Today I read Deuteronomy 23, which says who can dwell among the Israelites, how to keep the camp clean, and other laws on sexual conduct, lending, vows, and crops. Today I considered that God did not want any of his people to starve to go hungry.
Among the Congregation
The Lord told the Israelites who to keep out and who to allow in the congregation (Deuteronomy 23:3-8). The Lord told the Israelites to exclude the Ammonite and Moabite from their community because they were unkind and cursed the Israelites. The Lord said Esau’s descendants and Egyptian descendants could be part of their community.
Camp Cleanliness
The Lord told them to keep their camp clean because the Lord visits their camp and saves them (Deuteronomy 23:9-14). Anyone you came across something unclean has to stay outside camp until evening and wash themselves before coming back. The Israelites are to have a location outside of camp to dig a hole, go to the bathroom in the hole, and cover the hole.
Various Laws
The Lord gave them laws related to sexual conduct, lending, vows, and eating other people’s crops (Deuteronomy 23:15-25). The Israelites are to have no daughters that are prostitutes and no sons that sleep with men. The Israelites are not to get interest when lending to family but can get interest from strangers. The Israelites are to keep their promises. They may eat grapes from a neighbor’s field but not harvest them to take. They may take neighbor’s corn but can’t cut the stalks.
Questions and Thoughts for Today
God wants all of his children to as least have enough food to eat. The Lord gave them permission to eat food from their neighbor’s garden so they would not be hungry but not harvest in a container. They were not to go in there and clear the area. Ask God and he will direct you where to go to provide for you. “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread” (Psalm 37:25 NIV).