There is no certainty as to the origin of the word ממזר, but the general agreement is that it's a fusion of two words, one of which is indeed zar – מום–זר (defect-foreign), מעם–זר (from a foreign nation), ממעי–זר (from foreign innards).I have allowed the estranged, the maimed, the bastard, the Ammonite, and the Moabite, into my congregation. I am also in that congregation, whatever it is. And those I have allowed in are part of my body. Therefore I and the Chief of that congregation to whom I am subject, both of us are standing in contradiction to this piece of instruction. This instruction is therefore temporal, a product of grudges that are past. In that congregation, the maimed are made whole, the bastard is given reliable family, and all, home-born, strangers and estranged alike, learn hospitality. Even the holy prostitute finds completeness. So in the end, there is no contradiction. But there surely is cost. (It is also to be noted that verse 4 disqualifies king David from the congregation of Yahweh. There are not just 'contradictions' in the Bible, there are living tensions and we have to see them or we will degenerate into parochial nonsense.)
In verses 3 and 4 and in verse 9, there is a possessive pronoun distant from the noun it qualifies (לו, and twice להם), which could be rendered his or theirs . But in verse 9 a possessive English construction for the Hebrew is impossible due to the placement of the Atnah. I have never seen a verse in over 22,000 verses where splitting a phrase over the mid point of the verse would be required in translation. So I have left in the rather awkward for it, for them. No relief over time for the grudge. Maybe this is one of Ezekiel's laws that are not good (20:25).
| Deuteronomy 23 | Fn | Min | Max | Syll | ||
| לֹא־יִקַּ֥ח אִ֖ישׁ אֶת־אֵ֣שֶׁת אָבִ֑יו וְלֹ֥א יְגַלֶּ֖ה כְּנַ֥ף אָבִֽיו | 1 | A man will not take the wife of his father, and he will not uncover the hem of his father. | 3e | 4B | 8 9 | |
| לֹֽא־יָבֹ֧א פְצֽוּעַ־דַּכָּ֛א וּכְר֥וּת שָׁפְכָ֖ה בִּקְהַ֥ל יְהוָֽה | 2 | One with a wound inflicted of castration or penis cut off will not enter the congregation of Yahweh. | 3c | 3g | 14 | |
| לֹא־יָבֹ֥א מַמְזֵ֖ר בִּקְהַ֣ל יְהוָ֑ה גַּ֚ם דּ֣וֹר עֲשִׂירִ֔י לֹא־יָ֥בֹא ל֖וֹ בִּקְהַ֥ל יְהוָֽה | 3 | A stranger will not enter the congregation of Yahweh. Even tenth generation will not enter for it, the congregation of Yahweh. | 3e | 4C | 8 12 | |
| לֹֽא־יָבֹ֧א עַמּוֹנִ֛י וּמוֹאָבִ֖י בִּקְהַ֣ל יְהוָ֑ה גַּ֚ם דּ֣וֹר עֲשִׂירִ֔י לֹא־יָבֹ֥א לָהֶ֛ם בִּקְהַ֥ל יְהוָ֖ה עַד־עוֹלָֽם | 4 | Ammonite or Moabite will not enter the congregation of Yahweh. Even tenth generation will not enter for them, the congregation of Yahweh, for evermore. | 3c | 4C | 13 16 | |
| עַל־דְּבַ֞ר אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹא־קִדְּמ֤וּ אֶתְכֶם֙ בַּלֶּ֣חֶם וּבַמַּ֔יִם בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ בְּצֵאתְכֶ֣ם מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם וַאֲשֶׁר֩ שָׂכַ֨ר עָלֶ֜יךָ אֶת־בִּלְעָ֣ם בֶּן־בְּע֗וֹר מִפְּת֛וֹר אֲרַ֥ם נַהֲרַ֖יִם לְקַֽלְלֶֽךָּ | 5 | Over the matter that they did not precede you with bread and water in the journey when you came out from Egypt, and that he hired against you Balaam, child of Beor, an interpreter of the Aramaeans of two rivers, to slight you. | 3d | 4C | 26 25 | |
