Deuteronomy 23:1 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 23:1 mean?

Deuteronomy 23:1 sets a limit on who could enter “the congregation of the LORD” in ancient Israel. It excludes a man whose testicles had been crushed or whose penis had been cut off. The rule concerns membership or participation in Israel’s gathered community.

Moses gives this instruction to the Israelites as part of a speech presenting laws for their life in the land. The phrase “congregation of the LORD” points to an assembly belonging to the LORD, though the verse does not specify a particular meeting or ceremony.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 23:1

• “stones” — דַּכָּא (dakkāʾ): The Hebrew word carries the sense of being crushed. In the KJV phrase “wounded in the stones,” “stones” refers to the testicles.
• “member” — שָׁפְכָה (shofkhāh): The word refers to the penis. The KJV uses the modest phrase “privy member” for this part of the body.
• “congregation” — קָהָל (qāhāl): This word means an assembly or gathered group. Here it describes a group associated with the LORD, rather than a building.

Why Deuteronomy 23:1 matters

• The restriction is about entry into an assembly, not a statement about where a man may live. The words “shall not enter” identify the action the law limits.
• The surrounding passage treats entry into the LORD’s assembly as a question of community standing. Verses 2–3 give further entry restrictions, while verses 7–8 distinguish between some outsiders and their later descendants.