Entrance into the assembly of the Lord?

Question

Entrance into the assembly of the Lord was granted only to those with complete testicles. (Duet 23:1) Now, I will admit that keeping one's testicles in tact is a pursuit worthy of some attention, but I have to ask: What went on in the "assembly of the Lord" that required a complete and full set of testicles? And, since testicles are usually not on display, was there someone at the gate assigned to check?

Answer 1

Not an old testament expert but I'll take a crack at it. In the Old Testament, emasculation was a form of self-mutilation practiced by idol worshipers and cults. Since this is a warning to the Jews in the book of Deuteronomy I'm going to guess that it was prevalent in Egyptian religions. Someone who was an idol worshiper entering into the assembly of the Lord probably would have defiled the sanctity of what took place there-- namely worship.

Answer 2

Those excluded from the congregation of Israel.

1. (1) Eunuchs are excluded from the congregation of Israel.

He who is emasculated by crushing or mutilation shall not enter the assembly of the Lord.

a. By crushing or mutilation: This refers to those emasculated by either birth defect, accident, or by deliberate emasculation.

b. Shall not enter the assembly of the Lord: When we read this term, it usually refers to the nation gathered before the Lord in worship, such as when they were gathered at Mount Sinai (Deuteronomy 5:22, 9:10, 10:4, and 18:16). But it doesn’t always have this sense.

i. Deuteronomy 31:30 refers to all the congregation of Israel, while Deuteronomy 31:28 makes it clear that “all the congregation” was gathered through all the elders of your tribes, and your officers. So, in some contexts, the congregation can refer to elders and officers. It may very well be that these exclusions from the assembly of the Lord are exclusions not from the religious life of Israel, but from the political life of the nation.

ii. Poole suggests that the idea of the assembly of the Lord is the leadership, or the rulers of Israel. These people were barred not from the religious life of Israel, but from the political life of the nation. Trapp agrees, saying on shall not enter the assembly of the Lord: “Shall not go in and out before the people as a public officer.” Clarke adds, “If by entering into the congregation be meant the bearing a civil office among the people, such as magistrate, judge, &c., then the reason of the law is very plain.”

iii. Isaiah 56:3-5 shows that even eunuchs and foreigners could be accepted before the Lord if they would obey Him, and they would be accepted before the “normal” people who disobeyed God.

c. Shall not enter the assembly of the Lord: Eunuchs were excluded because God’s covenant with Israel was vitally connected with the idea of the seed, and emasculation is a “crime” against the seed of man. Additionally, most eunuchs were made to be so in pagan ceremonies where they were dedicated to pagan gods.

Answer 3

Anthropomorphization is in basic terms a manner of coming up it much less complicated for us to stick to the plot line. and do not forget that Hebrew is nowhere close to as rigid or precise as English. it is a fluid, resonant language that lends itself with ease to poetry and poetic imagery. a smart rule of thumb for somebody who would not comprehend Hebrew is to study all the Tanakh as though it have been poetry. particularly some it is besides. :-) Judaism is somewhat sparkling that G-d would not incarnate, 'replace into human', or handle human variety. this is concept even while it is no longer explicitly pronounced. removing single words from that underlying context is purely going to hold approximately confusion. surprisingly once you're working in translation.

Answer 4

Challenging questions. Considering the later, more inclusive statements (I think they are in Isaiah) We believe that that "Assembly" referred to a ruling body. A group that made the decisions of the group. It might have had some reference to the temple, but I don't believe so.

Answer 5

Because of Pope Joan.

Sometime around the 13th Century a woman pretending to be a man was crowned as Pope. Ever since, all candidates must pass a testicle test to ensure they are manly. I wonder who has THAT job (is that anything like the guy who collects bull semen?)?

http://www.britannica.com/heritage/article?content_id=1381

Answer 6

This only referred to the priests who served in the temple. Just like the sacrificial animals had to be whole and unblemished, so too the priests serving in the temple had to be whole and unblemished. Crushed testicles is considered a blemish.

Answer 7

what a load of balls.
any way hitler wont get in he only had one.and how about any one with 3 balls and the people with cancer and some old soldiers who lost theirs.
and there is a doctor on the gate and he asks you to cough.how about the girls-do they go some where else.

Answer 8

Something to do with the last will and testicle made by JC.

Answer 9

Katie Mack Member since:
September 10, 2007

Best answer 15%272 answers
Member Since: September 10, 2007

Entrance into the assembly of the Lord?


Entrance into the assembly of the Lord was granted only to those with complete testicles. (Duet 23:1)
Answer:Deuteronomy 23
1He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD.

2A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD.

3An 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:

4Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee.

5Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the LORD thy God loved thee.

6Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days for ever.

7Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land.

8The children that are begotten of them shall enter into the congregation of the LORD in their third generation.

9When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing.

10If there be among you any man, that is not clean by reason of uncleanness that chanceth him by night, then shall he go abroad out of the camp, he shall not come within the camp:

11But it shall be, when evening cometh on, he shall wash himself with water: and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp again.

12Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad:

13And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee:

14For the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee.

15Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee:

16He shall dwell with thee, even among you, in that place which he shall choose in one of thy gates, where it liketh him best: thou shalt not oppress him.

17There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.

18Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the LORD thy God.


Now, I will admit that keeping one's testicles in tact is a pursuit worthy of some attention, but I have to ask: What went on in the "assembly of the Lord" that required a complete and full set of testicles?

And, since testicles are usually not on display, was there someone at the gate assigned to check?

Answer 10

dont be ridiculous....this stuff is so old...im not going to waste time looking this up...i smell trolls...