| וְלֹֽא־אָבָ֞ה יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ לִשְׁמֹ֣עַ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם וַיַּהֲפֹךְ֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֧יךָ לְּךָ֛ אֶת־הַקְּלָלָ֖ה לִבְרָכָ֑ה כִּ֥י אֲהֵֽבְךָ֖ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ | 6 | But Yahweh your God did not consent to hear Balaam, and Yahweh your God changed for you the denial to blessing. For Yahweh your God loves you. | 3c | 4C | 34 10 | |
| לֹא־תִדְרֹ֥שׁ שְׁלֹמָ֖ם וְטֹבָתָ֑ם כָּל־יָמֶ֖יךָ לְעוֹלָֽם | 7 | You will not search out their peace or their good, all your days forever. | 3e | 4A | 10 7 | |
| לֹֽא־תְתַעֵ֣ב אֲדֹמִ֔י כִּ֥י אָחִ֖יךָ ה֑וּא לֹא־תְתַעֵ֣ב מִצְרִ֔י כִּי־גֵ֖ר הָיִ֥יתָ בְאַרְצֽוֹ | 8 | You will not abhor an Edomite for it is your kin. You will not abhor an Egyptian for a guest you were in its land. | 3e | 4B | 12 14 | |
| בָּנִ֛ים אֲשֶׁר־יִוָּלְד֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם דּ֣וֹר שְׁלִישִׁ֑י יָבֹ֥א לָהֶ֖ם בִּקְהַ֥ל יְהוָֽה | 9 | Children who are born to them, third generation, will enter for them, the congregation of Yahweh. | 3d | 4B | 13 8 | |
| כִּֽי־תֵצֵ֥א מַחֲנֶ֖ה עַל־אֹיְבֶ֑יךָ וְנִ֨שְׁמַרְתָּ֔ מִכֹּ֖ל דָּבָ֥ר רָֽע | 10 | When an army has gone forth against your enemies, then you will keep from every word of evil. | 3e | 4A | 9 9 | |
| כִּֽי־יִהְיֶ֤ה בְךָ֙ אִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־יִהְיֶ֥ה טָה֖וֹר מִקְּרֵה־לָ֑יְלָה וְיָצָא֙ אֶל־מִח֣וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה לֹ֥א יָבֹ֖א אֶל־תּ֥וֹךְ הַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה | 11 | When there is among you a man who is not clean from an event by night, then he will go forth outside the camp. He will not come into the midst of the camp. | 3d | 4C | 17 19 | |
| וְהָיָ֥ה לִפְנֽוֹת־עֶ֖רֶב יִרְחַ֣ץ בַּמָּ֑יִם וּכְבֹ֣א הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ יָבֹ֖א אֶל־תּ֥וֹךְ הַֽמַּחֲנֶה | 12 | And it will be, in the face of evening, he will wash in water, and when the sun has set, he will come into the midst of the camp. | 3e | 4B | 12 13 | |
| וְיָד֙ תִּהְיֶ֣ה לְךָ֔ מִח֖וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה וְיָצָ֥אתָ שָׁ֖מָּה חֽוּץ | 13 | And protection there will be for you outside the camp, where you will go forth outside. | 3e | 4B | 12 7 | |
| וְיָתֵ֛ד תִּהְיֶ֥ה לְךָ֖ עַל־אֲזֵנֶ֑ךָ וְהָיָה֙ בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ֣ ח֔וּץ וְחָפַרְתָּ֣ה בָ֔הּ וְשַׁבְתָּ֖ וְכִסִּ֥יתָ אֶת־צֵאָתֶֽךָ | 14 | And a peg you will have with a spade. And it will be when you sit outside, you will dig deep with it, and will turn back and cover what comes out from you. | 3d | 4B | 12 25 | |
| כִּי֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ מִתְהַלֵּ֣ךְ ׀ בְּקֶ֣רֶב מַחֲנֶ֗ךָ לְהַצִּֽילְךָ֙ וְלָתֵ֤ת אֹיְבֶ֙יךָ֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ וְהָיָ֥ה מַחֲנֶ֖יךָ קָד֑וֹשׁ וְלֹֽא־יִרְאֶ֤ה בְךָ֙ עֶרְוַ֣ת דָּבָ֔ר וְשָׁ֖ב מֵאַחֲרֶֽיךָ | 15 | For Yahweh your God walks within your camp to deliver you, that he may give your enemies before you, so your camp will be holy, and he will not see among you something exposed, and turn from following you. | 3e | 4C | 40 17 | |
| לֹא־תַסְגִּ֥יר עֶ֖בֶד אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֑יו אֲשֶׁר־יִנָּצֵ֥ל אֵלֶ֖יךָ מֵעִ֥ם אֲדֹנָֽיו | 16 | You will not imprison a servant to its master, who was emancipated to you from its master. | 3e | 4A | 9 13 | |
