Add parallel Print Page Options

When you go to fight your enemies, maintain strict standards of moral and ritual decency in your camp. 10 If a man becomes ritually impure because of a nocturnal emission, he can’t remain in the camp. He has to stay outside that day. 11 But when evening comes, once he’s washed himself in water, he may come back into the camp at sunset which begins the new day. 12 Designate an area outside the camp as a latrine. 13 When you go there to relieve yourself, bring the spade you carry with your equipment and turn the soil to cover your excrement. 14 Treat your camp as a sacred place because the Eternal your God will be walking around in it. He travels with your army to bring you victory and defeat your enemies. If He saw something indecent, He’d leave the camp.

Read full chapter

Uncleanness in the Camp

When you are encamped against your enemies, keep away from everything impure.(A) 10 If one of your men is unclean because of a nocturnal emission, he is to go outside the camp and stay there.(B) 11 But as evening approaches he is to wash himself, and at sunset(C) he may return to the camp.(D)

12 Designate a place outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself. 13 As part of your equipment have something to dig with, and when you relieve yourself, dig a hole and cover up your excrement. 14 For the Lord your God moves(E) about in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy,(F) so that he will not see among you anything indecent and turn away from you.

Read full chapter