King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And 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:
Complete Jewish Bible:
You must include a trowel with your equipment, and when you relieve yourself, you are to dig a hole first and afterwards cover your excrement.
Berean Standard Bible:
And you must have a digging tool in your equipment so that when you relieve yourself you can dig a hole and cover up your excrement.
American Standard Version:
and thou shalt have a paddle among thy weapons; and it shall be, when thou sittest down abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee:
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And thou shalt have a paddle{H3489} upon thy weapon{H240}; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease{H3427} thyself abroad{H2351}, thou shalt dig{H2658} therewith, and shalt turn back{H7725} and cover{H3680} that which cometh{H6627} from thee:
Cross-References (KJV):
Ezekiel 24:6
- Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose scum [is] therein, and whose scum is not gone out of it! bring it out piece by piece; let no lot fall upon it.
Ezekiel 24:8
- That it might cause fury to come up to take vengeance; I have set her blood upon the top of a rock, that it should not be covered.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Deuteronomy 23:13
Deuteronomy 23:13 is part of a larger section in the book that deals with various laws and regulations given to the Israelites by Moses. These laws were intended to govern the community's life as they prepared to enter the Promised Land. The verse itself addresses a matter of personal hygiene and public health, reflecting the broader theme of holiness and separation that is central to Israel's identity as a people set apart for God.
In the historical context, the Israelites were living a nomadic lifestyle in the wilderness, where sanitation was crucial to prevent the spread of disease within the close-knit community. The command to carry a paddle or small shovel with one's weaponry implies that soldiers or men who were armed were to be prepared to bury their excrement whenever they relieved themselves outside of camp. This practice would help maintain cleanliness and order, ensuring that the camp remained a sanitary place.
The specific instruction to "turn back and cover that which cometh from thee" underscores the importance of personal responsibility and respect for the collective well-being of the community. It also symbolizes a deeper spiritual principle: just as one must cover up physical waste, so too must one deal with moral and spiritual defilement, keeping the community free from the "uncleanness" that could defile the camp and, by extension, their relationship with God. This verse, therefore, encapsulates both practical wisdom for communal living and a metaphor for maintaining spiritual purity.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H3489
There are 19 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָתֵד
Transliteration: yâthêd
Pronunciation: yaw-thade'
Description: from an unused root meaning to pin through or fast; a peg; nail, paddle, pin, stake. - Strong's Number: H240
There are 344 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָזֵן
Transliteration: ʼâzên
Pronunciation: aw-zane'
Description: from אָזַן; a spade or paddle (as having a broad end); weapon. - Strong's Number: H3427
There are 980 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָשַׁב
Transliteration: yâshab
Pronunciation: yaw-shab'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry; (make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, [idiom] fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, [idiom] marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(-tle), (down-) sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate), take, tarry. - Strong's Number: H2351
There are 159 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חוּץ
Transliteration: chûwts
Pronunciation: khoots
Description: or (shortened) חֻץ; (both forms feminine in the plural) from an unused root meaning to sever; properly, separate by awall, i.e. outside, outdoors; abroad, field, forth, highway, more, out(-side, -ward), street, without. - Strong's Number: H2658
There are 21 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חָפַר
Transliteration: châphar
Pronunciation: khaw-far'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to pry into; by implication, to delve, to explore; dig, paw, search out, seek. - Strong's Number: H7725
There are 952 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שׁוּב
Transliteration: shûwb
Pronunciation: shoob
Description: a primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again; ((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back), cease, [idiom] certainly, come again (back), [idiom] consider, [phrase] continually, convert, deliver (again), [phrase] deny, draw back, fetch home again, [idiom] fro, get (oneself) (back) again, [idiom] give (again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see) more, [idiom] needs, be past, [idiom] pay, pervert, pull in again, put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, reward, [phrase] say nay, send back, set again, slide back, still, [idiom] surely, take back (off), (cause to, make to) turn (again, self again, away, back, back again, backward, from, off), withdraw. - Strong's Number: H3680
There are 149 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: כָּסָה
Transliteration: kâçâh
Pronunciation: kaw-saw'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to plump, i.e. fill up hollows; by implication, to cover (for clothing or secrecy); clad self, close, clothe, conceal, cover (self), (flee to) hide, overwhelm. Compare כָּשָׂה. - Strong's Number: H6627
There are 2 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: צָאָה
Transliteration: tsâʼâh
Pronunciation: tsaw-aw'
Description: from יָצָא; issue, i.e. (human) excrement; that (which) cometh from (out).