An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever:
An Ammonite or Moabite may not join the assembly of the LORD's people; even their descendants for ten generations may never join the assembly of the LORD.
This verse establishes that people from the nations of Ammon and Moab were permanently excluded from joining Israel's religious community, even their descendants many generations later.
📚 Historical Context
In the historical context of ancient Israel, the Ammonites and Moabites were neighboring peoples descended from Lot, Abraham's nephew, who had often been enemies of the Israelites and engaged in conflicts over land and resources. During the Exodus, the Moabites refused to allow Israel to pass through their territory and even hired the prophet Balaam to curse them, as recorded in the book of Numbers. This law in Deuteronomy was part of the covenant instructions given by Moses to protect the holiness and purity of the Israelite community from idolatrous and hostile influences.
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