Focused Passage

Deuteronomy 21:10-14

Blood, Honor, and Covenant Order in the Land

From unsolved corporate guilt requiring atonement, through the regulation of vulnerable persons (captive woman, overlooked firstborn, rebellious son, hanged criminal), to the requirement that even judicial death not defile the land — the chapter consistently moves from problem of defilement or disorder toward covenant-ordered resolution.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

10 When you go to war against your enemies and the LORD your God delivers them into your hand and you take them captive,

11 if you see a beautiful woman among them, and you desire her and want to take her as your wife,

12 then you shall bring her into your house. She must shave her head, trim her nails,

13 and put aside the clothing of her captivity. After she has lived in your house a full month and mourned her father and mother, you may have relations with her and be her husband, and she shall be your wife.

14 And if you are not pleased with her, you are to let her go wherever she wishes. But you must not sell her for money or treat her as a slave, since you have dishonored her.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 10

Cross-references

Numbers 31:18 Classic cross-references

Original words

When כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction you go תֵצֵ֥א H3318 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular to war לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה H4421 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular against עַל־ H5921 Preposition your enemies אֹיְבֶ֑יךָ H341 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular and the LORD יְהוָ֧ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular delivers them וּנְתָנ֞וֹ H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular into your hand בְּיָדֶ֖ךָ H3027 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular and you take them וְשָׁבִ֥יתָ H7617 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular captive שִׁבְיֽוֹ׃ H7628 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular

Verse 11

Cross-references

Isaiah 2:6 Classic cross-references

Original words

if you see וְרָאִיתָ֙ H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular a beautiful יְפַת־ H3303 Adjective - feminine singular construct . . . תֹּ֑אַר H8389 Noun - masculine singular woman אֵ֖שֶׁת H802 Noun - feminine singular construct among [them] בַּשִּׁבְיָ֔ה H7633 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular and you desire וְחָשַׁקְתָּ֣ H2836 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular her בָ֔הּ Preposition | third person feminine singular and want to take וְלָקַחְתָּ֥ H3947 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular her לְךָ֖ Preposition | second person masculine singular as your wife לְאִשָּֽׁה׃ H802 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular

Verse 12

Cross-references

1 Corinthians 11:5 Classic cross-references

Original words

then you shall bring her וַהֲבֵאתָ֖הּ H935 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular | third person feminine singular into אֶל־ H413 Preposition . . . תּ֣וֹךְ H8432 Noun - masculine singular construct your house בֵּיתֶ֑ךָ H1004 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular She must shave וְגִלְּחָה֙ H1548 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker her head רֹאשָׁ֔הּ H7218 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular trim וְעָשְׂתָ֖ה H6213 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker her nails צִפָּרְנֶֽיהָ׃ H6856 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular

Verse 13

Cross-references

Psalms 45:10 Classic cross-references Hosea 3:3 Classic cross-references 2 Samuel 21:10 Classic cross-references

Original words

and put aside וְהֵסִ֩ירָה֩ H5493 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the clothing שִׂמְלַ֨ת H8071 Noun - feminine singular construct of her captivity שִׁבְיָ֜הּ H7628 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular מֵעָלֶ֗יהָ מֵעָלֶ֗יהָ H5921 Preposition-m | third person feminine singular After וְאַ֨חַר H310 Conjunctive waw | Preposition כֵּ֜ן כֵּ֜ן H3651 Adverb she has lived וְיָֽשְׁבָה֙ H3427 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular in your house בְּבֵיתֶ֔ךָ H1004 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular a full month יֶ֣רַח H3391 Noun - masculine singular construct . . . יָמִ֑ים H3117 Noun - masculine plural and mourned וּבָֽכְתָ֛ה H1058 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker her father אָבִ֥יהָ H1 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker and mother אִמָּ֖הּ H517 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular you may have relations with תָּב֤וֹא H935 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular her אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙ H413 Preposition | third person feminine singular and be her husband וּבְעַלְתָּ֔הּ H1166 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular | third person feminine singular and she shall be וְהָיְתָ֥ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular your wife לְאִשָּֽׁה׃ H802 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular

Verse 14

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 22:29 Classic cross-references Genesis 34:2 Classic cross-references Judges 19:24 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 22:19 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 22:24 Classic cross-references

Original words

And וְהָיָ֞ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular if אִם־ H518 Conjunction you are not לֹ֧א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle pleased חָפַ֣צְתָּ H2654 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular with her בָּ֗הּ Preposition | third person feminine singular you are to let her go וְשִׁלַּחְתָּהּ֙ H7971 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular | third person feminine singular wherever she wishes לְנַפְשָׁ֔הּ H5315 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular But you must not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle sell her וּמָכֹ֥ר H4376 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute . . . תִמְכְּרֶ֖נָּה H4376 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person feminine singular for money בַּכָּ֑סֶף H3701 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular . . . לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle or treat her as a slave תִתְעַמֵּ֣ר H6014 Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - second person masculine singular since תַּ֖חַת H8478 Preposition - אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative you have dishonored her עִנִּיתָֽהּ׃ס H6031 Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine singular | third person feminine singular

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