The big picture
Deuteronomy 23 opens in verse 1 with “He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 13 with “And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease…”, and closes in verse 25 with “When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the…” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, usury, camp, congregation, enter. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Deuteronomy · King James Version · 25Deuteronomy 23:1-7
1–7: He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off…
Deuteronomy 23:1–7 opens with “He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the…” and reaches “Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Deuteronomy 23 develops its own movement around LORD, usury, camp, congregation, enter, with particular weight carried by LORD, congregation, enter.
Context that brings the passage to life
“He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD ; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Deuteronomy 23:1-7
King James Version1He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD .
2A 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 .
3An 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:
4Because 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.
5Nevertheless 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.
6Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days for ever.
7Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land.
Deuteronomy 23:8-14
8–14: The children that are begotten of them shall enter into the congregation…
Deuteronomy 23:8–14 opens with “The children that are begotten of them shall enter into the congregation of the LORD in their…” and reaches “For the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Deuteronomy 23 develops its own movement around LORD, usury, camp, congregation, enter, with particular weight carried by camp, abroad, cometh.
Context that brings the passage to life
“The children that are begotten of them shall enter into the congregation of the LORD in their third generation.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing.” The line’s distinctive content terms include enemies, goeth, host. Its relationship to verses 8 and 10 shows what work it does in this passage.
Deuteronomy 23:8-14
King James Version8The children that are begotten of them shall enter into the congregation of the LORD in their third generation.
9When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing.
10If there be among you any man, that is not clean by reason of uncleanness that chanceth him by night, then shall he go abroad out of the camp, he shall not come within the camp:
11But it shall be, when evening cometh on, he shall wash himself with water: and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp again.
12Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad:
13And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee:
14For the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee.
Deuteronomy 23:15-21
15–21: Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from…
Deuteronomy 23:15–21 opens with “Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee:” and reaches “When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Deuteronomy 23 develops its own movement around LORD, usury, camp, congregation, enter, with particular weight carried by usury, LORD, lend.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee:” Naming Thou keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“He shall dwell with thee, even among you, in that place which he shall choose in one of thy gates, where it liketh him…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Deuteronomy 23:15-21
King James Version15Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee:
16He shall dwell with thee, even among you, in that place which he shall choose in one of thy gates, where it liketh him best: thou shalt not oppress him.
17There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.
18Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the LORD thy God.
19Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury:
20Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
21When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.
Deuteronomy 23:22-25
22–25: If thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.
Deuteronomy 23:22–25 opens with “But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.” and reaches “When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Deuteronomy 23 develops its own movement around LORD, usury, camp, congregation, enter, with particular weight carried by comest, corn, mayest.
Context that brings the passage to life
“But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Deuteronomy 23:22-25
King James Version22But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.
23That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the LORD thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth.
24When thou comest into thy neighbour’s vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure; but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel.
25When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour’s standing corn.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Deuteronomy 23:1 begins with “He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD .”
Where the chapter turns
Deuteronomy 23:11 forms a natural hinge: “But it shall be, when evening cometh on, he shall wash himself with water: and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp again.”
The final note
Deuteronomy 23:25 leaves the reader with “When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, usury, camp, congregation, enter, abroad help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
Why repeat the details of the property?
The description establishes a recognized, witnessed holding for the family.
How do grief and promise coexist?
Abraham mourns fully while securing a burial place in the land associated with the promise.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.