Matthew Poole and continuators on Deuteronomy 23:1

1 HE that is wounded in the stones , or hath his privy members out off, shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD .

Heb. wounded by compression or attrition or contusion, to wit, of the stones, which was the course the Gentiles took with Infants to make them Eunuchs. And these Eunuchs and Bastards v. 2. seem to be not onely those of other Nations, as some understand it, without any foundation for such restriction, but also of the Israelites, the reason of this law being the same in all, to wit, that God would bring into disgrace those heathenish practices of making Eunuchs, and getting Bastards, which doubtless he would especially do among his own people.

Which phrase cannot be understood, so that they might not come into the Church or Holy Assemblies to worship God▪ to pray, or hear, &c. because Proselytes of any Nation were admitted to common Church-priviledges no less than the Jews, as is evident from Exod. 12. 48. Levit. 22. 18. Numb. 9. 14. and 15. 14. It were absurd to think that any of the Israelites for such a natural or involuntary defect should be shut out from all Gods ordinances; nor so that they were to be put out of the muster-roll of Gods people, or to lose the Priviledges common to all Israelites, to wit, the benefit of the year of release or Jubile, which it is not probable the Israelites were to forfeit meerly for this unculpable imperfection; but either 1. That they should not be incorporated into the Body of Israel by marriage, for so this phrase may seem to have been understood by the whole Congregation of Israel, Nehem. 13. 1, 2, 3, 23, 24, 25. Although at that time the Government was in part in the hands of such persons as are here mentioned, v. 3. or of their children, seeing it is apparent from Ezra 10. that many Priests and Levites and other Officers and Rulers of Israel were married to strange Women, whose issue are by this Law excluded from all share in the Government, and for that among other reasons Nehemiah separated them from Israel by vertue of the Law here following. Or 2. That they should not be admitted to Honours and Offices either in the Church or Commonwealth of Israel, and so the congregation of the Lord doth not here signifie, as commonly it doth, the body of the people, but the society of the Elders or Rulers of the people, who, as they represent the whole Congregation, and act in their name, and for their service and good, so they are sometimes called by the name of the Congregation, as Numb. 35. 12, 24, 25. Ios. 20. 6, 9. 1 King. 8. 5. compared with v. 1, 2, 3. and 1 Chron. 13, 1, 2, 4. and 29. 1, 10, 20. compared with 1 Chron. 28. 1. and 29. 6. and of the congregation of God, as it is in the Hebrew of Psal. 82. 1. Howsoever, seeing they are oft called the congregation, they may very well be called in a special manner the congregation of the Lord, because they were appointed by God, and act in his name and stead, and for his work and service, and did also oft assemble near the Tabernacle where God was eminently present. Add to this, that this Hebrew word, Kahal, generally signifies a Congregation or Company of men met together, and therefore this cannot so conveniently be meant of all the body of the people, which could never meet in one place, but of the chief Rulers, which frequently did so. Nor is it strange that Ennuc[illegible: 1+ letters]s are excluded from government, partly because such persons are commonly observed to want that courage which is necessary for a Governour, Exod. 18. 21. and partly because as such persons ordinarily were despicable, so the Office and Authority in their hands was likely to be exposed to the same contempt.