Deuteronomy 21:11

Deuteronomy 21:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife;
• New International Version (NIV)if you notice among the captives a beautiful woman and are attracted to her, you may take her as your wife.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and you see among the captives a beautiful woman, and you desire to take her to be your wife,
• New King James Version (NKJV)and you see among the captives a beautiful woman, and desire her and would take her for your wife,

Context of Deuteronomy 21:11

9You must purge from yourselves the guilt of shedding innocent blood, for you will be doing what is right in the Lord’s sight. 10“When you go to war against your enemies and the Lord your God hands them over to you and you take some of them prisoner, and if you see a beautiful woman among the captives, desire her, and want to take her as your wife, 12you are to bring her into your house. She is to shave her head, trim her nails, 13remove the clothes she was wearing when she was taken prisoner, live in your house, and mourn for her father and mother a full month. After that, you may have sexual relations with her and be her husband, and she will be your wife.

Deuteronomy 21:11 word by word

וְרָאִיתָ֙ בַּשִּׁבְיָ֔ה אֵ֖שֶׁת יְפַת־תֹּ֑אַר וְחָשַׁקְתָּ֣ בָ֔הּ וְלָקַחְתָּ֥ לְךָ֖ לְאִשָּֽׁה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And seestרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• among the captivesשִׁבְיָהshibyâh · captiveH7633
• a beautifulיָפֶהyâpheh · beautifulH3303
• a beautifulתֹּ֫אַרtô'ar · appearanceH8389
• womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• and hast a desireחָשַׁקchâshaq · to desireH2836
• unto her, that thou wouldest have herלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• to thy wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 21:11

• Genesis 6:2the sons of God saw that the daughters of mankind were beautiful, and they took any they chose as wives for themselves.
• Genesis 12:14When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.
• Genesis 29:18Jacob loved Rachel, so he answered Laban, “I’ll work for you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
• Genesis 34:3He became infatuated with Jacob’s daughter Dinah. He loved the young girl and spoke tenderly to her.
• Judges 14:2He went back and told his father and his mother, “I have seen a young Philistine woman in Timnah. Now get her for me as a wife.”
• Proverbs 6:25Don’t lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyelashes.
• Proverbs 31:10Who can find a wife of noble character? She is far more precious than jewels.
• Numbers 31:18but keep alive for yourselves all the young females who have not gone to bed with a man.

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 21:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11And seest - a beautiful woman - No forcible possession was allowed even in this case, when the woman was taken in war, and was, by the general consent of ancient nations, adjudged as a part of the spoils. The person to whose lot or share such a woman as is here described fell, might, if he chose, have her for a wife on certain conditions; but he was not permitted to use her under any inferior character.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-14Verses 10-14 By this law a soldier was allowed to marry his captive, if he pleased. This might take place upon some occasions; but the law does not show any approval of it. It also intimates how binding the laws of justice and honour are in marriage; which is a sacred engagement.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 10-2310-14. When thou goest to war ... and seest among the captives a beautiful woman ... that thou wouldest have her to thy wife--According to the war customs of all ancient nations, a female captive became the slave of the victor, who had the sole and unchallengeable control of right to her person. Moses improved this existing usage by special regulations on the subject. He enacted that, in the event that her master was captivated by her beauty and…Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 21:11

• Concubinage
• Divorce
• Marriage
• Servant

In the dictionaries

• Concubine
• Controversy
• Crucifixion
• Divers
• Rebellious
• Wrought
• Atonement, Day of
• Criticism
• Deuteronomy
• Exodus, the Book of

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings