Deuteronomy 21:10

10 When you go out to war against other nations, and the Lord your God gives them up into your hands and you take them as prisoners;

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 Have mercy, O Lord, on your people Israel whom you have made free, and take away from your people the crime of a death without cause. Then they will no longer be responsible for the man's death.

9 So you will take away the crime of a death without cause from among you, when you do what is right in the eyes of the Lord.

10 When you go out to war against other nations, and the Lord your God gives them up into your hands and you take them as prisoners;

11 If among the prisoners you see a beautiful woman and it is your desire to make her your wife;

12 Then take her back to your house; and let her hair and her nails be cut;