Deuteronomy 23:17-18

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 23:15-25

Orders are here given about five several things which have no relation one to another:? I. The land of Israel is here made a sanctuary, or city of refuge, for servants that were wronged and abused by their masters, and fled thither for shelter from the neighbouring countries, Deut. 23:15, 16. We cannot suppose that they were hereby obliged to give entertainment to all the unprincipled men that ran from service; Israel needed not (as Rome at first did) to be thus peopled. But, 1. They must not... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 23:17

There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel ,.... The word for "whore" is "kedeshah", which properly signifies an "holy" one; and here, by an antiphrasis, an unholy, an impure person, one that is defiled by man; See Gill on Genesis 38:18 . Jarchi interprets the word, one that makes herself common, that is sanctified, or set apart; that is, one that separates herself for such service, and prostitutes herself to everyone that passes by: but some understand this not of common harlots... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 23:18

Thou shall not bring the hire of a whore ,.... Which was given to her as a reward for the use of her body: or the price of a dog ; not of the firstborn of a dog, the price for the redemption of it, as some; nor for the loan of a hunting dog, or a shepherd's dog for breed, as Josephus F26 Antiqu. l. 4. c. 8. sect. 9. interprets this law. Abarbinel understands it figuratively of a sodomite, comparable to a dog, for his uncleanness and impudence; see Revelation 22:15 ; and the price... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 23:17

There shall be no whore - See on Genesis 38:15-21 ; (note). read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 23:18

The hire of a whore, or the price of a dog - Many public prostitutes dedicated to their gods a part of their impure earnings; and some of these prostitutes were publicly kept in the temple of Venus Melytta, whose gains were applied to the support of her abominable worship. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 23:17

Verse 17 This passage is akin to the foregoing; for in the first clause He forbids that girls should be prostituted. Some think that a whore is called in Hebrew קדשה, kedeshah, because she is exposed to, and prepared for sin; (66) but her pollution, the opposite of sanctity, seems rather to be expressed by antiphrasis. At any rate, a precept of chastity is given, that it should not be lawful for unmarried girls to have connection with men. In the second clause there is some ambiguity, “There... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 23:18

Verse 18 18.Thou shalt not bring the hire. This command has an affinity to the foregoing, for God, rejecting whatever is acquired by illicit and filthy traffic, teaches us that the utmost chastity is to be observed in sacred things; nor does He only refuse the hire of a whore, but also the price of a dog, lest the sanctity of the altar should be polluted by any impure oblation. Still the dog seems to be rejected in comparison with other animals out of contempt; for it was just as wrong to kill... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 23:15-23

Various precepts No very close connection exists between the precepts in these verses, yet they are variously related, and suggest by their juxtaposition lessons of importance. We have— I. A WORD SPOKEN IN THE INTERESTS OF LIBERTY . ( Deuteronomy 23:15 , Deuteronomy 23:16 .) 1. The fugitive slave is not to be given back to his master. The case is that of a slave escaping from a heathen master. The spirit of the Mosaic Law is wholly opposed to slavery. This... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 23:17-18

Amongst idolatrous nations prostitution was in certain cases regarded as an act of religious service (cf. Herod, 1:199), and both mules and females prostituted themselves especially in the worship of Astarte. All such abominations were to be unknown in Israel (cf. Micah 1:7 ). Whore ; kedeshah ( קְדֵשָׁה ), a female who prostituted herself in the worship of an idol. The price of a dog ; not money obtained from the sale of a dog, but the gains of the kadesh , or male prostitute,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 23:17-18

Unholy wealth may not be put to Divine uses. (See Homilies on Deuteronomy 15:1-6 ; Deuteronomy 14:22-29 .) The same law which regulates the appropriation of wealth rightfully gained forbids me dedication to any holy use of wealth sinfully gained. read more

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