quote:

No one whose testicles have been crushed or whose penis has been cut off may be admitted into the community of the Lord. (Deuteronomy 23:2 NAB)



Why is this?

[This message has been edited by bynumbers (edited 05-24-2005).]

Because that's gross!

Cheers,

Lost

it's only unfair if you have crushed/no nads

Castration has been used as a form of lawfull punishment for thousands years. It was probably a punishment for raping babies or something and that's why they couldn't get in.

Cheers,

Lost

What if only one nut is crushed? Are you still allowed in?

I don't know what version NAB is, but all of the ones I've seen say a bastard or child of illegitimate birth. And then it says that even unto the 10th generation, even though the Bible says the sins of the father shall not be passed to the son.

Maybe because they did the ball crushing thing as contraception, and the penis cutting thing as a sex change kinda deal.

[This message has been edited by Zman (edited 05-25-2005).]

I'm not sure what NAB is either, but a few of of the translations that i have, list this verse as 23:2, where as most are 23:1. i know, doesnt matter..

Anyway, some of the translations point to this as a euphamism for 'eunuch' (according to the NT, some are born, some are made...mained?).

I only looked at one commentary (getting lazy again), and this is what i found:

Albert Barnes' notes on the Bible

Deu 23:1 -

Compare Lev_21:17-24. Such persons, exhibiting a mutilation of that human nature which was made in God’s image, were rejected from the covenant entirely. However, they could be proselytes (compare Act_8:27). The Old Testament itself foretells Isa_56:3-5 the removal of this ban when under the kingdom of Messiah the ******d and emblematic perfection and sanctity of Israel should be fulfilled in their inner meaning by the covenanted presence and work of the Holy Spirit in the Church.

23:1

He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD.

I should have looked one verse up.

...that's fucked up.

But circumcision is alright, was required even? That is weird. God must have a thing about nads.