Deuteronomy 23:13
in Deuteronomy 23And 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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
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:
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This verse in Deuteronomy 23
Commentary
4 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
When you are encamped against your enemies
on Deuteronomy 23:9-14
Verse 9 puts the army in the field under the law it keeps at home. Verse 14 gives the reason, “the LORD your God walks throughout your camp”.
This site's exposition
a digging tool in your equipment
Wesley gives three reasons to dig a hole and cover the excrement. The reasons are to spare others, to keep modesty, and chiefly to teach reverence for the LORD.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
22 But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee. 23 That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the L ORD thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:96%@v22-23
And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon,....
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְיָתֵ֛ד | veyated | and a spade | H3489 → | |
| תִּהְיֶ֥ה | tihyeh | it will belong | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לְךָ֖ | lekha | to <the> you | ||
| עַל־ | ʾal- | with | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| אֲזֵנֶ֑ךָ | ʾazenekha | equipment your | H240 → | |
| וְהָיָה֙ | vehayah | and it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ֣ | beshivtekha | when sitting down you | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| ח֔וּץ | chutz | outside | H2351 → | 164 times |
| וְחָפַרְתָּ֣ה | vechafartah | and you will dig | H2658 → | |
| בָ֔הּ | vah | with <the> it | ||
| וְשַׁבְתָּ֖ | veshavta | and you will turn | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| וְכִסִּ֥יתָ | vekhisita | and you will cover | H3680 → | 152 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| צֵאָתֶֽךָ׃ | tzeatekha | excrement your | H6627 → |
וְיָתֵ֛דand a spade
veyatedH3489 →
תִּהְיֶ֥הit will belong
tihyehH1961 →3559 times
לְךָ֖to <the> you
lekha
עַל־with
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
אֲזֵנֶ֑ךָequipment your
ʾazenekhaH240 →
וְהָיָה֙and it will be
vehayahH1961 →3559 times
בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ֣when sitting down you
beshivtekhaH3427 →1079 times
ח֔וּץoutside
chutzH2351 →164 times
וְחָפַרְתָּ֣הand you will dig
vechafartahH2658 →
בָ֔הּwith <the> it
vah
וְשַׁבְתָּ֖and you will turn
veshavtaH7725 →1056 times
וְכִסִּ֥יתָand you will cover
vekhisitaH3680 →152 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
צֵאָתֶֽךָ׃excrement your
tzeatekhaH6627 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies13
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.