Deuteronomy 21:11
New International Version
if you notice among the captives a beautiful woman and are attracted to her, you may take her as your wife.

New Living Translation
And suppose you see among the captives a beautiful woman, and you are attracted to her and want to marry her.

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

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

King James Bible
And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife;

New King James Version
and you see among the captives a beautiful woman, and desire her and would take her for your wife,

New American Standard Bible
and you see among the captives a beautiful woman, and are strongly attracted to her and would take her as a wife for yourself,

NASB 1995
and see among the captives a beautiful woman, and have a desire for her and would take her as a wife for yourself,

NASB 1977
and see among the captives a beautiful woman, and have a desire for her and would take her as a wife for yourself,

Legacy Standard Bible
and see among the captives a beautiful woman and set your affection on her and would take her as a wife for yourself,

Amplified Bible
and you see a beautiful woman among the captives, and desire her and would take her as your wife,

Christian Standard Bible
if you see a beautiful woman among the captives, desire her, and want to take her as your wife,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
if you see a beautiful woman among the captives, desire her, and want to take her as your wife,

American Standard Version
and seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and thou hast a desire unto her, and wouldest take her to thee to wife;

English Revised Version
and seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and thou hast a desire unto her, and wouldest take her to thee to wife;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
If you see a beautiful woman among the captives and have your heart set on her, you may marry her.

Good News Translation
you may see among them a beautiful woman that you like and want to marry.

International Standard Version
If you see among the prisoners a beautiful woman and you desire her, then you may take her as your wife.

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

NET Bible
if you should see among them an attractive woman whom you wish to take as a wife,

New Heart English Bible
and see among the captives a beautiful woman, and you desire to take her to be your wife;

Webster's Bible Translation
And thou seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire to her, that thou wouldest have her for thy wife:

World English Bible
and see among the captives a beautiful woman, and you are attracted to her, and desire to take her as your wife,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and have seen a woman of beautiful form in the captivity, and have delighted in her, and have taken [her] to yourself for a wife,

Young's Literal Translation
and hast seen in the captivity a woman of fair form, and hast delighted in her, and hast taken to thee for a wife,

Smith's Literal Translation
And thou sawest in the captivity a woman of beautiful form, and thou didst delight in her, and thou didst take her to thee for a wife;
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And seest in the number of the captives a beautiful woman, and lovest her, and wilt have her to wife,

Catholic Public Domain Version
you see among the number of the captives a beautiful woman, and you love her, and you are willing to have her as a wife:

New American Bible
if you see a beautiful woman among the captives and become so enamored of her that you wish to have her as a wife,

New Revised Standard Version
suppose you see among the captives a beautiful woman whom you desire and want to marry,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And see among the captives a beautiful woman, and you desire her, and would have her for yourself as a wife;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And you will see in captivity a woman who is beautiful in her appearance and you shall have desire for her to take her to you as a wife;
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
and seest among the captives a woman of goodly form, and thou hast a desire unto her, and wouldest take her to thee to wife;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
and shouldest see among the spoil a woman beautiful in countenance, and shouldest desire her, and take her to thyself for a wife,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Marrying a Captive Woman
10When you go to war against your enemies and the LORD your God delivers them into your hand and you take them captive, 11if you see a beautiful woman among them, and you desire her and want to take her as your wife, 12then you shall bring her into your house. She must shave her head, trim her nails,…

Cross References
Numbers 31:18
but spare for yourselves every girl who has never had relations with a man.

Judges 21:12-14
So they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young women who had not had relations with a man, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan. / Then the whole congregation sent a message of peace to the Benjamites who were at the rock of Rimmon. / And at that time the Benjamites returned and were given the women who were spared from Jabesh-gilead. But there were not enough women for all of them.

2 Samuel 11:2-4
One evening David got up from his bed and strolled around on the roof of the palace. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing—a very beautiful woman. / So David sent and inquired about the woman, and he was told, “This is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” / Then David sent messengers to get her, and when she came to him, he slept with her. (Now she had just purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned home.

Genesis 34:2-4
When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the region, saw her, he took her and lay with her by force. / And his soul was drawn to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young girl and spoke to her tenderly. / So Shechem told his father Hamor, “Get me this girl as a wife.”

Exodus 21:7-11
And if a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as the menservants do. / If she is displeasing in the eyes of her master who had designated her for himself, he must allow her to be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, since he has broken faith with her. / And if he chooses her for his son, he must deal with her as with a daughter. ...

1 Samuel 25:39-42
On hearing that Nabal was dead, David said, “Blessed be the LORD, who has upheld my cause against the reproach of Nabal and has restrained His servant from evil. For the LORD has brought the wickedness of Nabal down upon his own head.” Then David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife. / When his servants came to Abigail at Carmel, they said, “David has sent us to take you as his wife.” / She arose, bowed facedown, and said, “Here is your servant, ready to serve and to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.” ...

2 Kings 5:2-3
At this time the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken a young girl from the land of Israel, and she was serving Naaman’s wife. / She said to her mistress, “If only my master would go to the prophet who is in Samaria, he would cure him of his leprosy.”

Esther 2:8-17
When the king’s command and edict had been proclaimed, many young women gathered at the citadel of Susa under the care of Hegai. Esther was also taken to the palace and placed under the care of Hegai, the custodian of the women. / And the young woman pleased him and obtained his favor, so he quickly provided her with beauty treatments and the special diet. He assigned to her seven select maidservants from the palace and transferred her with them to the best place in the harem. / Esther did not reveal her people or her lineage, because Mordecai had instructed her not to do so. ...

