Deuteronomy 23: Keep Your Promises

Moses gives laws about who may enter the assembly, keeping the camp clean because God walks in it, sheltering an escaped slave, refusing to charge interest to a brother, and keeping vows. A traveler may eat grapes or grain from a neighbor's field, but must not carry any away.

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Read Deuteronomy 23

World English Bible · 25 verses

¹ He who is emasculated by crushing or cutting shall not enter into Yahweh’s assembly.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
² A person born of a forbidden union shall not enter into Yahweh’s assembly; even to the tenth generation shall no one of his enter into Yahweh’s assembly.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³ An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into Yahweh’s assembly; even to the tenth generation shall no one belonging to them enter into Yahweh’s assembly forever,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁴ because they didn’t meet you with bread and with water on the way when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁵ Nevertheless Yahweh your God wouldn’t listen to Balaam, but Yahweh your God turned the curse into a blessing to you, because Yahweh your God loved you.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁶ You shall not seek their peace nor their prosperity all your days forever.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁷ You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother. You shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you lived as a foreigner in his land.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁸ The children of the third generation who are born to them may enter into Yahweh’s assembly.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁹ When you go out and camp against your enemies, then you shall keep yourselves from every evil thing.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁰ If there is among you any man who is not clean by reason of that which happens to him by night, then shall he go outside of the camp. He shall not come within the camp;This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹¹ but it shall be, when evening comes, he shall bathe himself in water. When the sun is down, he shall come within the camp.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹² You shall have a place also outside of the camp where you go relieve yourself.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹³ You shall have a trowel among your weapons. It shall be, when you relieve yourself, you shall dig with it, and shall turn back and cover your excrement;This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁴ for Yahweh your God walks in the middle of your camp, to deliver you, and to give up your enemies before you. Therefore your camp shall be holy, that he may not see an unclean thing in you, and turn away from you.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁵ You shall not deliver to his master a servant who has escaped from his master to you.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁶ He shall dwell with you, among you, in the place which he shall choose within one of your gates, where it pleases him best. You shall not oppress him.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁷ There shall be no prostitute of the daughters of Israel, neither shall there be a sodomite of the sons of Israel.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁸ You shall not bring the hire of a prostitute, or the wages of a male prostitute, into the house of Yahweh your God for any vow; for both of these are an abomination to Yahweh your God.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁹ You shall not lend on interest to your brother: interest of money, interest of food, interest of anything that is lent on interest.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁰ You may charge a foreigner interest; but you shall not charge your brother interest, that Yahweh your God may bless you in all that you put your hand to, in the land where you go in to possess it.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²¹ When you vow a vow to Yahweh your God, you shall not be slack to pay it, for Yahweh your God will surely require it of you; and it would be sin in you.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²² But if you refrain from making a vow, it shall be no sin in you.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²³ You shall observe and do that which has gone out of your lips. Whatever you have vowed to Yahweh your God as a free will offering, which you have promised with your mouth, you must do.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁴ When you come into your neighbor’s vineyard, then you may eat your fill of grapes at your own pleasure; but you shall not put any in your container.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁵ When you come into your neighbor’s standing grain, then you may pluck the ears with your hand; but you shall not use a sickle on your neighbor’s standing grain.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org

Worksheets

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Open Preschool on its own page

Deuteronomy 23 · Preschool

Keep Your Promise

Name Date

Color the grapes and the grain! God wants us to keep our promises.

Can you find these in the picture? Circle each one!

Bible Verse

“You shall observe and do that which has gone out of your lips. Whatever you have vowed to Yahweh your God as a free will offering, which you have promised with your mouth, you must do.”

Deuteronomy 23:23 (WEB)

Prayer

Thank You, God, for making me!

Take It Home

Read the verse aloud. Say: When we promise something, we do it.

Open Grade 4 on its own page

Deuteronomy 23 · Grade 4

Holy Camp, Honest Words

Name Date

Read and Think

Deuteronomy 23 begins with rules about the assembly, the gathered people of Israel. Ammonites and Moabites were excluded because they would not give Israel bread and water and hired Balaam to curse them, though God turned the curse into a blessing. Edomites and Egyptians, however, must not be hated.

The camp was to be kept clean, for God walked in the middle of it. A runaway slave could not be returned to his master, a law unlike the nations around Israel. Israel must not lend at interest to a brother.

Vows must be kept. It was no sin to refrain from vowing, but once spoken, a vow to God must be fulfilled. Jesus taught His followers to let their yes be yes. Finally, the hungry could eat from a neighbor's field, but not harvest it for themselves. Jesus' disciples did this when they picked grain (Mark 2:23).

Show What You Know

Why were Ammonites and Moabites excluded?
How was the runaway slave law unlike the nations?
What did Jesus teach about promises?
When did Jesus' disciples use the field law?

Word Bank Fill-In

Use the word bank to fill in each blank.

campvowinterest

The was to be kept clean, for God walked in the middle of it.
Israel must not lend at to a brother.
It was no sin to refrain from vowing, but once spoken, a to God must be fulfilled.

Think About It

Why is it important to keep a promise, even when it becomes hard?
What does God turning Balaam's curse into blessing show about Him?

Memory Verse

“You shall observe and do that which has gone out of your lips. Whatever you have vowed to Yahweh your God as a free will offering, which you have promised with your mouth, you must do.”

Deuteronomy 23:23 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for keeping every promise. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

Why is keeping your word part of following God?
How can you protect someone who is weak or in danger?

Open Grade 5 on its own page

Deuteronomy 23 · Grade 5

What Has Gone Out of Your Lips

Name Date

Read and Think

Deuteronomy 23 regulates membership in the assembly of Yahweh. Ammon and Moab were barred because they refused Israel bread and water and hired Balaam to curse them, but Yahweh your God turned the curse into a blessing to you, because He loved you. Yet Edomites were brothers and Egyptians had been hosts, so they must not be despised. Ruth the Moabitess later shows that faith could bring outsiders into God's people.

Because God walked in the middle of the camp to save and give victory, the camp must be holy and clean. In striking contrast to ancient law codes, a slave who escaped to Israel must not be returned or oppressed. Israel must not lend at interest to a brother, so that the poor would not be crushed by debt.

Vows were voluntary, but binding once made: you shall observe and do that which has gone out of your lips. Jesus later taught that our ordinary words should be trustworthy without oaths (Matthew 5:37). The chapter ends with neighborly hospitality. A traveler could eat his fill of grapes or pluck ears of grain by hand, but not use a basket or sickle. Generosity and honesty went together.

Show What You Know

Why did God turn Balaam's curse into a blessing?
Who shows that faith could bring outsiders into God's people?
How did the escaped slave law contrast with ancient law codes?
What did Jesus teach about ordinary words?
What could a traveler not use in a neighbor's field?

Crossword

Across

Do not use one in your neighbor's grain.

Down

God turned the curse into a ____.
You may eat your fill of them.
God walks in the middle of your ____.

Think About It

God turned a curse into a blessing because He loved Israel. Where have you seen God bring good out of something bad?
How can you make your yes mean yes this week?

Memory Verse

“You shall observe and do that which has gone out of your lips. Whatever you have vowed to Yahweh your God as a free will offering, which you have promised with your mouth, you must do.”

Deuteronomy 23:23 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for keeping every promise. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

What does it mean that God walks in the camp?
How can you shelter someone who is hurting?
What is one way you could live out this chapter this week?

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Deuteronomy 23: Keep Your Promises

Read Deuteronomy 23

Worksheets

Keep Your Promise

Prayer

Take It Home

Keep My Word

Trace the Words

Match the Pictures

Mini Maze

Draw It

Prayer

Take It Home

Do What You Say

Trace the Words

Match the Pictures

Keep Your Word

Prayer

Take It Home

Say It and Do It

Read the Story

Show What You Know

Word Search

Prayer

Take It Home

Faithful in Word and Deed

Read the Story

Answer the Questions

Keep Your Word

Word Search

Prayer

Take It Home

Holy Camp, Honest Words

Read and Think

Show What You Know

Word Bank Fill-In

Think About It

Copy It

Prayer

Take It Home

What Has Gone Out of Your Lips

Read and Think

Show What You Know

Crossword

Think About It

Copy It

Prayer

Take It Home

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