Deuteronomy 23:3-5
Amplified Bible
3 An Ammonite or [a]Moabite shall not enter the assembly of the Lord; none of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, shall ever enter the assembly of the Lord, 4 because they did not meet you with bread (food) and water on the road as you came out of Egypt, and because they hired [to act] against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you. 5 Nevertheless, the Lord your God was not willing to listen to Balaam, but the Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you because the Lord your God has loved you.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Deuteronomy 23:3 Ruth, one of the ancestors of Jesus, was a Moabitess, but she essentially became an Israelite (Ruth 1:16) and married an Israelite (Boaz). Moreover, the rabbis taught that Deut 23:3 applied only to Ammonite and Moabite men. This teaching was summarized by what became a common saying: “An Ammonite [is forbidden], but not an Ammonitess; a Moabite, but not a Moabitess!” (as quoted from the Talmud).
Deuteronomy 23:3-5
New International Version
3 No Ammonite(A) or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord, not even in the tenth generation.(B) 4 For they did not come to meet you with bread and water(C) on your way when you came out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam(D) son of Beor from Pethor in Aram Naharaim[a](E) to pronounce a curse on you.(F) 5 However, the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse(G) into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loves(H) you.
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 23:4 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
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