Deuteronomy 23:8 kjv
The children that are begotten of them shall enter into the congregation of the LORD in their third generation.
Deuteronomy 23:8 nkjv
The children of the third generation born to them may enter the assembly of the LORD.
Deuteronomy 23:8 niv
The third generation of children born to them may enter the assembly of the LORD.
Deuteronomy 23:8 esv
Children born to them in the third generation may enter the assembly of the LORD.
Deuteronomy 23:8 nlt
The third generation of Edomites and Egyptians may enter the assembly of the LORD.
Deuteronomy 23 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 23:3-6 | An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter the assembly of the LORD... not even to the tenth generation. | Direct context of exclusion vs. conditional inclusion |
| Deut 23:7 | You shall not detest an Edomite, for he is your brother. You shall not detest an Egyptian... | Immediate context, explains why these nations are treated differently. |
| Exod 12:48-49 | If a sojourner dwells with you... he may celebrate the Passover... you shall have one law for him. | Inclusivity for foreigners who embrace the covenant through circumcision. |
| Lev 19:34 | The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you... love him as yourself. | Command to love the sojourner and treat them as natives. |
| Num 15:15-16 | One statute shall be for you of the congregation and for the stranger who dwells with you... | Equal law for natives and sojourners once integrated. |
| Isa 56:3, 6-7 | Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, "The LORD will surely separate me..." | Prophetic vision of foreigners welcomed into God's house of prayer. |
| Eph 2:11-13, 19 | Remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh... now in Christ Jesus you... are no longer strangers. | Gentiles' inclusion into God's people through Christ, removing exclusion. |
| Gal 3:28 | There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free... for you are all one in Christ Jesus. | New Testament abolition of distinctions for believers in Christ. |
| Acts 10:34-35 | God shows no partiality, but in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted. | Peter's realization that God's acceptance extends beyond Israel. |
| Ruth 4:13-22 | Ruth the Moabitess became the mother of Obed... the father of Jesse, the father of David. | Example of a Moabitess, defying Deut 23:3-6 literalism, through grace. |
| Matt 1:5-6 | Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth... David. | Rahab (Canaanite) and Ruth (Moabitess) in Jesus' lineage illustrate grace. |
| Gen 12:3 | I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse... all families of the earth. | Abrahamic covenant's promise of blessing through Israel to all nations. |
| Gen 25:30 | So Esau said to Jacob, "Let me eat... I am starving!" Therefore his name was called Edom (Red). | Origin of Edomites, as descendants of Esau, establishing familial ties. |
| Gen 46:1-7 | Jacob and all his offspring with him, went to Egypt... they came into Egypt. | Historical context of Israel's sojourn in Egypt, explaining the connection. |
| Exod 20:5-6 | I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers... to the third and fourth generation... | God's generational judgments and mercy, background for "third generation." |
| Exod 34:6-7 | The LORD, a God merciful and gracious... visiting iniquity... but showing steadfast love to thousands. | God's character: patience and willingness to forgive and include over time. |
| Ezek 47:21-23 | You shall apportion this land... as an inheritance to you and to the strangers... they shall have an inheritance. | Prophetic vision of full inclusion of foreigners in the redeemed Israel. |
| Neh 13:1-3 | On that day they read from the Book of Moses... an Ammonite or Moabite should not enter the assembly of God. | Reaffirmation of Deuteronomic law regarding exclusion by Ezra-Nehemiah era. |
| Zeph 3:9-10 | For then I will restore to the peoples a pure language... From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants... | Prophecy of nations turning to God, suggesting future widespread inclusion. |
| Joel 2:16 | Gather the people, consecrate the congregation... | Highlights the importance and sacredness of "the assembly of the LORD." |
| Ps 87:4-6 | I will mention Rahab and Babylon as among those who know me; behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Cush: "This one was born there." | Prophecy that even historical enemies will be born into spiritual Zion. |
Deuteronomy 23 verses
Deuteronomy 23 8 Meaning
Deuteronomy 23:8 declares that "The children of the third generation born to them may enter the assembly of the LORD." This verse clarifies the conditions under which descendants of Edomites and Egyptians—nations mentioned immediately prior—could be fully integrated into the covenant community of Israel. Unlike the perpetual exclusion of Ammonites and Moabites, God permitted Edomites and Egyptians, recognizing their familial or historical connections to Israel, to join the Lord's assembly after three generations. This provision emphasizes a pathway for eventual inclusion, rooted in divine grace and a structured period for cultural and religious assimilation into the worship and life of God's people.
