Deuteronomy 23:9-14

(7) UNCLEANNESS (Deuteronomy 23:9-14)

9When 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.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 23:9-14

349.

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.

350.

It will be of interest to note in this passage what God classifies as unclean; why so? Unclean in what sense? Cf. Numbers 5:1-4.

AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION 23:9-14

9 When you go forth against your enemies and are in camp, you shall keep yourself from every evil thing.
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.

COMMENT 23:9-14

We have placed this section here because it obviously concerns warfare (Deuteronomy 23:9).

FROM EVERY EVIL THING (Deuteronomy 23:9)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, Numbers 5:1-4.