Deuteronomy 21:14

Deuteronomy 21:14 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And it shall be, if thou have no delight in her, then thou shalt let her go whither she will; but thou shalt not sell her at all for money, thou shalt not make merchandise of her, because thou hast humbled her.
• New International Version (NIV)If you are not pleased with her, let her go wherever she wishes. You must not sell her or treat her as a slave, since you have dishonored her.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But if you no longer delight in her, you shall let her go where she wants. But you shall not sell her for money, nor shall you treat her as a slave, since you have humiliated her.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And it shall be, if you have no delight in her, then you shall set her free, but you certainly shall not sell her for money; you shall not treat her brutally, because you have humbled her.

Context of Deuteronomy 21:14

12Bring her into your home. She must shave her head, cut her nails, 13and no longer wear the clothes she was wearing when you captured her. Then she may live in your house and mourn ⌞the loss of⌟ her father and mother for one month. After that, you may sleep with her. Then you will become husband and wife. But if it happens that you are no longer pleased with her, let her go wherever she wants. You must never sell her or mistreat her as if she were a slave, since you’ve already had sex with her. 15A man might have two wives and love one but not the other. Both wives might have children, and the firstborn son might belong to the wife that the man doesn’t love. 16When the day comes for the father to give his sons their inheritance, he can’t treat the son of the wife he loves as if that son were the firstborn. This would show a total disregard for the real firstborn (the son of the wife he doesn’t love).

Deuteronomy 21:14 word by word

וְהָיָ֞ה אִם־לֹ֧א חָפַ֣צְתָּ בָּ֗הּ וְשִׁלַּחְתָּהּ֙ לְנַפְשָׁ֔הּ וּמָכֹ֥ר לֹא־תִמְכְּרֶ֖נָּה בַּכָּ֑סֶף לֹא־תִתְעַמֵּ֣ר בָּ֔הּ תַּ֖חַת אֲשֶׁ֥ר עִנִּיתָֽהּ׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And it shall be, if thou have no delightחָפֵץchâphêts · to delight inH2654
• in her, then thou shalt let her goשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: let goH7971
• whither she willנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: appetiteH5315
• but thou shalt not sellמָכַרmâkar · to sellH4376
• for moneyכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
• thou shalt not make merchandiseעָמַר‛âmar · deal tyrannicallyH6014
• of her, becauseאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• thou hast humbledעָנָה‛ânâh · to afflictH6031

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 21:14

• Exodus 21:7“Whenever a man sells his daughter into slavery, she will not go free the way male slaves do.
• Deuteronomy 22:19They will fine him 2¼ pounds of silver and give it to the girl’s father. The husband ruined the reputation of an Israelite virgin. She will continue to be his wife, and he can never divorce her as long as he lives.
• Genesis 34:2When Shechem, son of the local ruler Hamor the Hivite, saw her, he took her and raped her.
• Judges 19:24Here, let me bring out my virgin daughter and this man’s concubine. Rape them, and do with them whatever you want. Just don’t do such a godless thing to this man.”

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 21:14

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14Thou shalt not make merchandise of her - Rather, thou shalt not constrain her: literally “treat her with constraint,” or “treat her as a slave.”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
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14dishonored her: When a man first took a woman as a prisoner and later divorced her, he treated her as if she had little value. This action brought shame and pain to her. To protect her from further harm, the law limited what he could do. He was not allowed to sell her as a slave or treat her like property. Instead, he had to let her go free.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 21:14

• Concubinage
• Divorce
• Marriage
• Money
• 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