When
you are encamped against your enemies you shall guard against any
impropriety.1
If one of you becomes unclean because of a nocturnal emission,2 then he shall go outside the camp; he must not come within the camp. When evening comes, he shall wash himself with water, and when the sun has set, he may come back into the camp.
You shall have a designated area outside the camp to which you shall go. With your utensils you shall have a trowel; when you relieve yourself outside, you shall dig a hole with it and then cover up your excrement.3 Because the Lord your God travels along with your camp, to save you and to hand over your enemies to you, therefore your camp must be holy, so that he may not see anything indecent among you and turn away from you.4
Slaves who have escaped to you from their owners shall not be given back to them.5 They shall reside with you, in your midst, in any place they choose in any one of your towns, wherever they please; you shall not oppress them.6
None of the daughters of Israel shall be a temple prostitute; none of the sons of Israel shall be a temple prostitute.7 You shall not bring the fee of a prostitute or the wages of a male prostitute into the house of the Lord your God in payment for any vow,8 for both of these are abhorrent to the Lord your God.
You shall not charge interest on loans to another Israelite, interest on money, interest on provisions, interest on anything that is lent.9 On loans to a foreigner you may charge interest,10 but on loans to another Israelite you may not charge interest, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all your undertakings in the land that you are about to enter and possess.
If you make a vow to the Lord your God,11 do not postpone fulfilling it; for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and you would incur guilt. But if you refrain from vowing, you will not incur guilt.12 Whatever your lips utter you must diligently perform, just as you have freely vowed to the Lord your God with your own mouth.
If you go into your neighbor’s vineyard, you may eat your fill of grapes, as many as you wish, but you shall not put any in a container.13 If you go into your neighbor’s standing grain, you may pluck the ears with your hand, but you shall not put a sickle to your neighbor’s standing grain.
1 Sort of an introduction, but covering how much of the passage I am unclear. Implies that defeat of enemies may depend on corporate holiness.
If one of you becomes unclean because of a nocturnal emission,2 then he shall go outside the camp; he must not come within the camp. When evening comes, he shall wash himself with water, and when the sun has set, he may come back into the camp.
You shall have a designated area outside the camp to which you shall go. With your utensils you shall have a trowel; when you relieve yourself outside, you shall dig a hole with it and then cover up your excrement.3 Because the Lord your God travels along with your camp, to save you and to hand over your enemies to you, therefore your camp must be holy, so that he may not see anything indecent among you and turn away from you.4
Slaves who have escaped to you from their owners shall not be given back to them.5 They shall reside with you, in your midst, in any place they choose in any one of your towns, wherever they please; you shall not oppress them.6
None of the daughters of Israel shall be a temple prostitute; none of the sons of Israel shall be a temple prostitute.7 You shall not bring the fee of a prostitute or the wages of a male prostitute into the house of the Lord your God in payment for any vow,8 for both of these are abhorrent to the Lord your God.
You shall not charge interest on loans to another Israelite, interest on money, interest on provisions, interest on anything that is lent.9 On loans to a foreigner you may charge interest,10 but on loans to another Israelite you may not charge interest, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all your undertakings in the land that you are about to enter and possess.
If you make a vow to the Lord your God,11 do not postpone fulfilling it; for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and you would incur guilt. But if you refrain from vowing, you will not incur guilt.12 Whatever your lips utter you must diligently perform, just as you have freely vowed to the Lord your God with your own mouth.
If you go into your neighbor’s vineyard, you may eat your fill of grapes, as many as you wish, but you shall not put any in a container.13 If you go into your neighbor’s standing grain, you may pluck the ears with your hand, but you shall not put a sickle to your neighbor’s standing grain.
1 Sort of an introduction, but covering how much of the passage I am unclear. Implies that defeat of enemies may depend on corporate holiness.
2
Even a natural body process is unclean, though the “penalty” is
light. A little balance (not really though) to the menstruation
passages.
3
Well, a good practice of cleanliness.
4
With, to me, a rather amusing “holiness” justification!
5
Quite different from the last couple passages.
6
Love for the stranger is extended even to escaped foreign slaves.
7
Another surprising insertion. Gender even again. Forbids temple
prostitution, but does it forbid using a prostitute oneself?
8
Strange that this isn't more broadly forbidden, rather than just
being banned for temple payments.
9
Fascinating stipulation that is not followed by Christians today.
The implications for the poor and proper financial dealings are
profound.
10
Foreigners, however, are not treated with the same neighborly love.
11
Another jump!
12
Interesting encouragement not to make vows.
13
The sharing (involuntary) allowed in this passage and the following
is extraordinary! Few practice it today. The marginalized would be
the most helped by this.
Take-home: A variety of laws are commanded both to draw lines of “holiness” round God's people and to protect the marginalized. Other miscellaneous motives (cleanliness, health, good relations, limiting vows) may also apply.
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