whether women are included in this prohibition is uncertain; cf. 1 Kings 11.1–2. shall be admitted into the congregation of יהוה; no descendants of such, even in the tenth generation, shall ever be admitted into the congregation of יהוה,

because they did not meet you with food and water on your journey after you left Egypt, and because they hired Balaam son of Beor, from Pethor of Aram-naharaim, to curse you.—

But your God יהוה refused to heed Balaam; instead, your God יהוה turned the curse into a blessing for you, for your God יהוה loves you.—

You shall never concern yourself with their welfare or benefit as long as you live.

You shall not abhor an Edomite, for such is your kin. You shall not abhor an Egyptian, for you were a stranger in that land.

Children born to them may be admitted into the congregation of יהוה in the third generation. in the third generation I.e., of residence in Israel’s territory.

When you [men] go out as a troop against your enemies, be on your guard against anything untoward.

If anyone among you has been rendered impure by a nocturnal emission, he must leave the camp, and he must not reenter the camp.

Toward evening he shall bathe in water, and at sundown he may reenter the camp.

Further, there shall be an area for you outside the camp, where you may relieve yourself.

With your gear you shall have a spike, and when you have squatted you shall dig a hole with it and cover up your excrement.

Since your God יהוה moves about in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you, let your camp be holy; let [God] not find anything unseemly among you and turn away from you.

You shall not turn over to the master a slave who seeks refuge with you from that master.

Such individuals shall live with you in any place they may choose among the settlements in your midst, wherever they please; you must not ill-treat them.

No Israelite woman shall be a prostitute, prostitute Meaning of Heb. qedeshah uncertain. Perhaps a type of female functionary at a religious site. NJPS “sacred prostitute,” but the notion that ancient Near Eastern religions included prostitution as a religious act has since been discredited. nor shall any Israelite man be a prostitute. prostitute Meaning of Heb. qadesh uncertain. Although it is simply the masculine counterpart of qedeshah (see previous note), it is mentioned as if it refers to a

You shall not bring the fee of a whore or the pay of a dog dog I.e., a male prostitute. into the house of your God יהוה in fulfillment of any vow, for both are abhorrent to your God יהוה.

You shall not deduct interest from loans to your fellow Israelites, whether in money or food or anything else that can be deducted as interest;

but you may deduct interest from loans to foreigners. Do not deduct interest from loans to your fellow Israelites, so that your God יהוה may bless you in all your undertakings in the land that you are about to enter and possess.

When you make a vow to your God יהוה, do not put off fulfilling it, for your God יהוה will require it of you, and you will have incurred guilt;

whereas you incur no guilt if you refrain from vowing.

You must fulfill what has crossed your lips and perform what you have voluntarily vowed to your God יהוה, having made the promise with your own mouth.

When you enter a fellow [Israelite]’s vineyard, you may eat as many grapes as you want, until you are full, but you must not put any in your vessel.

When you enter a fellow [Israelite]’s field of standing grain, you may pluck ears with your hand; but you must not put a sickle to your neighbor’s grain.