- shall not enter:
- It is evident that his law was not meant to exclude such Israelites either from the common benefits of civil society, or any essential religious advantages; but merely to lay them under a disgraceful distinction. This would tend to discourage parents from thus treating their children; a practice which was exceedingly common in those ages and countries. To this they were induced by the custom which prevailed, of employing such in the houses of the great and the courts of princes; so that they often rose to the highest posts of honour and authority. Some expositors therefore consider the phrase, "shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord," as meaning, that they should be incapable of bearing any office in that government which was placed over the people of God, who must thus enter a protest against this custom, and deliver selfish parents from this temptation. "A bastardª shall not¹ enterª° into the congregationª of the LORD;ª even¹ to his tenthª generationª shall he not¹ enterª° into the congregationª of the LORD.ª ... An Ammoniteª or Moabiteª shall not¹ enterª° into the congregationª of the LORD;ª even¹ to their tenthª generationª shall they not¹ enterª° into the congregationª of the LORDª for² ever:ª¹" {Deu 23:2-3} + "The childrenª that¹ are begottenª° of them shall enterª° into the congregationª of the LORDª in their thirdª generation.ª" {Deu 23:8} + "On that¹ dayª they readª° in the bookª of Mosesª in the audienceª of the people;ª and therein was foundª° written,ª° that¹ the Ammoniteª and the Moabiteª should not¹ comeª° into the congregationª of Godª for² ever;ª¹ ... Now it came to pass,¹ when they had heardª°¹ the law,ª that they separatedª° from Israelª¹ all¹ the mixed multitude.ª" {Neh 13:1-3} + "Neither¹ let the sonª of the stranger,ª that hath joined²° himself¹ to¹ the LORD,ª speak,ª° saying,ª° The LORDª hath utterly²° separatedª° me from¹¹ his people:ª neither¹ let the eunuchª say,ª° Behold,¹ I¹ [am] a dryª tree.ª ... For¹ thus¹ saithª° the LORDª unto the eunuchsª that¹ keepª°¹ my sabbaths,ª and chooseª° [the things] that¹ pleaseª° me, and take holdª° of my covenant;ª" {Isa 56:3-4} + "The adversaryª hath spread outª° his handª upon¹ all¹ her pleasant things:ª for¹ she hath seenª° [that] the heathenª enteredª° into her sanctuary,ª whom¹ thou didst commandª° [that] they should not¹ enterª° into thy congregation.ª" {Lam 1:10}
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