complete verse (Deuteronomy 23:10)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Deuteronomy 23:10:

  • Kupsabiny: “If a person/man has had an emission in the night and defiled himself, he should not stay in his tent, but he must get up from the camp and go outside.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “If any man becomes ceremonially unclean from a matter of a dream he must go outside that camp and stay there for the whole day.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “If semen came-out from one among you (plur.) when he slept at night, he must go-outside the camp and stay there for-awhile.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “If any soldier becomes unacceptable to God because semen comes out of his body during the night, the next morning he must go outside the camp and stay there during that day.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 23:10

Is not clean: this does not refer to being physically unclean but to ritual impurity, which would prevent the Israelite man from fulfilling his duties as a member of “the assembly of the LORD.” In languages where the idea of ritual impurity will be difficult to express, we may say something like “he is unfit to worship [or, have fellowship with] Yahweh.” Contemporary English Version has a similar rendering: “makes a man unclean and unfit for worship.”

By reason of what chances to him by night: this refers to “a wet dream,” that is, an emission of semen (New Revised Standard Version “a nocturnal emission”). This is dealt with also in Lev 15.16-17. Every language has its own way of referring to this; but translators should be careful not to use language that is offensive to the reader or hearer.

He shall go outside the camp, he shall not come within the camp: that is, “He must leave the camp and stay away from it the whole day” (as the next verse makes clear).

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .