The whole passage refers not to the encampments of the nation while passing from Egypt through the wilderness, but to future warlike expeditions seat out from Canaan.<\/P> <\/p>\n
Then especially take heed, because that is a time and state of confusion and licentiousness, when, as one said, the laws of God and man cannot be heard for the noise of arms; and because the success of thy arms and enterprises depends upon Gods blessing, which wicked men have no reason to expect; and because thou dost then carry thy life in thy hand, and therefore hast need to be well prepared for death and judgment. <\/P> <\/p>\n
9-14. When the host goeth forthagainst thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing<\/B>fromthe excesses incident to camp life, as well as from habits ofpersonal neglect and impurity.<\/P><\/p>\nFuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
When the host goeth forth against thine enemies<\/strong>,…. An army of soldiers march in order to meet the enemy and fight him:<\/p>\n then keep thee from every wicked thing<\/strong>; the Targum of Jonathan adds, by way of explanation,<\/p>\n “from strange worship, uncovering of nakedness, and from shedding innocent blood;”<\/p>\n that is, from idolatry, uncleanness of every sort, and murder; and all other wickednesses ought to be abstained from at all times by all persons, but especially by soldiers in such a circumstance, just going to battle; since sin committed weakens natural courage, as it loads the conscience with guilt; and since victory and success, which depend upon the blessing of God on arms, cannot be reasonably expected, where vices of all sorts are indulged and abound; and especially seeing such are about to expose their lives to the utmost danger, and know not but that in a few hours they must exchange this life for another, and appear before God, the Judge of all, against whom they sin; and yet how little are these things thought of by such in common! it was the wisdom of the Jewish legislature, which was of God, to inculcate such things into the minds of their soldiers.<\/p>\n Preservation of the Purity of the Camp in Time of War. – The bodily appearance of the people was also to correspond to the sacredness of Israel as the congregation of the Lord, especially when they gathered in hosts around their God. “ When thou marchest out as a camp against thine enemies, beware of every evil thing<\/em>.” What is meant by an “evil thing” is stated in Deu 23:10-13<\/span>, viz., uncleanness, and uncleanliness of the body.<\/p>\n Deu 23:10-11<\/span><\/p>\n <\/strong> The person who had become unclean through a nightly occurrence, was to go out of the camp and remain there till he had cleansed himself in the evening. On the journey through the desert, none but those who were affected with uncleanness of a longer duration were to be removed from the camp (Num 5:2<\/span>) but when they were encamped, this law was to apply to even lighter defilements.<\/p>\n Deu 23:12-13<\/span><\/p>\n <\/strong> The camp of war was also not to be defiled with the dirt of excrements. Outside the camp there was to be a space or place ( , as in Num 2:17<\/span>) for the necessities of nature, and among their implements they were to have a spade, with which they were to dig when they sat down, and then cover it up again. , generally a plug, here a tool for sticking in, i.e., for digging into the ground.<\/p>\n Deu 23:14<\/span><\/p>\n <\/strong> For the camp was to be (to be kept) holy, because Jehovah walked in the midst of it, in order that He might not see “ nakedness of a thing<\/em>,” i.e., anything to be ashamed of (see at Deu 24:1<\/span>) in the people, “ and turn away from thee<\/em>.” There was nothing shameful in the excrement itself; but the want of reverence, which the people would display through not removing it, would offend the Lord and drive Him out of the camp of Israel.<\/p>\n Moral and Ceremonial Purity Enjoined.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/I><\/span><\/P> <\/TD> B. C.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN> 1451.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P> <\/TD> <\/TR> <\/TABLE> 9 When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing. 10 If 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: 11 But it shall be, when evening cometh on, he shall wash himself<\/I> with water: and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp again.<\/I> 12 Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad: 13 And 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: 14 For the LORD<\/B> 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.<\/P> Israel was now encamped, and this vast army was just entering upon action, which was likely to keep them together for a long time, and therefore it was fit to give them particular directions for the good ordering of their camp. And the charge is in one word to be clean.<\/I> They must take care to keep their camp pure from moral, ceremonial, and natural pollution.<\/P> I. From moral pollution (v.<\/I><\/span> 9<\/span>): When the host goes forth against thy enemy<\/I> then look upon thyself as in a special manner engaged to keep thyself from every evil thing.<\/I> 1. The soldiers themselves must take heed of sin, for sin takes off the edge of valour; guilt makes men cowards. Those that put their lives in their hands are concerned to make and keep their peace with God, and preserve a conscience void of offence; then may they look death in the face without terror. Soldiers, in executing their commission, must keep themselves from gratifying the lusts of malice, covetousness, or uncleanness, for these are wicked things–must keep themselves from the idols, or accursed things, they found in the camps they plundered. 2. Even those that tarried at home, the body of the people, and every particular person, must at that time especially keep from every wicked thing, lest by sin they provoke God to withdraw his presence from the host, and give victory to the enemy for the correcting of his own people. Times of war should be times of reformation, else how can we expect God should hear and answer our prayers for success? Ps. lxvi. 18<\/span>. See 1 Sam. vii. 3<\/span>.<\/P> II. From ceremonial pollution, which might befal a person when unconscious of it, for which he was bound to wash his flesh in water, and look upon himself as unclean until the evening,<\/I> Lev. xv. 16<\/I><\/span>. A soldier, notwithstanding the constant service and duty he had to do in the camp, must be so far from looking upon himself as discharged from the observance of this ceremony that more was required from him than at another time; had he been at his own house, he needed only to wash his flesh, but, being in the army, he must go abroad out of the camp, as one concerned to keep it pure and ashamed of his own impurity, and not return till after sunset, Deu 23:10<\/span>; Deu 23:11<\/span>. By this trouble and reproach, which even involuntary pollutions exposed men to, they were taught to keep up a very great dread of all fleshly lusts. It were well if military men would consider this.<\/P> III. From natural pollution; the camp of the Lord must have nothing offensive in it, v.<\/I><\/span> 12-14<\/span>. It is strange that the divine law, or at least the solemn order and direction of Moses, should extend to a thing of this nature; but the design of it was to teach them, 1. Modesty and decorum; nature itself teaches them thus to distinguish themselves from beasts that know no shame. 2. Cleanliness, and, though not niceness, yet neatness, even in their camp. Filthiness is offensive to the senses God has endued us with, prejudicial to the health, a wrong to the comfort of human life, and an evidence of a careless slothful temper of mind. 3. Purity from the pollutions of sin; if there must be this care taken to preserve the body clean and sweet, much more should we be solicitous to keep the mind so. 4. A reverence of the divine majesty. This is the reason here given: For the Lord thy God walketh<\/I> by his ark, the special token of his presence, in the midst of thy camp;<\/I> with respect to that external symbol this external purity is required, which (though not insisted on in the letter when that reason ceases) teaches us to preserve inward purity of soul, in consideration of the eye of God, which is always upon us. By this expression of respect to the presence of God among them, they were taught both to fortify themselves against sin and to encourage themselves against their enemies with the consideration of that presence. 5. A regard one to another. The filthiness of one is noisome to many; this law of cleanliness therefore teaches us not to do that which will be justly offensive to our brethren and grieve them. It is a law against nuisances.<\/P> <\/p>\n Verse 9:<\/strong><\/p>\n When going forth to war, Israel must be cleansed from moral pollution.<\/p>\n “Host,” machaneh, <\/strong>also translated “company, band, army.”<\/p>\n When Israel went forth to war, all impurity was to be kept from the camp, compare Num 5:2<\/span>.<\/p>\n “Every wicked thing,” literally, “every evil thing,” evil in the sense of uncleanness, blemish, flaw.<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n 9. When the host goeth forth. What he had taught with respect to the preservation of purity at home, and in time of peace, he now extends to times of war also, so that they might keep themselves clean from all defilement even in the midst of the clang of arms. We know how greatly laws are disregarded during war, when all things are under the control of violence rather than reason; and we know that much license is wont to be given to soldiers, which would be by no means tolerated in peace. God would remedy this evil by requiring the Israelites to aim at the same purity in war as in peace; for this is a special law which forbids their being dissolute and unruly in war-time, as He has before condemned all impurity in general, as if He had said, that under no pretext would they be excusable, if they neglect the duty of cultivating habits of purity. For He does not command them to be cautious in the army and in the camp, as if they might sin with impunity when at home, but admonishes them that God would by no means excuse them although they should allege the necessity of war. Much more would the crime be aggravated, if they should pollute themselves in peace and when their minds were calm. Whence we gather that it is vain to catch at empty excuses for the violation of God’s commands in any respect; for, however difficult the performance of duty may be, still God never resigns His rights. Now, if war, which seems to dispense with laws, does not excuse crime, much greater, as I have said, shall their guilt be accounted, who in a tranquil condition of life are licentiously carried away by sin. <\/p>\n (7) UNCLEANNESS (Deu. 23:9-14<\/span>)<\/p>\n 9 When thou goest forth in camp against thine enemies, then thou shalt keep thee from every evil thing. 10 If there be among you any man, that is not clean by reason of that which chanceth him by night, then shall he go abroad out of the camp, he shall not come within the camp: 11 but it shall be, when evening cometh on, he shall bathe himself in water; and when the sun is down, he shall come within the camp. 12 Thou shalt have a place also without the camp whither thou shalt go forth abroad: 13 and thou shalt have a paddle among thy weapons; and it shall be, when thou sittest down abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee; 14 for Jehovah 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 may not see an unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee.<\/p>\n THOUGHT QUESTIONS 23:914<\/p>\n 349.<\/p>\n There are some very delicate subjects here discussed in a most candid and yet modest manner. This should offer some example for our approach and discussion of such subjects.<\/p>\n 350.<\/p>\n It will be of interest to note in this passage what God classifies as unclean; why so? Unclean in what sense? Cf. Num. 5:1-4<\/span>.<\/p>\n AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION 23:914<\/p>\n 9 When you go forth against your enemies and are in camp, you shall keep yourself from every evil thing. COMMENT 23:914<\/p>\n We have placed this section here because it obviously concerns warfare (Deu. 23:9<\/span>).<\/p>\n FROM EVERY EVIL THING (Deu. 23:9<\/span>)Heb. ra-a, here, evil in the sense of blemish, uncleanness. Gesenius mentions that the word may imply to be noxious, hurtfuland there seems to be such overtones in this passage. The fact that they were in camp and in the midst of a war, did not relieve them of certain responsibilities. Discipline and safety are the rule in any army camp, and it is not difficult to see the wisdom of these words. All impurity and uncleanness was to be kept out. This basic rule of course, also applies to the camp as a whole, Num. 5:1-4<\/span>.<\/p>\n Deu. 23:9-14<\/span>. PURITY OF THE CAMP.<\/strong><\/p>\n (9) When the host goeth forth against thine enemies . . . keep thee.<\/strong>Because Satan maketh his accusations in the hour of danger (Rashi).<\/p>\n (10) Uncleanness that chanceth him by night.<\/strong> As in Lev. 15:16<\/span>.<\/p>\n (11) When the sun is down.