Revised Literal Translation

Deuteronomy 23

1He that is wounded in the stonesפְצֽוּעַ־ דַּכָּ֛אfe.tzu.a'- da.Ka'H1795 H6481,or hath his privy memberשָׁפְכָ֖הsha.fe.KhahH8212cut offוּכְר֥וּתu.khe.RutH3772,shall not enterיָבֹ֧אya.Vo'H935into the congregationבִּקְהַ֥לbik.HalH6951of Yhwhיְהוָֽה׃ סYah.wehH3068.

2A bastardמַמְזֵ֖רmam.ZerH4464shall not enterH935into the congregationH6951of YhwhH3068;even to his tenthעֲשִׂירִ֔י'a.si.RiH6224generationדּ֣וֹרDorH1755shall he not enterH935into the congregationH6951of YhwhH3068.

3An Ammoniteעַמּוֹנִ֛יa.mo.NiH5984or Moabiteוּמוֹאָבִ֖יu.mo.'a.ViH4125shall not enterH935into the congregationH6951of YhwhH3068;even to their tenthH6224generationH1755shall they not enterH935into the congregationH6951of YhwhH3068forעַד־'ad-H5704everעוֹלָֽם׃o.LamH5769:

4Becauseדְּבַ֞רde.VarH1697they metקִדְּמ֤וּki.de.MuH6923you not with breadבַּלֶּ֣חֶםba.Le.chemH3899and with waterוּבַמַּ֔יִםu.va.Ma.yimH4325in the wayבַּדֶּ֖רֶךְba.De.rekhH1870,when ye came forthבְּצֵאתְכֶ֣םbe.tze.te.KhemH3318out of Egyptמִמִּצְרָ֑יִםmi.mitz.Ra.yimH4714;and because they hiredשָׂכַ֨רsa.KharH7936against thee Balaamבִּלְעָ֣םbil.'AmH1109the sonבֶּן־ben-H1121of Beorבְּע֗וֹרbe.'orH1160of Pethorמִפְּת֛וֹרmi.pe.TorH6604of MesopotamiaH763,to curseלְקַֽלְלֶֽךָּ׃le.Ka.Le.kaH7043thee.

5Nevertheless Yhwhיְהוָ֤הYah.wehH3068thy Godאֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙'e.lo.Hei.khaH430wouldאָבָ֞ה'a.VahH14not hearkenלִשְׁמֹ֣עַlish.Mo.a'H8085unto BalaamH1109;But Yhwhיְהוָ֨הYah.wehH3068thy Godאֱלֹהֶ֧יךָ'e.lo.Hei.khaH430turnedוַיַּהֲפֹךְ֩vai.ya.ha.foKhH2015the curseהַקְּלָלָ֖הha.ke.la.LahH7045into a blessingלִבְרָכָ֑הliv.ra.KhahH1293unto thee, because Yhwhיְהוָ֥הYah.wehH3068thy Godאֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃'e.lo.Hei.khaH430lovedאֲהֵֽבְךָ֖'a.he.ve.KhaH157thee.

6Thou shalt not seekתִדְרֹ֥שׁtid.RoshH1875their peaceשְׁלֹמָ֖םshe.lo.MamH7965nor their prosperityוְטֹבָתָ֑םve.toa.TamH2896all thy daysיָמֶ֖יךָya.Mei.khaH3117for everלְעוֹלָֽם׃ סle.'o.LamH5769.

7Thou shalt not abhorתְתַעֵ֣בte.ta.'EvH8581an Edomiteאֲדֹמִ֔י'a.do.MiH130; for he isthy brotherאָחִ֖יךָ'a.Chi.khaH251:thou shalt not abhorתְתַעֵ֣בte.ta.'EvH8581an Egyptianמִצְרִ֔יmitz.RiH4713;because thou wast a strangerגֵ֖רgerH1616in his landבְאַרְצֽוֹ׃ve.'ar.TzoH776.

8The childrenבָּנִ֛יםba.NimH1121that are begottenיִוָּלְד֥וּyi.val.DuH3205of them shall enterיָבֹ֥אya.Vo'H935into the congregationבִּקְהַ֥לbik.HalH6951of Yhwhיְהוָֽה׃ סYah.wehH3068in their thirdשְׁלִישִׁ֑יshe.li.ShiH7992generationדּ֣וֹרDorH1755.

9When the armyמַחֲנֶ֖הma.cha.NehH4264goeth forthתֵצֵ֥אte.Tze'H3318against thine enemiesאֹיְבֶ֑יךָ'o.ye.Vei.khaH341,then keepוְנִ֨שְׁמַרְתָּ֔ve.Nish.mar.taH8104thee from every wickedרָֽע׃Ra'H7451thingדָּבָ֥רda.VarH1697.

