Deuteronomy 23:2 kjv
A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD.
Deuteronomy 23:2 nkjv
"One of illegitimate birth shall not enter the assembly of the LORD; even to the tenth generation none of his descendants shall enter the assembly of the LORD.
Deuteronomy 23:2 niv
No one born of a forbidden marriage nor any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, not even in the tenth generation.
Deuteronomy 23:2 esv
"No one born of a forbidden union may enter the assembly of the LORD. Even to the tenth generation, none of his descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD.
Deuteronomy 23:2 nlt
"If a person is illegitimate by birth, neither he nor his descendants for ten generations may be admitted to the assembly of the LORD.
Deuteronomy 23 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Purity of Community / Exclusion from Assembly | ||
| Deut 23:1 | "He that is wounded... shall not enter into the congregation..." | Holiness in physical status. |
| Deut 23:3 | "An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter..." | Exclusion due to historical opposition. |
| Neh 13:1 | "On that day they read from the Book of Moses... that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly..." | Applying Deut 23:3-6 in Nehemiah's time. |
| Ezra 4:1-3 | Refusal to allow non-Israelites to build the Temple. | Maintaining religious purity. |
| Deut 14:2 | "For you are a people holy to the LORD your God..." | God's chosen people are to be holy. |
| Lev 19:2 | "You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy." | Command to reflect God's holiness. |
| Lev 21:1-24 | Purity rules for priests regarding marriage and physical defects. | Priestly holiness in the congregation. |
| Significance of "Tenth Generation" / Perpetual Exclusion | ||
| Deut 23:8 | "The children born to them in the third generation may enter the assembly of the LORD." | Contrast, illustrating the severity of mamzer exclusion. |
| Lam 5:3 | "We are orphans, fatherless; our mothers are like widows." | Grief over consequences of national sin, possibly alluding to generational effects. |
| Job 20:28 | "The increase of his house shall depart..." | Consequences of sin impacting family lines. |
| Ps 109:14 | "Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered..." | Generational effects of iniquity. |
| Neh 9:2 | "The Israelites separated themselves from all foreigners..." | Act of purification, separating from those outside the community. |
| God's Standards for Covenant Relationship / New Covenant Inclusivity | ||
| Matt 1:1-17 | Genealogy of Jesus including Rahab, Ruth, Tamar, Bathsheba. | God uses unexpected lineages in His plan. |
| Jn 1:12-13 | "To all who did receive him... children of God, who were born... of God." | Spiritual birth through faith, not lineage. |
| Jn 3:3-7 | Jesus speaking of being "born again." | Spiritual rebirth for entry into God's Kingdom. |
| Gal 3:28 | "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." | In Christ, physical and social distinctions are transcended. |
| Eph 2:11-22 | Gentiles welcomed into the covenant people of God through Christ. | Inclusion of outsiders in the New Covenant. |
| Col 3:11 | "Here there is no Gentile or Jew... but Christ is all, and is in all." | New identity in Christ overcomes distinctions. |
| Heb 12:14 | "Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord." | Call for holiness to enter God's presence. |
| 1 Pet 2:9-10 | "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation..." | New Covenant people of God. |
| Rev 7:9 | "a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language..." | Inclusivity of God's people in eternity. |
Deuteronomy 23 verses
Deuteronomy 23 2 Meaning
Deuteronomy 23:2 states that an individual designated as a "mamzer" (often translated as "bastard" or "one of illegitimate birth") is prohibited from entering "the assembly of the LORD." This exclusion extends to his descendants, meaning they shall not enter even to the tenth generation. The verse emphasizes the purity and sanctity required for participation in the communal religious and legal life of the Israelite congregation, highlighting God's standard for His covenant people.