<\/strong>No man is clean (after ceremonial uncleanness) except at the going down of the sun (Rashi).<\/p>\n (12) Without the camp.<\/strong>It must not be forgotten that this is the camp of the army, <\/em>not the whole encampment of Israel in the wilderness. The entire passage is continuous from Deu. 23:9<\/span>. Hence the whole discussion raised, after the appearance of Dr. Colensos work, on the size of the camp of Israel and the possibility of obeying this rule, was simply waste of words, and arose out of a misunderstanding of the matter under consideration. The sanitary value of the rule has been abundantly demonstrated in our own day.<\/p>\n (13) A paddle<\/strong>rather, a pin, or spike, like that with which Jael slew Sisera. The word for weapon does not occur elsewhere. The LXX. translates it <\/em>a pin or tent-peg at thy girdle; <\/em>the Hebrew word (zn<\/em>) <\/em>being like the Greek (). <\/em>But both Targums interpret the word as weapon, connecting it with the Hebrew zayin, <\/em>which has that meaning. The hinder end of the spear <\/em>in Abners hand was sharp enough to strike Asahel a fatal blow when he followed him (2Sa. 2:23<\/span>). Sauls spear also was stuck in the ground at his bolster (1Sa. 26:7<\/span>), probably with its point upwards, by the same spike.<\/p>\n (14) For<\/strong> <\/em><\/strong>the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of . . . thee.<\/strong>A most beautiful argument for purity in every sense. It was evidently present to St. Pauls mind in 2Co. 6:16<\/span> to 2Co. 7:1<\/span>, God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them. . . . <\/em>Having therefore these promises . . . let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, <\/em>perfecting holiness in the fear of God.<\/p>\n 9-14<\/strong>. <\/strong> When the host goeth forth <\/strong> The purity of life in the camp, when they shall be engaged in future wars, is provided for in this passage.<\/p>\n Keeping The Military Camp Ritually Clean ( Deu 23:9-14<\/strong><\/span><\/strong> ). <\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Having established the purity of the assembly of Israel Moses now moved on to the question of the purity of the military camp of Israel. If they desired Yahweh to be with them in their midst they must preserve the purity of the camp. <\/p>\n Analysis using the words of Moses: <\/p>\n a <\/strong> When you go forth in camp against your enemies, then you shall keep yourself from every evil thing (Deu 23:9<\/span>). <\/p>\n b <\/strong> If there is among you any man, who is not clean by reason of that which chances him by night, then shall he go abroad out of the camp, he shall not come within the camp, but it shall be, when evening comes on, he shall bathe himself in water; and when the sun is down, he shall come within the camp (Deu 23:10-11<\/span>). <\/p>\n b <\/strong> You shall have a place also outside the camp, to which you shall go forth abroad, and you shall have a shovel (or peg) among your weapons, and it shall be, when you sit down abroad, you shall dig with it, and shall turn back and cover what comes from you (Deu 23:12-13<\/span>). <\/p>\n a <\/strong> For Yahweh your God walks (or ‘marches’) in the midst of your camp, to deliver you, and to give up your enemies before you; therefore shall your camp be holy, that He may not see an unclean thing in you, and turn away from you (Deu 23:14<\/span>). <\/p>\n Note that in ‘a’ they must keep themselves from every evil thing when in their camp, and in the parallel this is because Yahweh walks in the camp. In ‘b’ we have described how to treat uncleanness caused by emissions, and in the parallel how to deal with other emissions. <\/p>\n Deu 23:9<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> When you (thou) go forth in camp against your enemies, then you shall keep yourself from every evil thing.’ <\/p>\n When proceeding against the enemy it was necessary to keep ritually clean (compare 1Sa 21:4-5<\/span>). The examples given are directly relevant to the camp but the implication is that they should avoid all uncleanness in every way. The general principle having been stated, some of the detail is then spelled out. <\/p>\n Deu 23:10-11<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> If there is among you any man, who is not clean by reason of that which chances him by night, then shall he go abroad out of the camp, he shall not come within the camp, but it shall be, when evening comes on, he shall bathe himself in water; and when the sun is down, he shall come within the camp.’ <\/p>\n What ‘chances a man by night’ is a euphemism for wet dreams and other discharges (compare Lev 15:16<\/span>). This rendered a man ‘unclean’ until the evening. The washing with water was preparatory to the period of waiting which would result in his becoming clean. It was not the water that cleansed but the waiting outside the camp. The water probably removed his earthiness so that he could meet with Yahweh in his period of waiting. Yahweh would be there, for He was not excluded from outside the camp, except in His symbolised presence. This is a military camp. When in the ‘camp of Israel’ (that of the whole people, not the military camp) he would wait within his tent, but then he was not sharing it in such close vicinity with others. Soldiers would often be huddled together. It may suggest that the military camp must be kept especially holy. <\/p>\n These discharges might include the soldier ‘wetting himself’ or even ‘disgracing himself’, whether because he was frightened, or simply out of laziness. Either way he would be given time to think about the matter by his exclusion from the camp. He would be no longer welcome until he was ‘clean’. The following verses would be an indication of what they were really expected to do in such circumstances. <\/p>\n Deu 23:12-13<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> You shall have a place also outside the camp, to which you shall go forth abroad, and you shall have a shovel (or peg) among your weapons, and it shall be, when you sit down abroad, you shall dig with it, and shall turn back and cover what comes from you.’ <\/p>\n This might suggest that there was a camp for the soldiers, the official camp, within a wider camp which would include the latrines, both of which would be under guard, but the latter of which would be seen as ‘outside the camp’. Soldiers on active service would not want to be wandering alone away from the camp. The point, however, here is that the soldier who wished to relieve himself should leave the main camp to go to the latrine area, either with a shovel or peg which each soldier probably carried in his pack, or with a shovel kept in a prominent place for general use, dig a hole, relieve himself, and then cover it over. This would keep the main camp holy and would be of great hygienic benefit. It would also emphasise the need to avoid lewd or disgusting behaviour. <\/p>\n Deu 23:14<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> For Yahweh your God walks (or ‘marches’) in the midst of your camp, to deliver you, and to give up your enemies before you; therefore shall your camp be holy, that he may not see an unclean thing in you, and turn away from you.’ <\/p>\n This was necessary because Yahweh their God walked in the midst of their camp. Yahweh was with them (possibly, but not necessarily, indicated by the presence of the Ark). It is an open question whether the Ark was regularly taken into battle. Compare for this Num 10:35-36<\/span>, but there the tabernacle was being taken down; Jdg 20:27<\/span>, where it was in the main camp of Israel in a civil war where Yahweh’s law was being defended; 1Sa 4:3-9<\/span>, but that arose from special circumstances of defeat. It is thus a disputed question. But unquestionably He was seen as ‘on the march’ with them and as there to deliver them from all their enemies, (compare the same word for ‘march, go before, walk’ in Exo 23:23<\/span>; Exo 33:14<\/span>; Lev 26:12<\/span>). Thus whenever a soldier relieved himself it reminded Him that Yahweh was with them in the camp, for that was why the camp had to be kept holy. No ‘nakedness of a thing’ must be found in it, nothing connected with the waste products of the private parts. If they disregarded this demand for the maintenance of the holiness of the camp then Yahweh would turn away from them and they would not be victorious. <\/p>\n There is unquestionably here the requirement that the people of God be clean and hygienic in their habits, even though the reason for it is a religious one. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/strong> Personal Cleanliness During Campaigns of War<\/p>\n v. 9. When the host,<\/strong> the army of Israel as represented by its camp of soldiers, goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing,<\/strong> namely, from defilement and uncleanness of the body. <\/p>\n v. 10. If there be among you any man that is not clean by reason of uncleanness that chanceth him by night,<\/strong> Lev 15:16<\/span>, then shall he go abroad out of the camp,<\/strong> he shall not come within the camp, go out and stay out; <\/p>\n v. 11. but it shall be when evening cometh on,<\/strong> when the day turns toward evening, he shall wash himself with water; and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp again. <\/p>\n v. 12. Thou shalt have a place also without the camp whither thou shalt go forth abroad;<\/strong> <\/p>\n v. 13. and thou shalt have a paddle,<\/strong> a small spade, upon thy weapon,<\/strong> among the accoutrements or instruments of war which belonged to the outfit of every soldier; and it shall be when thou wilt ease thyself abroad,<\/strong> at the designated place, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee,<\/strong> as a measure of sanitary precaution; <\/p>\n v. 14. for 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,<\/strong> not as though the easement in itself and the excrement were shameful, but its open presence could not be tolerated without destroying or injuring the reverence for Jehovah. Propriety and decency also in the matters here broached should be observed as a requirement of nature. <\/p>\n Ver. <\/em><\/strong>9. <\/strong>When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, <\/em><\/strong>&c.<\/strong> As the Israelites were to commence a war against the Canaanites, the success of which depended immediately upon the miraculous assistance of God, Moses ordains, that, in so delicate and dangerous a conjuncture, they should be especially careful to avoid all that excess which is but too common in armies. The rule, however, is to be observed at all times. Grotius quotes from Agathias a sentence very like this: “Injustice, and neglect of God’s service, are ever to be avoided as most pernicious, but especially in a time of war, and when men are about to give battle;” which the same historian proves by the examples of Darius, Xerxes, and the Athenians in Sicily. See Prolegom. ad Hist. de Jure B. & P. <\/p>\n Israel in Camp<\/strong><\/p>\n Deu 23:9-14<\/span><\/p>\n 9When the host goeth forth against [upon] 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 [clean from accident by], then shall Hebrews 11<\/span> go abroad out of [beyond] the camp, he shall not come within the camp: But [And] it shall be, when evening1<\/span> cometh on, he shall wash himself<\/em> with water: and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp again<\/em>. 12Thou shalt have a place [roomliterally hand] also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad: 13And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon2<\/span> [beside thy weapon]; and it shall be when thou wilt ease thyself3<\/span> 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 [and thy camp shall] be holy: that he see no4<\/span> [and he shall not see] unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee.<\/p>\n EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL<\/strong><\/p>\n The civil sanctity of Israel has its corresponding manifestation, and indeed first of all in the field, Deu 23:9<\/span>, upon the march to war. It must then be so, more than in Num 5:2<\/span> sq., since they then stand opposed to the heathen, and indeed in their noblest manhood (chap. 20). , comp. Deu 17:1<\/span>, here defilement, Deu 23:10<\/span>, as explained Lev 15:16<\/span> sq. (1Sa 20:26<\/span>). No further specification, because sufficiently clear from the earlier law-giving. Deu 23:11<\/span>. (Gen 24:63<\/span>.) At sunset he might come into the camp. Deu 23:12<\/span> respects not only cleanliness, but stands as a representative of purity in every sense. Not everywhere, and still less in the camp. Knobel. Deu 23:13<\/span>. , the fixed, stable, hence the wooden nail, the tent-peg, but also to fix fast; hence the thrusting, penetrating instrument. , furniture, war-weapon or utensil. Deu 23:14<\/span>. The presence of Jehovah is the reason for the sanctity, and therefore for the sanctification of the camp, Deu 20:1<\/span>; Deu 20:4<\/span>; Deu 1:8<\/span> (2Co 6:16<\/span>).Unclean (nakedness,<\/strong> from ) of a thing<\/strong>, i.e.<\/em> any nakedness, which could not exist without destroying or injuring the reverence for Jehovah.