Deuteronomy 23
23:1 a Emasculation, associated with certain pagan rituals and customs, was abhorrent to the Lord (cp. Isa 56:3-4 b).23:3 c No Ammonite or Moabite: These nations were Lot’s descendants by his incestuous daughters (see study notes on 2:9, 19). In addition, they had forbidden Israel access to their lands during their desert wanderings (23:4 d).
• Exclusion for ten generations means an indefinitely long period of time.
23:4 e Pethor is now identified with Pitru in Mesopotamia (see study note on Num 22:5-6).
• Aram-naharaim (“Aram of the two rivers”) lies between the Euphrates and the Balih Rivers in upper Mesopotamia.
23:7 f The Edomites were descendants of Jacob’s brother, Esau (see 2:8 g).
23:8 h third generation: Following a long period of probation, Edomites and Egyptians who lived in Israel could worship the Lord as converts to the faith.
23:10 i nocturnal emission: Although they might have been unintentional or involuntary, these discharges rendered a man ceremonially unclean (see Lev 15:16-18 j).
23:12 k outside the camp: Defecation is a normal bodily function, but it brought ritual impurity and therefore violated God’s holiness.
23:13 l It would be disgusting and shameful to have an open latrine outside the camp, let alone within it.
23:14 m 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 n; 3:7-11 o; 9:21-23 p; Exod 20:26 q; Isa 47:3 r; Rev 3:18 s).
23:17 t A temple prostitute was commonly a part of Canaanite religious rituals, but they were forbidden in Israel.
23:18 u a man: The Hebrew word (literally a dog) was a derogatory term for homosexual men, who often took part in Canaanite religious ceremonies.
Summary for Deut 23:19-20: 23:19-20 v The word translated interest is related to a noun meaning “bite.” Charging interest was to “put the bite” on the debtor. See also Exod 22:25 w; Lev 25:36-37 x; Neh 5:1-13 y; Ps 15:5 z.
23:24 aa your neighbor’s vineyard: In a certain sense, God owned all the land and provided it to its human occupants. Therefore, no one had the right to make an exclusive claim to it. On the other hand, renters had rights to privacy and to a measure of control over what had been allotted to them. Trespassing was permitted within this context but not with the intention of theft. One could, however, pluck a few grapes or kernels of grain to eat along the way (see Matt 12:1-8 ab; Mark 2:23-28 ac; Luke 6:1-5 ad).
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