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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 23:1-8

Interpreters are not agreed what is here meant by entering into the congregation of the Lord, which is here forbidden to eunuchs and to bastards, Ammonites and Moabites, for ever, but to Edomites and Egyptians only till the third generation. 1. Some think they are hereby excluded from communicating with the people of God in their religious services. Though eunuchs and bastards were owned as members of the church, and the Ammonites and Moabites might be circumcised and proselyted to the Jewish... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 23:4

Because they met you not with bread and with water ,.... To supply them therewith, either as a gift, which was a piece of humanity to strangers and travellers, or rather to sell unto them, for on no other terms did the Israelites desire their bread and their water: in the way when ye came forth out of Egypt ; not as soon as they came forth from thence, for it was near forty years after; but it was while they were in the way from thence, as they were journeying to the land of Canaan, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 23:5

Nevertheless, the Lord thy God would not hearken unto Balaam ,.... To his solicitations, and the methods he took to prevail on the Lord to suffer him to curse Israel, which he gladly would have done for the sake of Balak's reward: but the Lord thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee ; in the very mouth of Balaam, as the Targum of Jonathan; for when he opened his mouth and Balak expected he would have cursed Israel, and he intended it, could he have been permitted, the Lord... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 23:4

Verse 4 4.And because he hired. (306) Although there was a common reason why both nations should not be admitted, yet the number of the verb seems to be changed designedly, because Balac king of Moab hired Balaam; yet, inasmuch as they conspired together, the same crime is justly imputed to the Ammonites. Herein indeed their detestable impiety especially betrayed itself, that by hiring a mercenary man, to launch the thunders of his curse against the people, they sought to overwhelm God by... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 23:1-6

Loss of sacred privilege a grievous penalty. In such passages as this, very much more is intended than is expressed. We have to read between the lines, for only they who lived in those days of Jewish life could comprehend the shadowy hints, the pregnant suggestions, which are here reduced to words. I. THE ABUSE OF REPRODUCTIVE VITALISM IS A GIGANTIC SIN . The law of the natural kingdom, with regard to every species of life, that its "seed should be in itself," obtains... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 23:1-8

EXPOSITION CIVIL RIGHTS . WHO MAY AND WHO MAY NOT ENTER INTO THE CONGREGATION . UNCLEANNESS IN THE CAMP TO BE AVOIDED . RECEPTION OF FUGITIVE SLAVES . LICENTIOUS PERSONS TO BE REMOVED , AND GIFTS THE PRICE OF IMPURITY TO BE REFUSED . LAWS REGARDING USURY , VOWS , AND CERTAIN DUTIES OF CITIZENSHIP . Five classes of persons are here excluded from the congregation of the Lord. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 23:1-8

Stern safeguards sometimes needed. It was no small part of the education of the Hebrew people at once to stamp as disreputable the practices of bodily mutilation which were common enough among heathen nations. The honor of the congregation of the Lord was bound up in its freedom from complicity therewith. Eunuchs and illegitimate offspring were excluded from the congregation of the Lord, lest the moral virus connected with the associations of their life should be as poison in the camp.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 23:1-8

The excluded from the congregation. Certain principles underlie these exclusions which it is worth our while to note. It will be seen that, though bars of this kind are done away in Christ, there was a fitness, under the theocracy, in the exclusion of the classes specified from full participation in covenant privilege, such exclusion being in harmony with the idea of "a holy nation"—type in earthly mold of the ideal kingdom of God. I. THE EXCLUSION OF THE MUTILATED . ( ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 23:1-8

The congregation of the Lord jealously guarded. There has been considerable controversy about what the term" entering into the congregation of the Lord signifies. It cannot be the Old Testament equivalent for our " communicants ," or "Church members;" for it would seem from Exodus 12:48 , Exodus 12:49 , that Jewish privileges were open to strangers on condition of their circumcision. Nor need we interpret it as merely indicating the marriage connections which Israelites were to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 23:5

The curse turned into a blessing. No enchantment, no curse of evil men, can prevail against the people of God. Contrariwise, God will turn the curse into a Messing. In Malachi, on the other hand, he threatens to "curse the blessings" of the wicked ( Malachi 2:2 ). How does God turn the curse into a blessing? 1. Directly, by substituting a blessing for a curse . The curse is not merely not allowed to take effect for harm, but God puts a blessing in its stead. A Divine law of... read more

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