<\/p>\n HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL<\/strong><\/p>\n Deu 23:9<\/span>. Times of war are usually times of girdled, straitened life. Randglosse: That you may not be censurable, and so lose the victory, as a punishment, as at the time of Eli and Saul. Piscator: How can we contend successfully with our enemies? When the soldiers put away evil from themselves. [Bib. Com.: The ordinary rules of religion and morality were relaxed in times of war among other nations; but Israel must then shun every wicked thing. Wordsworth: The Lord of battles walks in the midst of camps; the soldiers life should be a holy and religious one. Our unholiness makes our enemies powerful against us.A. G.]<\/p>\n Deu 23:10<\/span>. Starke: Soldiers should cultivate assiduously every virtue, especially that of purity. Deu 23:11<\/span>. Starke: Without real purity and holiness no one can enter the heavenly camp, Eph 5:5<\/span>. Deu 23:12-13<\/span>. Schultz: Since heedlessness, indeed rudeness with respect to the community, manifests itself in these trifling and most external things, as well as in those which are greater, the ordinance is of great importance even now, although the conduct in the physical region may not now be regarded as a preparatory exercise with respect to moral conduct. Deu 23:14<\/span>. Starke: He who is not ashamed before men, disgraces himself before God. Berl. Bib.: We have here a sensible representation of the militant Church of God. Piscator: The Christian Church is a holy camp of the eternal sons of God wherein God dwells, and nothing disgraceful should be seen. [Wordsworth: The Lord Christ dwelleth and walketh in the midst of us, and preaches to us all: Be ye holy, for I am holy, Rev 1:13<\/span>.A. G.]<\/p>\n Footnotes:<\/strong><\/p>\n [1]<\/span>[Deu 23:11<\/span>. Marg.: turning toward, literally at the turning of the evening.A. G.].<\/p>\n [2]<\/span>[Deu 23:13<\/span>. Sept. and Vulg.: upon thy girdle. Heb.: sharp-pointed utensil. Some MSS. have the plural: among thy utensils. So Gesenius.A. G.].<\/p>\n [3]<\/span>[Deu 23:13<\/span>. Marg. literally: thou sittest down or in thy sitting down.A. G.].<\/p>\n [4]<\/span>[Deu 23:14<\/span>. Schroeder as the Marg.: nakedness of a thing.A. G.].<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The precept here is comprehensive, and includes all; it is from every wicked thing.<\/p>\n Deu 23:9 When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing.<\/p>\n Ver. 9. Then keep thee from every wicked thing.<\/strong> ] Walk accurately, as carrying thy life in thy hand; for “the sword devoureth one as well as another,” 2Sa 11:25 it spares neither lord nor losel, as they say. Every soldier therefore should be a saint, ready pressed to meet the Lord, who hath said, “I will be sanctified in all them that draw near unto me.” Lev 10:3 <\/p>\n NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Deu 23:9<\/p>\n 9When you go out as an army against your enemies, you shall keep yourself from every evil thing.<\/p>\n Deu 23:9 Israel was involved in holy war (cf. chapter 20). YHWH fought for them, but they must remain ceremonially pure for YHWH’s presence to remain with them (cf. Deu 23:14; Jos 5:13-15).<\/p>\n wicked. See App-44.<\/p>\n Jos 6:18, Jos 7:11-13, Jdg 20:26, 2Ch 19:4, 2Ch 20:3-13, 2Ch 31:20, 2Ch 31:21, 2Ch 32:1-22, Luk 3:14, Rev 19:11-14 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Deu 20:8 – fearful Jdg 20:21 – destroyed<\/p>\n Deu 23:9. Keep from every wicked thing Then especially take heed, because that is a time of confusion and licentiousness; when the laws of God and man cannot be heard for the noise of arms; because the success of thy arms depends upon Gods blessing, which wicked men have no reason to expect; and because thou dost carry thy life in thy hand, and therefore hast need to be well prepared for death and judgment.<\/p>\n Deu 23:9-14. Another Section Dealing with War (see Deu 20:1, Deu 21:10-14).Regulations for securing the ceremonial purity of the camp (see Num 5:2-4 (P)). The reason stated (Deu 23:14) is that Yahweh is in the camp (cf. Deu 20:1); Schwally and others suspect that the original motive is the belief that impurity attracted evil spirits. [J. G. Frazer (Taboo and the Perils of the Soul, pp. 158f.) points out that the rules of ceremonial purity, by which the Hebrew warriors were bound, are identical with rules observed by Maoris and Australian black-fellows on the wai-path. He connects these with the well-known dread lest anything belonging to the person should be procured by an enemy to work destruction by magic. In war the precautions are naturally more rigorous, and warriors are often taboo in the highest degree.A. S.P.] Note the connexion here between physical cleanliness and holiness.