Leviticus 19:20-22
If a man lies carnally with a slave girl promised to another man but who has not been redeemed or given her freedom, there must be due punishment. But they are not to be put to death, because she had not been freed. / The man, however, must bring a ram to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting as his guilt offering to the LORD. / The priest shall make atonement on his behalf before the LORD with the ram of the guilt offering for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven the sin he has committed.

Genesis 6:2
the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they took as wives whomever they chose.

Matthew 5:28
But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

1 Corinthians 7:36-38
However, if someone thinks he is acting inappropriately toward his betrothed, and if she is beyond her youth and they ought to marry, let him do as he wishes; he is not sinning; they should get married. / But the man who is firmly established in his heart and under no constraint, with control over his will and resolve in his heart not to marry the virgin, he will do well. / So then, he who marries the virgin does well, but he who does not marry her does even better.

1 Corinthians 7:12-15
To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If a brother has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. / And if a woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. / For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. ...

Ephesians 5:25-28
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her / to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, / and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. ...

1 Peter 3:1-2
Wives, in the same way, submit yourselves to your husbands, so that even if they refuse to believe the word, they will be won over without words by the behavior of their wives / when they see your pure and reverent demeanor.


Treasury of Scripture

And see among the captives a beautiful woman, and have a desire to her, that you would have her to your wife;

desire

Genesis 6:2
That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

Genesis 12:14,15
And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair…

Genesis 29:18-20
And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter…

that

Numbers 31:18
But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.

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Attracted Beautiful Captives Captivity Delighted Desire Notice Prisoners Seest Wife Wouldest
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Attracted Beautiful Captives Captivity Delighted Desire Notice Prisoners Seest Wife Wouldest
Deuteronomy 21
1. The Atonement for an Unsolved Murder
10. The usage of a captive taken to wife
15. The firstborn is not to be disinherited upon private affection
18. A rebellious son is to be stoned to death
22. The malefactor must not hang all night on a tree














if you see a beautiful woman among them,
This phrase occurs in the context of warfare, where the Israelites are given instructions on how to handle captives. The "beautiful woman" refers to a captive from a conquered nation. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, it was common for victors to take captives, including women, as part of the spoils of war. The emphasis on "beautiful" highlights the natural human attraction and the potential for desire, which is addressed in the subsequent instructions. This reflects the reality of human emotions and the need for regulation in such situations.

and you desire her
The desire mentioned here is a natural human response, but it is regulated by the law to prevent abuse and ensure the dignity of the woman. This regulation is significant in the ancient context, where women could be easily exploited. The law acknowledges human emotions but provides a framework to channel them appropriately. This reflects the biblical principle of self-control and respect for others, as seen in other scriptures like 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, which calls for sanctification and honor in relationships.

and want to take her as your wife,
The desire to take the woman as a wife rather than a concubine or slave indicates a level of commitment and responsibility. The law requires the man to marry the woman, which grants her certain rights and protections under Israelite law. This is a significant departure from the practices of surrounding nations, where captives could be treated as property. The requirement for marriage aligns with the biblical view of marriage as a covenant relationship, as seen in Genesis 2:24. This also foreshadows the New Testament teaching on the sanctity and exclusivity of marriage, as emphasized in Ephesians 5:31-33, where marriage is a picture of Christ's relationship with the Church.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Israelites
The people receiving the law, God's chosen nation, who are being instructed on how to conduct themselves in various situations, including warfare.

2. Captives
Individuals taken during warfare, often from enemy nations, who are subject to the laws and customs of the victors.

3. Beautiful Woman
A specific captive who catches the eye of an Israelite soldier, prompting specific instructions on how to proceed if he desires to marry her.

4. Moses
The leader of the Israelites and the one through whom God delivers these laws and instructions.

5. Warfare
The context in which these instructions are given, as the Israelites engage in battles with surrounding nations.
Teaching Points
Respect and Dignity
The law provides a framework for treating captives with respect, emphasizing the dignity of the individual, even in the context of war.

Marriage as Covenant
The passage underscores the seriousness of marriage as a covenant, not merely a transaction or acquisition, even when involving a captive.

Cultural Sensitivity
The instructions reflect an awareness of cultural differences and the need for sensitivity when integrating someone from a different background into the community.

God's Sovereignty in Relationships
This law reminds us that God is sovereign over all relationships, and His laws are designed to guide us in righteousness and justice.

Moral Restraint in Times of War
Even in the chaos of war, God's people are called to exercise moral restraint and adhere to His commands.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
if you see
וְרָאִיתָ֙ (wə·rā·’î·ṯā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

a beautiful
יְפַת־ (yə·p̄aṯ-)
Adjective - feminine singular construct
Strong's 3303: Fair, beautiful

woman
אֵ֖שֶׁת (’ê·šeṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

among [them],
בַּשִּׁבְיָ֔ה (baš·šiḇ·yāh)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 7633: Captivity, captives

and you desire
וְחָשַׁקְתָּ֣ (wə·ḥā·šaq·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 2836: To cling, join, to love, delight in, elliptically, to deliver

her
בָ֔הּ (ḇāh)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew

and want to take
וְלָקַחְתָּ֥ (wə·lā·qaḥ·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

her as your wife,
לְאִשָּֽׁה׃ (lə·’iš·šāh)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 21:11 And see among the captives a beautiful (Deut. De Du)
Deuteronomy 21:10
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