10If there be among you any manאִ֔ישׁ'IshH376,that is not cleanטָה֖וֹרta.HorH2889by reason of uncleanness that chancethמִקְּרֵה־mi.ke.reh-H7137him by nightלָ֑יְלָהLa.ye.lahH3915,then shall he goH3318abroadמִח֣וּץmi.ChutzH2351out of the campH4264,he shall not comeיָבֹ֖אya.Vo'H935withinתּ֥וֹךְTokhH8432the campH4264:

11But it shall be, when eveningעֶ֖רֶב'E.revH6153cometh onלִפְנֽוֹת־lif.not-H6437,he shall washיִרְחַ֣ץyir.ChatzH7364himselfwith waterבַּמָּ֑יִםba.Ma.yimH4325:and when the sunהַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁha.She.meshH8121is downH935,he shall comeH935intoH8432the campH4264again.

12Thou shalt have a place alsoוְיָד֙ve.YadH3027withoutמִח֖וּץmi.ChutzH2351the campH4264,whither thou shalt go forthוְיָצָ֥אתָve.ya.Tza.taH3318abroadחֽוּץ׃ChutzH2351:

13And thou shalt have a paddleוְיָתֵ֛דve.ya.TedH3489upon thy weaponאֲזֵנֶ֑ךָ'a.ze.Ne.khaH240;and it shall be, when thou wilt easeבְּשִׁבְתְּךָ֣be.shiv.te.KhaH3427thyself abroadH2351,thou shalt digוְחָפַרְתָּ֣הve.cha.far.TahH2658therewith, and shalt turn backוְשַׁבְתָּ֖ve.shav.TaH7725and coverוְכִסִּ֥יתָve.khi.Si.taH3680that which comethצֵאָתֶֽךָ׃tze.'a.Te.khaH6627from thee:

14For Yhwhיְהוָ֨הYah.wehH3068thy Godאֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ'e.lo.Hei.khaH430walkethמִתְהַלֵּ֣ךְ׀mit.ha.LekhH1980in the midstבְּקֶ֣רֶבbe.Ke.revH7130of thy campמַחֲנֶ֗ךָma.cha.Ne.khaH4264,to deliverלְהַצִּֽילְךָ֙le.ha.tzi.le.KhaH5337thee, and to give upוְלָתֵ֤תve.la.TetH5414thine enemiesאֹיְבֶ֙יךָ֙'o.ye.Vei.khaH341beforeלְפָנֶ֔יךָle.fa.Nei.khaH6440thee; therefore shall thy campמַחֲנֶ֖יךָma.cha.Nei.khaH4264be holyקָד֑וֹשׁka.Do.oshH6918:that he seeיִרְאֶ֤הyir.'EhH7200no uncleanעֶרְוַ֣ת'er.VatH6172thingדָּבָ֔רda.VarH1697in thee, and turn awayH7725from theeמֵאַחֲרֶֽיךָ׃ סme.'a.cha.Rei.khaH310.

15Thou shalt not deliverתַסְגִּ֥ירtas.GirH5462unto his masterאֲדֹנָ֑יו'a.do.NavH113the servantעֶ֖בֶד'E.vedH5650which is escapedH5337from his masterאֲדֹנָֽיו׃'a.do.NavH113unto thee:

16He shall dwellיֵשֵׁ֣בye.ShevH3427with thee, evenamongבְּקִרְבְּךָ֗be.kir.be.ChaH7130you, in that placeבַּמָּק֧וֹםba.ma.KomH4725which he shall chooseיִבְחַ֛רyiv.CharH977in oneבְּאַחַ֥דbe.'a.ChadH259of thy gatesשְׁעָרֶ֖יךָshe.'a.Rei.khaH8179,where it liketh him bestבַּטּ֣וֹבba.TovH2896:thou shalt not oppressתּוֹנֶֽנּוּ׃ סto.Ne.nuH3238him.

17There shall be no whoreקְדֵשָׁ֖הke.de.ShahH6948of the daughtersמִבְּנ֣וֹתmi.be.NotH1323of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElH3478,nor a sodomiteקָדֵ֖שׁka.DeshH6945of the sonsמִבְּנֵ֥יmi.be.NeiH1121of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵל׃yis.ra.'elH3478.