<\/p>\n Deu 23:15 f. Contrast with this law demanding shelter for the runaway slave, CH, 15f., which forbids such shelter (Deu 15:12-18*).<\/p>\n Deu 23:17 f. harlot . . . sodomite: Heb. a holy woman . . . a holy man (cf. mg.). Among the Greeks and other ancient nations temple prostitutes were very numerous, as they are in modern India (see JThS, April 1913). They are often called after the Greek name hierodules (see 1Ki 14:24, 2Ki 23:7). [R. H. Kennett thinks they were the sacred male slaves of the temples, temporary or permanent embodiments of the deity, possessed from time to time by his divine spirit, acting in his name and speaking with his voice. J. G. Frazer, Adonis Attis Osiris3, i. 72f.A. S. P.]<\/p>\n Deu 23:18. dog: a term of contempt among Semites: but hierodules were apparently called dogs among the Phnicians (see Driver and Bertholet).hire . . . wages: many Indian temples are supported mainly from the proceeds of sacred prostitution.<\/p>\n Deu 23:19 f., p. 112, Exo 22:25* (JE); Lev 25:36 f.* (H). That a foreigner could be charged interest is stated here only (see Cent.B on Neh 5:1-5). Pledges could be taken from an Israelite (Deu 24:10-13).<\/p>\n Deu 23:21-23. On vows, see p. 105, 126* and Numbers 30*.<\/p>\n Deu 23:23. a freewill offering: see Deu 12:6*.<\/p>\n Deu 23:24 f. Grapes may be plucked and corn taken to be eaten on the spot, but not to be carried away in a bag (see Mat 12:1 f., Mar 2:23 f., Luk 6:1 f.).<\/p>\n Personal hygiene 23:9-14<\/span><\/p>\n Various practices, most of which we have discussed previously, rendered the Israelite encampment ceremonially unclean. The laws in these verses applied to Israel after she entered the land and, specifically, while her armies engaged in battle. The connection with the seventh commandment is that which is unseemly, especially in the area of sexual associations.<\/p>\n The Israelites were evidently to regard human waste products as unnatural and therefore unclean. The Mosaic Law considered unclean everything that proceeded out of the human body. Perhaps this taught the Israelites that there is nothing good in man (total depravity).<\/p>\n "There was nothing shameful in the excrement itself [Deu 23:14]; but the want of reverence, which the people would display through not removing it, would offend the Lord and drive Him out of the camp of Israel." [Note: Keil and Delitzsch, 3:413.] <\/span><\/p>\n The Israelites were to acknowledge God’s presence among them by keeping their camp free of human refuse. This would hallow His name as He walked among them.<\/p>\n ". . . much of the information found in the [ancient] Egyptian medical texts was medically hazardous. For example donkey feces were used for the treatment of splinters, which probably increased the incidence of tetanus because of tetanus spores present in feces. Crocodile feces were used for birth control. In contrast Moses wrote that God instructed the Israelites to cover their excrement because it was ’unclean’ (Deu 23:12-13). At no time did Moses resort to adding the popular medical techniques of his day, though he was ’educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians’ (Act 7:22), which certainly included their medical wisdom."Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
10 If there is among you any man who is not clean by reason of what happens to him at night, then he shall go outside the camp, he shall not come with the camp;
11 But when evening comes he shall bathe himself in water, and when the sun is down, he may return to the camp.
12 You shall have a place also outside the camp to which you shall go [as a comfort station];
13 And you shall have a paddle or shovel among your weapons, and when you sit down outside [to relieve yourself], you shall dig a hole with it, and turn back and cover up what has come from you.
14 or the Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp to deliver you and to give up your enemies before you; therefore shall your camp be holy, that He may see nothing indecent among you, and turn away from you.<\/p>\nFuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
<\/strong><\/p>\nFuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n