When you go out and camp against your enemies, then you shall keep yourselves from every evil thing.
Parallel Translations
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When you go out and camp against your enemies, then you shall keep yourselves from every evil thing.
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When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing.
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(23-10) When thou goest forth in camp against thine enemies, then thou shalt keep thee from every evil thing.
Cross-references (7)
Passages linked to Deuteronomy 23:9 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Joshua 6:18 But as for you, only keep yourselves from what is devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted it, you take of the devoted thing; so you would make the camp of Israel accursed and trouble it.
- Revelation 19:11-14 I saw the heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it is called Faithful and True. In righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has names written and a name written which no one knows but he himself. He is clothed in a garment sprinkled with blood. His name is called “The Word of God.” The armies which are in heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in white, pure, fine linen.
- Joshua 7:11-13 Israel has sinned. Yes, they have even transgressed my covenant which I commanded them. Yes, they have even taken some of the devoted things, and have also stolen, and also deceived. They have even put it among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel can’t stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will not be with you any more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you. Get up! Sanctify the people, and say, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, for Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, “There is a devoted thing among you, Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted thing from among you.”
- Judges 20:26 Then all the children of Israel and all the people went up, and came to Bethel, and wept, and sat there before Yahweh, and fasted that day until evening; then they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh.
- 2 Chronicles 19:4 Jehoshaphat lived at Jerusalem; and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back to Yahweh, the God of their fathers.
- 2 Chronicles 20:3-13 Jehoshaphat was alarmed, and set himself to seek to Yahweh. He proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. Judah gathered themselves together to seek help from Yahweh. They came out of all the cities of Judah to seek Yahweh. Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in Yahweh’s house, before the new court; and he said, “Yahweh, the God of our fathers, aren’t you God in heaven? Aren’t you ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in your hand, so that no one is able to withstand you. Didn’t you, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it to the offspring of Abraham your friend forever? They lived in it, and have built you a sanctuary in it for your name, saying, ‘If evil comes on us—the sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine—we will stand before this house, and before you (for your name is in this house), and cry to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.’ Now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned away from them, and didn’t destroy them; behold, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit. Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no might against this great company that comes against us. We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” All Judah stood before Yahweh, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.
- 2 Chronicles 31:20–32:22 Hezekiah did so throughout all Judah; and he did that which was good, right, and faithful before Yahweh his God. In every work that he began in the service of God’s house, in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered. After these things and this faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, entered into Judah, and encamped against the fortified cities, and intended to win them for himself. When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, and that he was planning to fight against Jerusalem, he took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the springs which were outside of the city, and they helped him. So, many people gathered together and they stopped all the springs and the brook that flowed through the middle of the land, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find abundant water?” He took courage, built up all the wall that was broken down, and raised it up to the towers, with the other wall outside, and strengthened Millo in David’s city, and made weapons and shields in abundance. He set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the wide place at the gate of the city, and spoke encouragingly to them, saying, “Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or dismayed because of the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude who is with him; for there is a greater one with us than with him. An arm of flesh is with him, but Yahweh our God is with us to help us and to fight our battles.” The people rested themselves on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. After this, Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem, (now he was before Lachish, and all his power with him), to Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all Judah who were at Jerusalem, saying, Sennacherib king of Assyria says, “In whom do you trust, that you remain under siege in Jerusalem? Doesn’t Hezekiah persuade you, to give you over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, ‘Yahweh our God will deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?’ Hasn’t the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, ‘You shall worship before one altar, and you shall burn incense on it?’ Don’t you know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Were the gods of the nations of the lands in any way able to deliver their land out of my hand? Who was there among all the gods of those nations which my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of my hand? Now therefore don’t let Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you in this way. Don’t believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of my hand, and out of the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you out of my hand?” His servants spoke yet more against Yahweh God, and against his servant Hezekiah. He also wrote letters insulting Yahweh, the God of Israel, and speaking against him, saying, “As the gods of the nations of the lands, which have not delivered their people out of my hand, so shall the God of Hezekiah not deliver his people out of my hand.” They called out with a loud voice in the Jews’ language to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city. They spoke of the God of Jerusalem as of the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are the work of men’s hands. Hezekiah the king and Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz, prayed because of this, and cried to heaven. Yahweh sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty men of valor, and the leaders and captains, in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. When he had come into the house of his god, those who came out of his own body killed him there with the sword. Thus Yahweh saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria and from the hand of all others, and guided them on every side.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (15 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Deu 23:9 When the host goeth forth against thine…
Deu 23:9 When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing.
