Deuteronomy 23:2 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Ver. 2. A bastard shall not enter, &c.— Some render these words, a foreigner or an alien. See Spenc. p. 105. But Mr. Locke observes, upon the original word ממזר mamzer, that it is his opinion, with Maimonides, that the mamzer here spoken of, is one who cometh of any of the nakedness, i.e. incestuous or unlawful intercourses, forbidden in Leviticus 18. See Zechariah 9:6. Houbigant is of the same opinion with Mr. Locke. "They who translate it, a stranger," says he, "when they add the condition; unless he become a proselyte, which Moses does not add, entirely change the sentence: for they assume, that if the stranger become a proselyte, he shall by this means enter into the congregation of the Lord; whereas Moses positively enjoins concerning ממזר mamzer, that he shall not be admitted into the congregation of the Lord, even to the tenth generation; which signifies the same as never, as is evident from the next verse: ten and tenth are taken for an indefinite number. So Jacob said to Laban, thou hast changed my hire these ten times, i.e. very frequently. Moreover, to enter into the congregation of the Lord, was the same as to be made citizens among the Romans, or to be esteemed in the same rank with the citizens themselves; i.e. in a civil, not religious capacity: for it is not forbidden that Ammonites or Moabites should be received, who turned to the religion of the Israelites; but a community of civil privileges is interdicted them, lest the twelve tribes should be mixed with them. The reason of this law was, evidently, to deter people from such unlawful commerce as would leave an indelible blot on their posterity."