No
one whose testicles are crushed or whose penis is cut off shall be
admitted to the assembly of the Lord.1
Those born of an illicit union shall not be admitted to the assembly of the Lord.2 Even to the tenth generation,3 none of their descendants shall be admitted to the assembly of the Lord.
No Ammonite or Moabite shall be admitted to the assembly of the Lord. Even to the tenth generation, none of their descendants shall be admitted to the assembly of the Lord, because they did not meet you with food and water on your journey out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam son of Beor, from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you.4 (Yet the Lord your God refused to heed Balaam; the Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loved you.5) You shall never promote their welfare or their prosperity as long as you live.6
You shall not abhor any of the Edomites, for they are your kin.7 You shall not abhor any of the Egyptians,8 because you were an alien residing in their land. The children of the third generation9 that are born to them may be admitted to the assembly of the Lord.
1 Because there is something so special about these organs? What of those to whom is happens accidentally, they lose their relation with God? The importance of procreation to the community is really getting emphasized.
Those born of an illicit union shall not be admitted to the assembly of the Lord.2 Even to the tenth generation,3 none of their descendants shall be admitted to the assembly of the Lord.
No Ammonite or Moabite shall be admitted to the assembly of the Lord. Even to the tenth generation, none of their descendants shall be admitted to the assembly of the Lord, because they did not meet you with food and water on your journey out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam son of Beor, from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you.4 (Yet the Lord your God refused to heed Balaam; the Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loved you.5) You shall never promote their welfare or their prosperity as long as you live.6
You shall not abhor any of the Edomites, for they are your kin.7 You shall not abhor any of the Egyptians,8 because you were an alien residing in their land. The children of the third generation9 that are born to them may be admitted to the assembly of the Lord.
1 Because there is something so special about these organs? What of those to whom is happens accidentally, they lose their relation with God? The importance of procreation to the community is really getting emphasized.
2
Was that the fault of all? Again “proper” procreation is being
held as essential.
3
Or their “descendants”? The sins of the father are definitely
being borne by the sons.
4
Again, clearly applied not only to those who did such things, but to
their descendants as well.
5
Interesting reminder of the love of God.
6
Bringing in business relations to the separation, not just religious
distinctions. This is far from the God I know.
7
Now a positive command, again based on lineage.
8
Egyptians! Surprising! They did far worse things to the Israelites
than some other people did.
9
Still a bit of separation.
Take-home: Boundary lines are drawn to separate who is “in” the community from who is “outside” of it, primarily along bloodlines.
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