Ver. 9. Then keep thee from every wicked thing.] Walk accurately, as carrying thy life in thy hand; for "the sword devoureth one as well as another," {2Sa 11:25} it spares neither lord nor losel, as they say. Every soldier therefore should be a saint, ready pressed to meet the Lord, who hath said, "I will be sanctified in all them that draw near unto me." {Lev 10:3}
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Then especially take heed, because that is a time…
Then especially take heed, because that is a time and state of confusion and licentiousness, when, as one said, the laws of God and man cannot be heard for the noise of arms; and because the success of thy arms and enterprises depends upon God’s blessing, which wicked men have no reason to expect; and because thou dost then carry thy life in thy hand, and therefore hast need to be well prepared for death and judgment.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain Israel was now encamped, and this vast army was…
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 concerned to make and keep their peace with God, and preserve a conscience void of offence; then may they look death in the face without terror. Soldiers, in executing their commission, must keep themselves from gratifying the lusts of malice, covetousness, or uncleanness, for these are wicked things - must keep themselves from the idols, or accursed things, they found in the camps they plundered. 2. Even those that tarried at home, the body of the people, and every particular person, must at that time especially keep from every wicked thing, lest by sin they provoke God to withdraw his presence from the host, and give victory to the enemy for the correcting of his own people. Times of war should be times of reformation, else how can we expect God should hear and answer our prayers for success? Psa 66:18. See Sa1 7:3.
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II. From ceremonial pollution, which might befal a person when unconscious of it, for which he was bound to wash his flesh in water, and look upon himself as unclean until the evening, Lev 15:16. A soldier, notwithstanding the constant service and duty he had to do in the camp, must be so far from looking upon himself as discharged from the observance of this ceremony that more was required from him than at another time; had he been at his own house, he needed only to wash his flesh, but, being in the army, he must go abroad out of the camp, as one concerned to keep it pure and ashamed of his own impurity, and not return till after sunset, Deu 23:10, Deu 23:11. By this trouble and reproach, which even involuntary pollutions exposed men to, they were taught to keep up a very great dread of all fleshly lusts. It were well if military men would consider this.
III. From natural pollution; the camp of the Lord must have nothing offensive in it, Deu 23:12-14. It is strange that the divine law, or at least the solemn order and direction of Moses, should extend to a thing of this nature; but the design of it was to teach them, 1. Modesty and decorum; nature itself teaches them thus to distinguish themselves from beasts that know no shame. 2. Cleanliness, and, though not niceness, yet neatness, even in their camp. Filthiness is offensive to the senses God has endued us with, prejudicial to the health, a wrong to the comfort of human life, and an evidence of a careless slothful temper of mind. 3. Purity from the pollutions of sin; if there must be this care taken to preserve the body clean and sweet, much more should we be solicitous to keep the mind so. 4. A reverence of the divine majesty. This is the reason here given: For the Lord thy God walketh by his ark, the special token of his presence, in the midst of thy camp; with respect to that external symbol this external purity is required, which (though not insisted on in the letter when that reason ceases) teaches us to preserve inward purity of soul, in consideration of the eye of God, which is always upon us. By this expression of respect to the presence of God among them, they were taught both to fortify themselves against sin and to encourage themselves against their enemies with the consideration of that presence. 5. A regard one to another. The filthiness of one is noisome to many; this law of cleanliness therefore teaches us not to do that which will be justly offensive to our brethren and grieve them. It is a law against nuisances.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain When the host goeth forth against thine enemies,.... An…
When the host goeth forth against thine enemies,.... An army of soldiers march in order to meet the enemy and fight him:
then keep thee from every wicked thing; the Targum of Jonathan adds, by way of explanation,"from strange worship, uncovering of nakedness, and from shedding innocent blood;''that is, from idolatry, uncleanness of every sort, and murder; and all other wickednesses ought to be abstained from at all times by all persons, but especially by soldiers in such a circumstance, just going to battle; since sin committed weakens natural courage, as it loads the conscience with guilt; and since victory and success, which depend upon the blessing of God on arms, cannot be reasonably expected, where vices of all sorts are indulged and abound; and especially seeing such are about to expose their lives to the utmost danger, and know not but that in a few hours they must exchange this life for another, and appear before God, the Judge of all, against whom they sin; and yet how little are these things thought of by such in common! it was the wisdom of the Jewish legislature, which was of God, to inculcate such things into the minds of their soldiers.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Keep from every wicked thing - Then especially take…
Keep from every wicked thing - Then especially take heed, because that is a time of confusion and licentiousness; when the laws of God and man cannot be heard for the noise of arms; because the success of thy arms depends upon God's blessing, which wicked men have no reason to expect; and because thou dost carry thy life in thy hand, and therefore hast need to be well prepared for death and judgment.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Deu 23:9. Keep from every wicked thing — Then…
Deu 23:9. Keep from every wicked thing — Then especially take heed, because that is a time of confusion and licentiousness; when the laws of God and man cannot be heard for the noise of arms; because the success of thy arms depends upon God’s blessing, which wicked men have no reason to expect; and because thou dost carry thy life in thy hand, and therefore hast need to be well prepared for death and judgment.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain The whole passage refers not to the encampments of…
The whole passage refers not to the encampments of the nation while passing from Egypt through the wilderness, but to future warlike expeditions seat out from Canaan.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Thing, rapine, libertinage, &c., which are but too common…
Thing, rapine, libertinage, &c., which are but too common among soldiers. (Calmet) --- We know what instructions St. John the baptist gave to those who followed that lawful profession, Luke iii. 14. (Haydock)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures 1864 · Public Domain Israel in Camp
Israel in Camp
Deu_23:9-14
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9When the host goeth forth against [upon] thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing. 10If there be among you any man that is not clean by reason of uncleanness that chanceth him by night [clean from accident by], then shall Hebrews 11 go abroad out of [beyond] the camp, he shall not come within the camp: But [And] it shall be, when evening1 cometh on, he shall wash himself with water: and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp again. 12Thou shalt have a place [room—literally hand] also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad: 13And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon2 [beside thy weapon]; and it shall be when thou wilt ease thyself3 abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back, and cover that which cometh from thee: 14For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp [and thy camp shall] be holy: that he see no4 [and he shall not see] unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
The civil sanctity of Israel has its corresponding manifestation, and indeed first of all in the field, Deu_23:9, upon the march to war. It must then be so, more than in Num_5:2 sq., since they then stand opposed to the heathen, and indeed in their noblest manhood (chap. 20). דבר רע, comp. Deu_17:1, here defilement, Deu_23:10, as explained Lev_15:16 sq. (1Sa_20:26). No further specification, because sufficiently clear from the earlier law-giving. Deu_23:11. (Gen_24:63.) At sunset he might come into the camp. Deu_23:12 respects not only cleanliness, but stands as a representative of purity in every sense. “Not everywhere, and still less in the camp.” Knobel. Deu_23:13. יָתֵד, the fixed, stable, hence the wooden nail, the tent-peg, but also to fix fast; hence the thrusting, penetrating instrument. אָזֵן, furniture, war-weapon or utensil. Deu_23:14. The presence of Jehovah is the reason for the sanctity, and therefore for the sanctification of the camp, Deu_20:1; Deu_20:4; Deu_1:8 (2Co_6:16).—Unclean (nakedness, from ערה) of a thing, i.e. any nakedness, which could not exist without destroying or injuring the reverence for Jehovah.
