John Gill 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 into the congregation of
the Lord

Or marry an Israelitish woman, as Jarchi, and so the Targum of Jonathan,``the male Ammonites and Moabites are not fit to take a wife of the congregation of the Lord;'' for the Jews restrain this to men, because it is, as Aben Ezra observes, an Ammonite, not an Ammonitess, a Moabite, not a Moabitess; they allow that females of those nations might be married to Israelites, that is, provided they were proselytesses, as Ruth was ^F13 .

even to their tenth generation, shall they not enter into the
congregation of the Lord for ever ; that is, not only to the tenth generation, but for ever; and this law was understood as in force in Nehemiah's time, which was more than ten generations from the making of it; though now, as these nations are no more a distinct people, they suppose it is no longer binding ^F14 .

---

FOOTNOTES:

• F13: Misn. Yebamot, c. 8. sect. 3.
• F14: Misn. Yadaim, c. 4. sect. 4.