Deuteronomy 23 2 Context
Deuteronomy 23 belongs to a section of laws concerning the purity of the assembly of Israel, following the reaffirmation of the Ten Commandments and other specific ordinances given at Mount Horeb. This chapter delineates who may or may not enter the "congregation of the LORD" (Qahal Yahweh). The context emphasizes the high standard of holiness and moral integrity required for the covenant community. Verses 1-8 specifically deal with eligibility for inclusion, detailing restrictions based on physical mutilation, specific forms of illegitimate birth (v.2), foreign ancestry from historically antagonistic nations (Ammonites and Moabites, v.3-6), and granting inclusion for certain other foreigners after specific generations (Edomites and Egyptians, v.7-8). This focus reflects Israel's identity as a holy nation, distinct from the surrounding pagan cultures where various illicit practices, including incestuous unions, were common. The prohibitions serve to preserve the unique spiritual, moral, and social identity of the Israelite assembly.
Deuteronomy 23 2 Word analysis
- A bastard (מַמְזֵר - mamzer): This is a key Hebrew term. It does not refer to every child born out of wedlock in the modern sense. Rabbinic tradition and scholarly consensus identify "mamzer" as a child resulting from a severely prohibited union, specifically incest (as per Lev 18) or a union with a married woman (adultery). It's a mark on lineage from a forbidden sexual relationship, which violated the sanctity of family and community in profound ways. Its rarity in the Old Testament (only Deut 23:2 and Zech 9:6, with the latter's meaning debated) underscores its distinct and serious nature.
- Shall not enter (לֹא־יָבֹא - lo-yavo): A strong negative prohibition, indicating absolute exclusion.
- Into the congregation (בִּקְהַל - biqahal) of the LORD (יְהוָה - Adonai/Yahweh): "Qahal" refers to the official assembly of Israel—the community gathered for religious worship, legal decisions, military mustering, or social matters. It implies exclusion from the public, formal aspects of Israelite covenant life and governance, not necessarily from personal faith or salvation. This community represented God's holy people on earth.
- Even to his tenth generation (עַם־דּוֹר עֲשִׂירִי - ad dor asiri): This phrase indicates a permanent, perpetual exclusion. "Tenth generation" functions as an idiomatic expression for 'forever' or 'for a very long time,' rather than a literal count of ten specific descendants. It emphasizes the severity and lasting impact of the original offense on the family line within the communal structure of Israel. This stands in contrast to Ammonites/Moabites (also perpetual) and Edomites/Egyptians (after the third generation, Deut 23:8).
Deuteronomy 23 2 Bonus section
The concept of "mamzer" has been extensively debated in Jewish legal tradition, with specific focus on determining who precisely qualifies and what degree of social interaction remains permissible. While excluded from the "congregation," they were not considered completely excommunicated or un-saved; they could still participate in other aspects of Jewish life, marry other mamzerim, and even be educated in the Torah. The gravity of the "mamzer" prohibition points to the Old Covenant's emphasis on communal purity and physical lineage as central to the identity of God's people. This stands in distinct contrast to the New Covenant, where the emphasis shifts from physical birthright or lineage to spiritual rebirth through faith in Christ (Jn 1:12-13). In the New Covenant, the assembly of the Lord is no longer limited by physical ancestry or birth status, but by spiritual transformation, encompassing all who are "in Christ" regardless of their past or origin (Gal 3:28, Eph 2:11-22). This spiritual inclusivity highlights the greater mercy and grace available through Jesus Christ, who came to redeem all humanity.
Deuteronomy 23 2 Commentary
Deuteronomy 23:2, addressing the "mamzer," reveals God's meticulous concern for the purity and holiness of the Israelite assembly. This prohibition underscores that not all "natural" births were acceptable within the formal communal structure of God's covenant people. The exclusion of the "mamzer"—a child of illicit, severely forbidden unions—was a stark reflection of God's abhorrence of such perversions, which corrupted the lineage and violated the sanctity of marriage and family structures. This law protected the community's moral fabric and distinction from surrounding pagan nations where such relationships might be condoned. It served as a powerful deterrent against acts that could produce such offspring. While seemingly harsh, it highlighted that inclusion in the "qahal Adonai" carried profound responsibilities and required adherence to God's holy standards, reflecting the very nature of God Himself.