John Calvin Commentary Deuteronomy 23:3

"An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into the assembly of Jehovah; even to the tenth generation shall none belonging to them enter into the assembly of Jehovah for ever:" — Deuteronomy 23:3 (ASV)

An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter. As God has recently prohibited His people from all connection and alliance with the Canaanite nations, so He now distinguishes between the foreigners, and shows on what conditions, and whom, they might admit into the Church.³⁰⁵

He altogether rejects the Moabites and Ammonites because they not only refused the common rites of humanity to the people but also took up arms against them and even hired Balaam to curse them.

They were the descendants of Lot and ought to have embraced the children of Abraham as brothers.

It was, therefore, inexcusable barbarity on their part to violently attack those who had voluntarily offered them peace. These people had promised by their messengers that they would make their way without injury or wrong and had finally pleaded that a passage be granted to them, provided they honestly paid the price for bread and water.

God doubtless took vengeance more on their impiety than their cruelty, however, since they had not only endeavored to nullify His goodness but also to annihilate His faithfulness.

Therefore, since they did everything in their power to cause the Church to perish and His promise—on which human salvation was based—to fail, and since they had done this knowingly and willfully, it is no wonder that they were excluded from the Church.

³⁰⁵ Added from Fr.