Deuteronomy 23:9-14

Israel in Camp

Deuteronomy 23:9-14

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 11:0 go abroad out of [beyond] the camp, he shall not come within the camp: But [And] it shall be, when evening1 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 [room—literally hand] also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad: 13And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon2 [beside thy weapon]; and it shall be when thou wilt ease thyself3 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 [and he shall not see] unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

The civil sanctity of Israel has its corresponding manifestation, and indeed first of all in the field, Deuteronomy 23:9, upon the march to war. It must then be so, more than in Numbers 5:2 sq., since they then stand opposed to the heathen, and indeed in their noblest manhood (chap. 20). דבר רע, comp. Deuteronomy 17:1, here defilement, Deuteronomy 23:10, as explained Leviticus 15:16 sq. (1 Samuel 20:26). No further specification, because sufficiently clear from the earlier law-giving. Deuteronomy 23:11. (Genesis 24:63.) At sunset he might come into the camp. Deuteronomy 23:12 respects not only cleanliness, but stands as a representative of purity in every sense. “Not everywhere, and still less in the camp.” Knobel. Deuteronomy 23:13. יָתֵד, the fixed, stable, hence the wooden nail, the tent-peg, but also to fix fast; hence the thrusting, penetrating instrument. אָזֵן, furniture, war-weapon or utensil. Deuteronomy 23:14. The presence of Jehovah is the reason for the sanctity, and therefore for the sanctification of the camp, Deuteronomy 20:1; Deuteronomy 20:4; Deuteronomy 1:8 (2 Corinthians 6:16).—Unclean (nakedness, from ערה) of a thing, i.e. any nakedness, which could not exist without destroying or injuring the reverence for Jehovah.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

Deuteronomy 23:9. 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 soldier’s life should be a holy and religious one. Our unholiness makes our enemies powerful against us.”—A. G.]

Deuteronomy 23:10. Starke: “Soldiers should cultivate assiduously every virtue, especially that of purity.” Deuteronomy 23:11. Starke: “Without real purity and holiness no one can enter the heavenly camp, Ephesians 5:5.” Deuteronomy 23:12-13. 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.” Deuteronomy 23:14. 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,’ Revelation 1:13.”—A. G.]

Footnotes:

[1][Deuteronomy 23:11. Marg.: turning toward, literally at the turning of the evening.—A. G.].

[2][Deuteronomy 23:13. Sept. and Vulg.: upon thy girdle. Heb.: sharp-pointed utensil. Some MSS. have the plural: among thy utensils. So Gesenius.—A. G.].

[3][Deuteronomy 23:13. Marg. literally: thou sittest down or in thy sitting down.—A. G.].

[4][Deuteronomy 23:14. Schroeder as the Marg.: nakedness of a thing.—A. G.].