Bible Strands
Deuteronomy 23:11
When evening approaches, he must wash with water, and when the sun sets he may return to the camp.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Moses addresses the Israelites on the plains of Moab, establishing immediate camp regulations for a community preparing to cross the Jordan.
The words — The phrase לִפְנֹת עֶרֶב (lifnot erev) literally means "at the turning of evening," marking the precise temporal boundary for ritual readiness.
The thread — This washing-and-waiting pattern appears in Leviticus 15:5 for ritual impurity and is noted in Luke 11:38 as a Pharisaic custom, while Leviticus 14:9 simply records immediate cleanliness after washing without a waiting period.
Why it lands — The text mandates physical cleansing and a strict sunset deadline before the individual may reenter the communal camp.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
But 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.
Cross-references
- Leviticus 14:9 On the seventh day he must shave off all his hair—his head, his beard, his eyebrows, and the rest of his hair. He must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water, and he will be clean.
- Leviticus 15:5 Anyone who touches his bed must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.
- Luke 11:38 But the Pharisee was surprised to see that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.
- Ephesians 5:26 to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
- Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
- Leviticus 11:25 and whoever picks up one of their carcasses must wash his clothes, and he will be unclean until evening.
- Leviticus 15:11 If the man with the discharge touches anyone without first rinsing his hands with water, the one who was touched must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.
- Leviticus 15:13 When the man has been cleansed from his discharge, he must count off seven days for his cleansing, wash his clothes, and bathe himself in fresh water, and he shall be clean.
- Leviticus 15:17 Any clothing or leather on which there is an emission of semen must be washed with water, and it will remain unclean until evening.
- Leviticus 22:6 the man who touches any of these will remain unclean until evening. He must not eat from the sacred offerings unless he has bathed himself with water.