Deuteronomy 23 Commentary
Please choose a passage:
Deuteronomy 23:1-8
Moving from purity in marriage in the previous chapter, Moses now turned to purity in worship. To do this, he instructed the Israelites concerning who was allowed and who was not allowed in the assembly of the LORD.
Deuteronomy 23:9-14
Moses instructs the Israelites on how to remain pure in the battlefield because the Suzerain (Ruler) God is present with them to fight for them.
Deuteronomy 23:15-16
Moses prohibited Israel from returning an escaped slave to his master.
Deuteronomy 23:17-18
Moses prohibited the practice of cult prostitution. He also warned the Israelites against bringing the hire of a harlot or the wages of a male prostitute into God’s sanctuary.
Deuteronomy 23:19-20
Moses prohibited Israelites from charging interest on loans to fellow Israelites.
Deuteronomy 23:21-23
Moses commanded the Israelites to fulfill their vows in a timely manner. Failure to keep their vows will surely bring judgment on them.
Deuteronomy 23:24-25
Moses told the Israelites that they could eat from their neighbors’ vineyard or standing grain. They were, however, prohibited from gathering more fruits or grain than was necessary to meet their immediate need.
Additional Resources
The book of Deuteronomy is the fifth and last book of the Torah (“law”). It continues the story of the first 4 books and picks up exactly where the book of Numbers ends (with the people on the plain of Moab). Therefore, as we set the context for the book of Deuteronomy, it is important that we briefly summarize the theme of the previous books to see how the story of God unfolds.
Genesis describes God’s plan to bless the Israelites and the world through one man named Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3). Exodus focuses on God’s loving act by which He rescued the Israelites from Egypt in order to have a covenant relationship with them. Once the children of Israel are redeemed, Leviticus instructs them to live a holy life that reflects the life of their covenant redeemer (cf. Lev. 19). Since the first generation of the Israelites failed to obey God wholeheartedly, the book of Numbers displays a strong contrast between God’s faithfulness and the nation’s failure. That is why the book of Deuteronomy reiterates and expands on the covenant to a new generation of Israelites poised to enter and conquer the Promised Land. The message of the book is centered around two key terms: love and loyalty (Deut. 6:4-5).
Outline of Deuteronomy:
I. Introduction: Moses will explain the law (1:1 – 5)
II. Moses’ First Sermon – a Recounting of the LORD’s Faithfulness (1:6 – 4:43)
III. Introduction to Second Sermon on expositing the Law (4:44 – 49)
IV. Moses’ Second Sermon – an Exposition of the Law Given at Mt. Sinai (5:1 – 26:19)
V. Script for Covenant Renewal Ceremony Once they enter the land (27:1 – 29:1)
VI. Moses’ Third Sermon – a Call to Obedience (29:2 – 30:20)
VII. The Last Acts of Moses (31:1 – 34:12)
This chapter continues the exposition and application of the Ten Commandments given in Deuteronomy 5. Verses 1 – 18 continue the discussion of the seventh commandment (“You shall not commit adultery” – Deuteronomy 5:18), and verses 19 – 25 present more situations related to the eighth commandment (“You shall not steal” – Deuteronomy 5:19). Moses gives practical cases that might arise relating to each commandment and the correct action to take in order to ensure that the commandment is not broken.
Deuteronomy 23 can be outlined as follows:
- Seventh Commandment Laws (Deuteronomy 23:1 – 18)
- Regarding Public Worship (Deuteronomy 23:1 – 8)
- Regarding Personal Purity (Deuteronomy 23:9 – 14)
- Regarding Oppressed People (Deuteronomy 23:15 – 16)
- Regarding Cultic Activity (Deuteronomy 23:17 – 18)
- Eight Commandment Laws (Deuteronomy 23:19 – 25)
- Regarding Charging Interest (Deuteronomy 23:19 – 20)
- Regarding Making Vows (Deuteronomy 23:21 – 23)
- Regarding Eating Crops in Fields (Deuteronomy 23:24 – 25)
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