| עִמְּךָ֞ יֵשֵׁ֣ב בְּקִרְבְּךָ֗ בַּמָּק֧וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֛ר בְּאַחַ֥ד שְׁעָרֶ֖יךָ בַּטּ֣וֹב ל֑וֹ לֹ֖א תּוֹנֶֽנּוּ | 17 | With you it will settle. Among you in the place where it will choose in one of your gates, as is its good. You will not suppress it. | 3c | 4B | 25 4 | |
| לֹא־תִהְיֶ֥ה קְדֵשָׁ֖ה מִבְּנ֣וֹת יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֥ה קָדֵ֖שׁ מִבְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵל | 18 | No holy prostitute will be from the daughters of Israel, and no holy prostitute will be from the sons of Israel. | 3e | 4B | 11 11 | |
| לֹא־תָבִיא֩ אֶתְנַ֨ן זוֹנָ֜ה וּמְחִ֣יר כֶּ֗לֶב בֵּ֛ית יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לְכָל־נֶ֑דֶר כִּ֧י תוֹעֲבַ֛ת יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ גַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם | 19 | You will not bring the fee of harlotry or the price of a dog into the house of Yahweh your God, for any vow. For an abomination to Yahweh your God they are, even the both of them. | 3c | 4B | 21 14 | |
| לֹא־תַשִּׁ֣יךְ לְאָחִ֔יךָ נֶ֥שֶׁךְ כֶּ֖סֶף נֶ֣שֶׁךְ אֹ֑כֶל נֶ֕שֶׁךְ כָּל־דָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִשָּֽׁךְ | 20 | You will not take interest for your kin, interest of silver, interest of food, interest of every thing that earns interest. | 3e | 4B | 14 9 | |
| לַנָּכְרִ֣י תַשִּׁ֔יךְ וּלְאָחִ֖יךָ לֹ֣א תַשִּׁ֑יךְ לְמַ֨עַן יְבָרֶכְךָ֜ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ בְּכֹל֙ מִשְׁלַ֣ח יָדֶ֔ךָ עַל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה בָא־שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ | 21 | For a foreigner you may take interest. But to your kin you will not take interest, so that Yahweh your God will bless you in all that you put your hand to do over the land that you are going toward to possess it. | 3e | 4B | 12 34 | |
| כִּֽי־תִדֹּ֥ר נֶ֙דֶר֙ לַיהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לֹ֥א תְאַחֵ֖ר לְשַׁלְּמ֑וֹ כִּֽי־דָּרֹ֨שׁ יִדְרְשֶׁ֜נּוּ יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ מֵֽעִמָּ֔ךְ וְהָיָ֥ה בְךָ֖ חֵֽטְא | 22 | When you vow a vow to Yahweh your God, do not delay to pay it, for Yahweh your God will search it out from you, and it will be in you as sin. | 3e | 4C | 17 21 | |
| וְכִ֥י תֶחְדַּ֖ל לִנְדֹּ֑ר לֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֥ה בְךָ֖ חֵֽטְא | 23 | But when you refrain from a vow, it will not be in you as sin. | 3e | 4A | 6 6 | |
| מוֹצָ֥א שְׂפָתֶ֖יךָ תִּשְׁמֹ֣ר וְעָשִׂ֑יתָ כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר נָדַ֜רְתָּ לַיהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ נְדָבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתָּ בְּפִֽיךָ | 24 | What emerges from your lips you will keep and you will do, as if you vowed to Yahweh your God, a freewill offering that you spoke with your mouth. | 3e | 4C | 12 23 | |
| כִּ֤י תָבֹא֙ בְּכֶ֣רֶם רֵעֶ֔ךָ וְאָכַלְתָּ֧ עֲנָבִ֛ים כְּנַפְשְׁךָ֖ שָׂבְעֶ֑ךָ וְאֶֽל־כֶּלְיְךָ֖ לֹ֥א תִתֵּֽן | 25 | C | When you come into a vineyard of your associate, then you may eat grapes for your self for your satisfaction, but into your vessel, you will not permit any. | 3c | 4C | 23 8 |
| כִּ֤י תָבֹא֙ בְּקָמַ֣ת רֵעֶ֔ךָ וְקָטַפְתָּ֥ מְלִילֹ֖ת בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וְחֶרְמֵשׁ֙ לֹ֣א תָנִ֔יף עַ֖ל קָמַ֥ת רֵעֶֽךָ | 26 | C | When you come into the risen corn of your associate, then you may pluck off snippets into your hand, but you will not brandish a machete against the risen corn of your associate. | 3e | 4C | 20 12 |
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