Deuteronomy 21:10-14 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 21:10-14

By this law a soldier is allowed to marry his captive if he pleased. For the hardness of their hearts Moses gave them this permission, lest, if they had not had liberty given them to marry such, they should have taken liberty to defile themselves with them, and by such wickedness the camp would have been troubled. The man is supposed to have a wife already, and to take this wife for a secondary wife, as the Jews called them. This indulgence of men's inordinate desires, in which their hearts... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible 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,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 21:11

And seest among the captives a beautiful woman ,.... Whether a virgin, wife, or widow, according to the Jewish writers, even though another man's wife; so Jarchi F3 Vid. T. Bab. Kiddushin, fol. 21. 2. , and Maimonides F4 Hilchot Melachim, c. 8. sect. 3. ; the marriages of Gentiles being reckoned by the Jews no marriages: and hast a desire unto her ; being captivated with her beauty; some understand this of the strength and rage of lust, but it rather signifies a passionate... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 21:12

Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house ,.... In order to make her his wife, after some things were done here directed to; for this is not to be understood of his taking her home with a view to defile her, as Maimonides F5 Moreh Nevochim, par. 3. c. 41. interprets it; who observes, that when a man's lust so rages that he cannot subdue it, yet he ought not publicly to satisfy his lust, but to have the woman into a private and secret place, as it is said: thou shalt bring her... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 21:13

And she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her ,.... Her beautiful garments, and gay apparel, in which she was taken captive; and which tended to stir up the stronger affection for her, and greater desire after her; and therefore, as some think, were ordered to be removed, to abate the ardour of love to her. Jarchi observes, that the daughters of the Gentiles used to adorn themselves in war, that they might cause others to commit fornication with them; and another writer before... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 21:14

And it shall be, if thou have no delight in her ;.... Either some time after marriage: then thou shalt let her go whither she will ; by a bill of divorce, as the Targum of Jonathan, who understands it in this sense, and as the connection of the words seems to require; or else before marriage, at the month's end, or any time before, that if his affections cooled towards her, and all the above methods tended to abate his love of her, then he was obliged to dismiss her, or to grant her her... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 21:11

And 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 more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 21:12

She shall shave her head - This was in token of her renouncing her religion, and becoming a proselyte to that of the Jews. This is still a custom in the East; when a Christian turns Mohammedan his head is shaven, and he is carried through the city crying, la alahila allah we Mohammed resooli Allah ; "There is no God but God, and Mohammed is the prophet of God." Pare her nails - צפרניה את ועשתה veasethah eth tsipporneyha , "she shall make her nails." Now whether this signifies... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 21:10

Verse 10 10.When thou goest forth to war. The same thing is now commanded respecting wives as above respecting meats. As regarded the Canaanites, who were destined and devoted to destruction, we have seen that the Israelites were prohibited from taking their women to wife, lest this connection should be an enticement to sin; but Moses now goes further, viz., that the Israelites, having obtained a victory over other nations, should not marry any of the captive women, unless purified by a solemn... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 21:14

Verse 14 14.And it shall be, if thou have no delight in her. I have been compelled to separate this sentence from the foregoing context which I have explained elsewhere; (161) for Moses there gave instructions how a captive woman was to be taken to wife if her beauty attracted a Jewish husband. That law then had reference to chastity and conjugal fidelity, and especially to the purity of God’s worship; but now Moses prescribes that, if a man have dishonored a captive woman, he should not sell... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 21:10-14

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 21:10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 21:11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 21:12

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 21:13

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 21:14

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 21:11

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 21:12

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 21:10

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 21:14

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