Deep Dive

Deuteronomy 23:14

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For the LORD your God walks throughout your camp to protect you and deliver your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy, lest He see anything unclean among you and turn away from you.

Commentaries

Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.

Keil-Delitzsch Old Testament Commentaryv. 14

Regulations as to the Right of Citizenship in the Congregation of the Lord - Deuteronomy 23 From the sanctification of the house and the domestic relation, to which the laws of marriage and chastity in the previous chapter pointed, Moses proceeds to instructions concerning the sanctification of their union as a congregation: he gives directions as to the exclusion of certain persons from the congregation of the Lord, and the reception of others into it (Deu 23:1-8); as to the preservation of the purity of the camp in time of war (Deu 23:9-14); as to the reception of foreign slaves into the land, and the removal of licentious persons out of it (Deu 23:15-18); and lastly, as to certain duties of citizenship (Deu 23:19-25).

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Matthew Henry Bible Commentaryv. 14

The laws of this chapter provide, I. For the preserving of the purity and honour of the families of Israel, by excluding such as would be a disgrace to them (Deu 23:1-8). II. For the preserving of the purity and honour of the camp of Israel when it was abroad (Deu 23:9-14). III. For the encouraging and entertaining of slaves who fled to them (Deu 23:15, Deu 23:16). IV. Against whoredom (Deu 23:17, Deu 23:18). V. Against usury (Deu 23:19, Deu 23:20). IV. Against the breach of vows (Deu 23:21-23). VII. What liberty a man might take in his neighbour's field and vineyard, and what not (Deu 23:23, Deu 23:25).

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Tyndale Open Study Notesv. 14

23:14 shameful thing (literally nakedness of a thing): Because the camp of God’s army was holy, it was necessary that nakedness, especially of the genitalia, not be exposed within the camp (cp. Gen 2:25; 3:7-11; 9:21-23; Exod 20:26; Isa 47:3; Rev 3:18).

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Original language

The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).

Strong's Concordancev. 14

יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God אֱלֹהִים (ʼĕlôhîym, H430) — gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with… הָלַךְ (hâlak, H1980) — to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively) קֶרֶב (qereb, H7130) — properly, the nearest part, i.e. the center, whether literal, figurative or adverbial… מַחֲנֶה (machăneh, H4264) — an encampment (of travellers or troops); hence, an army, whether literal (of soldiers) or… נָצַל (nâtsal, H5337) — to snatch away, whether in a good or a bad sense נָתַן (nâthan, H5414) — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.) אֹיֵב (ʼôyêb, H341) — hating; an adversary פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and… קָדוֹשׁ (qâdôwsh, H6918) — sacred (ceremonially or morally); (as noun) God (by eminence), an angel, a saint, a… רָאָה (râʼâh, H7200) — to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied,… עֶרְוָה (ʻervâh, H6172) — nudity, literally (especially the pudenda) or figuratively (disgrace, blemish) דָּבָר (dâbâr, H1697) — a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause שׁוּב (shûwb, H7725) — to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not…

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