Uncleanness in the Camp

When you are encamped against your enemies, keep away from everything impure.(A) 10 If one of your men is unclean because of a nocturnal emission, he is to go outside the camp and stay there.(B) 11 But as evening approaches he is to wash himself, and at sunset(C) he may return to the camp.(D)

12 Designate a place outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself. 13 As part of your equipment have something to dig with, and when you relieve yourself, dig a hole and cover up your excrement. 14 For the Lord your God moves(E) about in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy,(F) so that he will not see among you anything indecent and turn away from you.

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Rules for the war camp

When you are camped in battle against your enemies, guard yourself from every possible evil. 10 If an individual in the camp becomes polluted due to a nighttime emission, he must exit the camp area and not reenter. 11 When the next evening arrives, he must wash with water; and when the sun sets, he can come back to the camp.

12 The latrines[a] must be outside the camp. You will use them there, outside the camp. 13 Carry a shovel with the rest of your gear; once you have relieved yourself, use it to dig a hole, then refill it, covering your excrement.

14 Do these things because the Lord your God travels with you, right in the middle of your camp, ready to save you and to hand your enemies over to you. For this reason your camp must be holy. The Lord must not see anything indecent among you, or he will turn away from you.

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 23:12 LXX, Syr, Vulg place of the hand (a euphemism); MT has only hand.