18Thou shalt not bringתָבִיא֩ta.Vi'H935the hireאֶתְנַ֨ן'et.NanH868of a whoreזוֹנָ֜הzo.NahH2181,or the priceוּמְחִ֣ירu.me.ChirH4242of a dogכֶּ֗לֶבKe.levH3611,into the houseבֵּ֛יתbeitH1004of Yhwhיְהוָ֥הYah.wehH3068thy Godאֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ'e.lo.Hei.khaH430for any vowנֶ֑דֶרNe.derH5088:for even bothשְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃she.nei.HemH8147these areabominationתוֹעֲבַ֛תto.'a.VatH8441unto Yhwhיְהוָ֥הYah.wehH3068thy Godאֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ'e.lo.Hei.khaH430.

19Thou shalt not lend upon usuryתַשִּׁ֣יךְta.ShikhH5391to thy brotherלְאָחִ֔יךָle.'a.Chi.khaH251;usuryנֶ֥שֶׁךְNe.shekhH5392of moneyכֶּ֖סֶףKe.sefH3701,usuryנֶ֣שֶׁךְNe.shekhH5392of victualsאֹ֑כֶל'O.khelH400,usuryנֶ֕שֶׁךְNe.shekhH5392of any thingדָּבָ֖רda.VarH1697that is lent upon usuryיִשָּֽׁךְ׃yi.ShakhH5391:

20Unto a strangerלַנָּכְרִ֣יla.na.khe.RiH5237thou mayest lend upon usuryH5391;but unto thy brotherH251thou shalt not lend upon usuryH5391:that Yhwhיְהוָ֣הYah.wehH3068thy Godאֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ'e.lo.Hei.khaH430may blessיְבָרֶכְךָ֜ye.va.rekh.KhaH1288thee in all that thou settestמִשְׁלַ֣חmish.LachH4916thine handיָדֶ֔ךָya.De.khaH3027to in the landהָאָ֕רֶץha.'A.retzH776whither thou goestבָא־va'-H935to possessלְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃ סle.rish.TahH3423it.

21When thou shalt vowתִדֹּ֥רti.DorH5087a vowנֶ֙דֶר֙ne.derH5088unto YhwhH3068thy GodH430,thou shalt not slackתְאַחֵ֖רte.'a.CherH309to payלְשַׁלְּמ֑וֹle.sha.le.MoH7999it: for YhwhH3068thy GodH430will surelyדָּרֹ֨שׁda.RoshH1875requireיִדְרְשֶׁ֜נּוּyid.re.She.nuH1875it of thee; and it would be sinחֵֽטְא׃Chet'H2399in thee.

22But if thou shalt forbearתֶחְדַּ֖לtech.DalH2308to vowH5087,it shall be no sinH2399in thee.

23That which is gone outמוֹצָ֥אmo.Tza'H4161of thy lipsשְׂפָתֶ֖יךָse.fa.Tei.khaH8193thou shalt keepתִּשְׁמֹ֣רtish.MorH8104and performוְעָשִׂ֑יתָve.'a.Si.taH6213; evena freewill offeringנְדָבָ֔הne.da.VahH5071,according as thou hast vowedH5087unto Yhwhלַיהוָ֤הla.Yah.wehH3068thy Godאֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙'e.lo.Hei.khaH430,which thou hast promisedדִּבַּ֖רְתָּdi.Bar.taH1696with thy mouthבְּפִֽיךָ׃ סbe.Fi.khaH6310.

24When thou comestתָבֹא֙ta.Vo'H935into thy neighbour’sרֵעֶ֔ךָre.'E.khaH7453vineyardבְּכֶ֣רֶםbe.Khe.remH3754,then thou mayest eatוְאָכַלְתָּ֧ve.'a.khal.TaH398grapesעֲנָבִ֛ים'a.na.VimH6025thy fillשָׂבְעֶ֑ךָsa.ve.'E.khaH7648at thine own pleasureכְּנַפְשְׁךָ֖ke.naf.she.KhaH5315;but thou shalt not putתִתֵּֽן׃ סti.TenH5414anyin thy vesselכֶּלְיְךָ֖kel.ye.KhaH3627.

25When thou comestH935into the standing grainבְּקָמַ֣תbe.ka.MatH7054of thy neighbourH7453,then thou mayest pluckוְקָטַפְתָּ֥ve.ka.taf.TaH6998the headsמְלִילֹ֖תme.li.LotH4425with thine handבְּיָדֶ֑ךָbe.ya.De.khaH3027;but thou shalt not moveתָנִ֔יףta.NifH5130a sickleוְחֶרְמֵשׁ֙ve.cher.MeshH2770unto thy neighbour’sH7453standing grainקָמַ֥תka.MatH7054.

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 23