Deuteronomy 21:10

Marrying Female Captives

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

Deuteronomy 21:10 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 21:10

When thou goest forth to war against thine enemies
This refers to an arbitrary war, as Jarchi remarks, which they entered into of themselves, of choice, or through being provoked to it by their enemies; and not a war commanded by the Lord, as that against the seven nations of Canaan, and against Amalek; since there were to be no captives in that war, but all were to be destroyed:

and the Lord thy God hath delivered them into thine hands;
given them the victory over their enemies, so that they were obliged to surrender themselves to them prisoners of war:

and thou hast taken them captive,
or "led his or their captivity ^F2 captive"; led them captive who used to lead others, denoting their conquest of victorious nations; see a like phrase in ( Psalms 68:18 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 (wybv tybvw) "et captivam duxerit captivitatem ejus", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus.

Deuteronomy 21:10 In-Context

8 Accept atonement, O LORD, for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, and do not set the guilt of innocent blood in the midst of your people Israel, so that their blood guilt be atoned for.'

9 So you shall purge the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the sight of the LORD.

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

11 and you see among the captives a beautiful woman, and you desire to take her to be your wife,

12 and you bring her home to your house, she shall shave her head and pare her nails.