Board index ‹ Specific Bible verses, texts, and passages ‹ Deuteronomy

[Christian]

This Bible verse says that illegitimate children won't inherit the kingdom of God. Is that true? So that means there's no hope for me or thousands of other people?

[jimwalton]

OK, I looked at it. that's not what the text is about (that illegitimate children can't enter the kingdom of God). It's a listing about the Assembly of Israel (not the kingdom of God). It's talking about adult males who have full rights in Israel: they are allowed to vote, participate in the cultic (religious) life of the community, and serve in the army. Because Israel was a chosen people, they were required to maintain ritual purity as part of the covenant. Those who didn't qualify for these rights are the ritually unclean, foreigners, the sexually impaired, illegitimate children (including children of incest and of marriages to non-Israelites), and other national groups who were acting disobediently. But this text has nothing to do with our salvation and being part of the kingdom of God.