Matthew Henry on Deuteronomy 23:9-14
Israel was now encamped, and this vast army was just entering upon action, which was likely to keep them together for a long time, and therefore it was fit to give them particular directions for the good ordering of their camp. And the charge is in one word to be clean. They must take care to keep their camp pure from moral, ceremonial, and natural pollution.
I. From moral pollution (Deu 23:9): When the host goes forth against thy enemy then look upon thyself as in a special manner engaged to keep thyself from every evil thing. 1. The soldiers themselves must take heed of sin, for sin takes off the edge of valour; guilt makes men cowards. Those that put their lives in their hands are concern…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on Deuteronomy 23:9
When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing--from the excesses incident to camp life, as well as from habits of personal neglect and impurity.
John Gill on Deuteronomy 23:10
If there be among you any man that is not clean,.... Any unclean person in the army, that was even ceremonially unclean in any of the instances the law makes so, one of which put for the rest is mentioned:
by reason of uncleanness that chanceth him by night; through pollution by a nocturnal flux, as the Septuagint version, or a gonorrhoea, an involuntary one, occasioned by impure thoughts and imaginations in dreams; the same case as in Leviticus 15:16.
then shall he go abroad out of the camp; out of the army, lest others should be defiled by such; they not having houses to retire to, and chambers to keep themselves in separate from others, as when at home:
he shall not come within the cam…
Read the whole note in the consoleJohn Calvin on Deuteronomy 23:9-14
Deuteronomy 23:9-14
9. When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing.
9. Quum egressus fueris in exercitu contra hostes tuos, cave ab omni re mala.
10. If there be among you any man, that is not clean by reason uncleanness that chanceth him by night, then shall he go abroad out of the camp, he shall not come within the camp:
10. Si fuerit in te quispiam non of mundus casu nocturno, egredietur extra castra, nec ingredietur in medium castrorum
11. But it shall be, when evening cometh on, he shall wash himself with water: and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp again.
11. quum autem aspexerit vesperum, lavabit se aqua: et quum occub…
