Purity in Public Worship

23:1 A man with crushed1 or severed genitals2 may not enter the assembly of the Lord.3 23:2 A person of illegitimate birth4 may not enter the assembly of the Lord; to the tenth generation no one related to him may do so.5

23:3 An Ammonite or Moabite6 may not enter the assembly of the Lord; to the tenth generation none of their descendants shall ever7 do so,8 23:4 for they did not meet you with food and water on the way as you came from Egypt, and furthermore, they hired9 Balaam son of Beor of Pethor in Aram Naharaim to curse you. 23:5 But the Lord your God refused to listen to Balaam and changed10 the curse to a blessing, for the Lord your God loves11 you. 23:6 You must not seek peace and prosperity for them through all the ages to come. 23:7 You must not hate an Edomite, for he is your relative;12 you must not hate an Egyptian, for you lived as a foreigner13 in his land. 23:8 Children of the third generation born to them14 may enter the assembly of the Lord.