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
Deu_23:9. Times of war are usually times of girdled, straitened life. Randglosse: “That you may not be censurable, and so lose the victory, as a punishment, as at the time of Eli and Saul.” Piscator: “How can we contend successfully with our enemies? When the soldiers put away evil from themselves.” [Bib. Com.: “The ordinary rules of religion and morality were relaxed in times of war among other nations; but Israel must then shun every wicked thing.” Wordsworth: “The Lord of battles walks in the midst of camps; the soldier’s life should be a holy and religious one. Our unholiness makes our enemies powerful against us.”—A. G.]
Deu_23:10. Starke: “Soldiers should cultivate assiduously every virtue, especially that of purity.” Deu_23:11. Starke: “Without real purity and holiness no one can enter the heavenly camp, Eph_5:5.” Deu_23:12-13. Schultz: “Since heedlessness, indeed rudeness with respect to the community, manifests itself in these trifling and most external things, as well as in those which are greater, the ordinance is of great importance even now, although the conduct in the physical region may not now be regarded as a preparatory exercise with respect to moral conduct.” Deu_23:14. Starke: “He who is not ashamed before men, disgraces himself before God.” Berl. Bib.: “We have here a sensible representation of the militant Church of God.” Piscator: “The Christian Church is a holy camp of the eternal sons of God wherein God dwells, and nothing disgraceful should be seen.” [Wordsworth: “The Lord Christ dwelleth and walketh in the midst of us, and preaches to us all: ‘Be ye holy, for I am holy,’ Rev_1:13.”—A. G.]
Footnotes:
[1][Deu_23:11. Marg.: turning toward, literally at the turning of the evening.—A. G.].
[2][Deu_23:13. Sept. and Vulg.: upon thy girdle. Heb.: sharp-pointed utensil. Some MSS. have the plural: among thy utensils. So Gesenius.—A. G.].
[3][Deu_23:13. Marg. literally: thou sittest down or in thy sitting down.—A. G.].
[4][Deu_23:14. Schroeder as the Marg.: nakedness of a thing.—A. G.].
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, then…
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.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 9-14. When the host goeth forth — The purity…
9-14. When the host goeth forth — The purity of life in the camp, when they shall be engaged in future wars, is provided for in this passage.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain Deu_23:9-14. PURITY OF THE CAMP.
Deu_23:9-14. PURITY OF THE CAMP.
(9) When the host goeth forth against thine enemies . . . keep thee.—“Because Satan maketh his accusations in the hour of danger” (Rashi).
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(10) Uncleanness that chanceth him by night. As in Lev_15:16.
(11) When the sun is down.—“No man is clean (after ceremonial uncleanness) except at the going down of the sun” (Rashi).
(12) Without the camp.—It must not be forgotten that this is the camp of the army, not the whole encampment of Israel in the wilderness. The entire passage is continuous from Deu_23:9. Hence the whole discussion raised, after the appearance of Dr. Colenso’s work, on the size of the camp of Israel and the possibility of obeying this rule, was simply waste of words, and arose out of a misunderstanding of the matter under consideration. The sanitary value of the rule has been abundantly demonstrated in our own day.
(13) A paddle—rather, a pin, or spike, like that with which Jael slew Sisera. The word for “weapon” does not occur elsewhere. The LXX. translates it “a pin or tent-peg at thy girdle;” the Hebrew word (âzên) being like the Greek (ζώνη). But both Targums interpret the word as “weapon,” connecting it with the Hebrew zayin, which has that meaning. The hinder end of the spear in Abner’s hand was sharp enough to strike Asahel a fatal blow when he followed him (2Sa_2:23). Saul’s spear also was “stuck in the ground at his bolster” (1Sa_26:7), probably with its point upwards, by the same spike.
(14) For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of . . . thee.—A most beautiful argument for purity in every sense. It was evidently present to St. Paul’s mind in 2Co_6:16 to 2Co_7:1, “God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them. . . . Having therefore these promises . . . let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Vers. 9-11 When the people went forth to war,…
Vers. 9-11 When the people went forth to war, all impurity and defilement was to be kept out of their comp. When the host goeth forth; literally, when thou goest forth as a camp or host. As in the wilderness the camp was to be kept pure, (Num_5:2, etc.) so also in the future, when they went out to war, all defilement was to be removed from their host. Every wicked thing; rather, every evil thing, evil in the sense of blemish or uncleanness. (cf. Deu_17:1)
Vers. 9-14Cleanliness a religious duty.