Deuteronomy 23 8 Context
Deuteronomy 23 outlines various regulations for maintaining the purity and sanctity of Israel's community and worship, particularly concerning who may "enter the assembly of the LORD" (qahal YHWH). The chapter begins with stipulations regarding eunuchs, illegitimate children, Ammonites, and Moabites (vv. 1-6). Ammonites and Moabites are given a perpetual ban due to their hostility towards Israel during the exodus. Immediately preceding verse 8, verse 7 makes a contrasting distinction, stating that Edomites and Egyptians are not to be detested, calling Edomites "your brother" (descended from Esau) and noting Israel's sojourn in Egypt. Verse 8 then provides the specific condition for the descendants of these two nations. Historically, Israel had complex relationships with both nations, marked by kinship (Edom) and periods of both hospitality and oppression (Egypt), leading to a less severe divine judgment compared to the Ammonites and Moabites who actively sought Israel's destruction.
Deuteronomy 23 8 Word analysis
- The children (vəhabanim): This refers to the offspring, particularly males, but can be generally applied to all descendants. It highlights the focus on successive generations rather than the initial foreign-born individual.
- of the third generation (dor shlishi):
- dor: Hebrew for "generation," signifying a period of time, usually reckoned around 20-40 years, representing a lifespan.
- shlishi: Hebrew for "third." The term "third generation" signifies a significant passage of time. This is not merely a numerical count, but indicates that sufficient time has elapsed for foreign cultural and religious influences to fade, and for full assimilation into the Israelite faith and identity. It implies a thorough process of cultural adaptation, intermarriage, and dedication to YHWH, where the descendants are now genuinely integrated and aligned with the covenant.
- born to them (asher yivoldu lahem): This phrase emphasizes biological continuity from the original foreign parent/ancestor. It highlights that the right to entry is through birth within the covenant community, implying their parents, grandparents, etc., have maintained a presence among Israel. This suggests a growing identification with Israelite life and possibly intermarriage with Israelites over time, fostering deep cultural ties.
- may enter (yavo): Hebrew for "may come" or "enter." It indicates permission or qualification. The verb implies access and participation.
- the assembly of the LORD (biqhal Yahweh):
- qahal: Hebrew term for "assembly" or "congregation." It refers to the covenant community of Israel gathered for worship, legal proceedings, military purposes, or national decision-making.
- Yahweh: The covenant name of God.
- Significance: This phrase denotes full integration into the spiritual and civic life of Israel. It implies the right to participate in public worship, marry into Israelite families, and generally function as a full member of the Israelite theocracy, distinct from being merely a sojourner. It is not limited to access to the Tabernacle or Temple, but rather to the complete covenantal fellowship.
Words-Group Analysis
- "The children of the third generation born to them": This phrase precisely defines the criteria for inclusion, emphasizing both lineage and the passage of time. It illustrates a gradual, rather than immediate, assimilation. It reveals a divine principle of patient integration, contrasting with the immediate and perpetual exclusion of other nations, showing that some former adversaries or hosts could become fully part of God's people over time.
- "may enter the assembly of the LORD": This is the ultimate privilege being granted. It signifies acceptance into the covenant community, indicating that the past foreign status is overcome by consistent faithfulness and generational integration. This reveals God's desire for reconciliation and the expansion of His people through genuine spiritual transformation and integration.
Deuteronomy 23 8 Bonus section
The provisions in Deuteronomy 23 illustrate that while God desired a distinct people, He also allowed for paths of integration, contrasting with total xenophobia. This graded inclusion suggests that offenses could be overcome, and historical wrongs transcended, through generations of alignment with God's covenant. The principle of gradual assimilation found here hints at God's universal plan for humanity, where "every tribe and language and people and nation" will one day worship Him (Rev 7:9), and anticipates the breaking down of the "dividing wall of hostility" (Eph 2:14) through Jesus Christ, allowing Gentiles to become fellow citizens with the saints and members of God's household.
Deuteronomy 23 8 Commentary
Deuteronomy 23:8 stands as a remarkable provision showcasing God's balanced approach to justice, holiness, and inclusion within His covenant people. While strictly regulating the community to preserve its distinctness and fidelity to Him, God demonstrates compassion and foresight by not imposing perpetual exclusion on all foreign nations. The distinction drawn between Ammonites/Moabites and Edomites/Egyptians is critical. The former were hostile and unwelcoming during Israel's dire need (Deut 23:4), whereas Edomites, though often adversarial, shared kinship with Israel, and Egyptians had once hosted them (albeit later oppressing them).
The "third generation" clause reflects a profound spiritual and sociological wisdom. It acknowledges that full assimilation, both culturally and spiritually, takes time. One generation might carry too much of the previous allegiance, and the second might still wrestle with divided loyalties. However, by the third generation, born and raised solely within the Israelite context, educated in the Law of the Lord, and experiencing the blessings of the covenant, the foreign identity would likely be sufficiently diluted. Their primary allegiance would naturally gravitate toward YHWH and the nation of Israel, fostering a cohesive and devoted community. This principle demonstrates that God desires a willing and dedicated people, not merely one born into specific ethnicity, and provides a path for even former outsiders to become integral members of His spiritual family. This foreshadows a broader inclusiveness revealed fully in the New Covenant through Christ, where nationality and lineage cease to be barriers to God's "assembly."