Chapter 23

  No man whose private parts have been wounded or cut off may come into the meeting of the Lord's people.  

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  One whose father and mother are not married may not come into the meeting of the Lord's people, or any of his family to the tenth generation.  

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  No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their people to the tenth generation may come into the meeting of the Lord's people:  

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  Because they gave you no bread or water on your way, when you came out of Egypt: and they got Balaam, the son of Peor, from Pethor in Aram-naharaim to put curses on you.  

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  But the Lord your God would not give ear to Balaam, but let the curse be changed into a blessing to you, because of his love for you.  

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  Do nothing for their peace or well-being for ever.  

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  But have no hate for an Edomite, because he is your brother, or for an Egyptian, for you were living in his land.  

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  Their children in the third generation may come into the meeting of the Lord's people.  

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  When you go out to war and put your tents in position, keep from every evil thing.  

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  If any man among you becomes unclean through anything which has taken place in the night, he is to go out from the tent-circle and keep outside it:  

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  But when evening comes near, let him take a bath: and after sundown he may come back to the tents.  

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  Let there be a place outside the tent-circle to which you may go;  

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  And have among your arms a spade; and when you have been to that place, let that which comes from you be covered up with earth:  

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  For the Lord your God is walking among your tents, to keep you safe and to give up into your hands those who are fighting against you; then let your tents be holy, so that he may see no unclean thing among you, and be turned away from you.  

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  Do not give back to his master a servant who has gone in flight from his master and come to you:  

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  Let him go on living among you in whatever place is most pleasing to him: do not be hard on him.  

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  No daughter of Israel is to let herself be used as a loose woman for a strange god, and no son of Israel is to give himself to a man.  

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  Do not take into the house of the Lord your God, as an offering for an oath, the price of a loose woman or the money given to one used for sex purposes in the worship of the gods: for these two things are disgusting to the Lord your God.  

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  Do not take interest from an Israelite on anything, money or food or any other goods, which you let him have:  

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  From men of other nations you may take interest, but not from an Israelite: so that the blessing of the Lord your God may be on everything to which you put your hand, in the land which you are about to take as your heritage.  

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  When you take an oath to the Lord, do not be slow to give effect to it: for without doubt the Lord your God will make you responsible, and will put it to your account as sin.  

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  But if you take no oath, there will be no sin.  

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  Whatever your lips have said, see that you do it; for you gave your word freely to the Lord your God.  

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  When you go into your neighbour's vine-garden, you may take of his grapes at your pleasure, but you may not take them away in your vessel.  

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  When you go into your neighbour's field, you may take the heads of grain with your hand; but you may not put your blade to his grain.  

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