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The Law of Moses may be regarded as fourfold moral, ritual, civil, and sanitary. The precepts in this paragraph are an example of the last-named part thereof. They refer to the inculcation of cleanliness, both in camp and in person. And not only so, but to the observance thereof in time of war. While, perhaps, at such times special evils would result from the neglect of such regulations, yet, on the other hand, it would be precisely when movements were irregular, uncertain, and attended with much excitement, that there would be the strongest tendency to fail in their observance. But no amount of war-pressure would be any excuse for uncleanliness. We get here, moreover, an illustration of that which so often occurs in the Law of Moses, viz. that duties of the lowest, humblest, and most common order are urged on the people by the highest and noblest sanctions; and many a teacher may find reason for urging to cleanliness of habit from such a text as ver. 14, "The Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy comp... therefore shall thy camp be holy." The precise application of the text must, of course, vary with locality and circumstance; but the principle of it includes the following.
1. The presence of the Lord God is everywhere.
2. He is in the "camp" of his people as a special light and guard.
3. Hence every such home may be regarded as a temple of God, the palace of the Great King.
4. In such homes the most menial acts may be acts of service done for God; common work may be dignified by great motives.
5. It will be regarded by a wise Christian man as a part of his duty which is by no means to be neglected, to maintain order and unsullied cleanliness in person and home. This will be part of his life-worship the living translation of laborare est orare." This duty needs special enforcement in some quarters. Many a humble Christian cottager elevates his home and all therein, by having it so beautifully clean that, on every piece of furniture, on every wall, on every floor, it seems as if the words were graven, Holiness to the Lord.
Vers. 9-14. Purity in the comp.
The camp was to be free from:
1. Moral pollution (ver. 9).
2. Ceremonial pollution (vers.10, 11).
3. Natural pollution (vers. 12, 13) M. Henry.
This, because God was in its midst. He was there to work for their deliverance and for the confusion of their enemies. We are taught
I THAT MILITARY LIFE IS NO EXCUSE FOR LAXITY IN MORALS, OR FOR A LOWERED STANDARD OF PROPRIETY IN CONDUCT. The opposite opinion too commonly prevails. Immoralities are winked at in soldiers and sailors which would not be tolerated in ordinary society; nay, are sometimes half justified as a necessity of their situation. When public opinion is in this easy state, we cannot wonder that the individuals themselves are not very strict about their behavior. They find Acts passed, e.g. to protect them in their evil courses, and they naturally suppose that they have a kind of sanction for their immorality. Officers do not always set the men the best example. This is in every sense to be deplored. Immorality does not change its nature in the barrack-room or on the march. Rather, when "the host goes forth" we should try to put away from us "every wicked thing." Only then can we confidently expect God"s presence to go with us, or look to him for aid in battle. Compare Carlyle"s account of Cromwell"s army ("Cromwell," vol. 2., at end), and the "prayer-meeting" of the leaders. See also Baillie"s account of the encampment of the Scotch Covenanters at Dunse Law ("Letters," 1:211).
II THAT PURITY IS REQUIRED IN THE CAMP OF THE CHURCH, IF HER WARFARE IS TO BE SUCCESSFULLY ACCOMPLISHED. In spiritual conflicts, above all, we must look to spiritual conditions. The Church is an army of Christ. She is organized for aggressive and defensive warfare. Her only hope of success lies in the presence of the Lord with her. But can she hope for this presence if she is not careful to maintain her internal purity? True, she has no commission to search the heart, and must be content to allow tares to mingle with the wheat. (Mat_13:24-31) But it is within her province, in the exercise of discipline, to remove obvious scandals, and by rebuke and censure, as well as by positive teaching and persuasion, to keep down worldliness, irreligion, and sensuality, when these make their appearance m her midst. She ought to pray, labor, and use her authority for the maintenance of her purity. The purer she is internally the more resistless will she be in her assaults on evil without. J.O.
Vers. 9-14. A pure camp for a pure King.
After insisting on purity giving power in war (ver. 9), and giving direction to men about putting away uncleanness which may be due to natural causes, Moses urges the precaution, because the All-seeing One walketh through the camp, Inspector of all their ways (ver. 14). The directions here given might have been urged on sanitary grounds, but Moses puts them deliberately upon religious. For the experience among Orientals and Occidentals is that something more than sanitary reasons is needed to overcome man"s indolence and keep him clean.
I CLEANLINESS MAY BE RAISED INTO A PHASE OF GODLINESS. In the proverb it is said to be next to godliness; but here Moses makes it a part of godliness. Religion comes to the aid of science, and helps by its sanctions the wise regulations suggested by science. Witness how painfully slow remedial and sanitary measures are in getting adopted. It would be well if religion could aid the civil power in making sanitation a sacred thing in the eyes of the people,
The reason why cleanliness is not more sacred than it is, is a latent Manichaeanism, which seems to lurk in human nature; as if matter were essentially unholy, and could not be made sacred. But the religion of Christ lays hold of body as well as soul, and urges amens sana in corpore sago, and promises the perfection of its idea in a bodily resurrection. There is, consequently, a physical side to our religion, which should find expression in the consecration of cleanliness, and divers washings, and food and drink; all that religion may be a more manly and efficient thing. We believe thoroughly in the religious duty of denouncing dirt.
II RELIGION IS LIFE SPENT IN THE REALIZED PRESENCE OF GOD. "Thou God seest me" is the watchword of religion. When all our life is brought under his eye, when we believe that the commonest and most trivial things are not beneath his notice, when we desire to hide nothing from him by night or by day, then the light of his pure being illumines and regulates all, and the highest purity is reached. "Muscular Christianity" is a good idea, if by it we mean that Christianity has a physical as well,as spiritual sphere. No efforts of our own, muscular or otherwise, will ever save us; but, being saved by Divine grace, our whole being, muscles and all, is at God"s service. Religion in everything is the sense of God all through, and this should be our aim.
III GOD IS THE CAPTAIN ONLY OF THE PURE. A holy camp is the preliminary to God leading Israel successfully against the enemy (ver. 14). The pure in heart see God and follow him to victory. It is the state of the camp of Israel, not the state of their enemies, that is all important. If Israel is impure, it will soon prove impotent. The pure are, in the long run, the powerful. God is on the side, not of the heaviest, but of the purest battalions. Really religious men are ultimately, under God, victorious. R.M.E.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain Personal Cleanliness During Campaigns of War
Personal Cleanliness During Campaigns of War
v. 9. When the host, the army of Israel as represented by its camp of soldiers, goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing, namely, from defilement and uncleanness of the body.
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v. 10. If there be among you any man that is not clean by reason of uncleanness that chanceth him by night, Lev 15:16, then shall he go abroad out of the camp, he shall not come within the camp, go out and stay out;
v. 11. but it shall be when evening cometh on, when the day turns toward evening, he shall wash himself with water; and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp again.
v. 12. Thou shalt have a place also without the camp whither thou shalt go forth abroad;
v. 13. and thou shalt have a paddle, a small spade, upon thy weapon, among the accoutrements or instruments of war which belonged to the outfit of every soldier; and it shall be when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, at the designated place, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee, as a measure of sanitary precaution;
v. 14. for the Lord, thy God, walketh in the midst of thy camp to deliver thee and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy; that he see no unclean thing in thee and turn away from thee, not as though the easement in itself and the excrement were shameful, but its open presence could not be tolerated without destroying or injuring the reverence for Jehovah. Propriety and decency also in the matters here broached should be observed as a requirement of nature.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 When you march out as an army against your…
When you march out as an army against your enemies, then you must keep yourselves
Moses speaks here to the Israelites as if they were one man, so the words "you" and "your" are singular. (See: Forms of You)
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against your enemies
"to fight against your enemies"
keep yourselves from every evil thing
"keep yourselves away from all bad things"
any man who is unclean because of what happened to him at night
This is a polite way of saying that he had an emission of semen. AT: "any man who is unclean because he had an emission of semen while he was asleep" (See: Euphemism)
translationWords
evil
clean
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.