¹⁸ but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.

Marrying a Captive Woman

¹⁰ When you go to war against your enemies and the Lord your God delivers them into your hands^(A) and you take captives,^{(B) 11} if you notice among the captives a beautiful^(C) woman and are attracted to her,^(D) you may take her as your wife. ¹² Bring her into your home and have her shave her head,^(E) trim her nails ¹³ and put aside the clothes she was wearing when captured. After she has lived in your house and mourned her father and mother for a full month,^(F) then you may go to her and be her husband and she shall be your wife. ¹⁴ 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.^(G)

⁸ The men of Israel took captive from their fellow Israelites who were from Judah^(A) two hundred thousand wives, sons and daughters. They also took a great deal of plunder, which they carried back to Samaria.^(B)

⁹ But a prophet of the Lord named Oded was there, and he went out to meet the army when it returned to Samaria. He said to them, “Because the Lord, the God of your ancestors, was angry^(C) with Judah, he gave them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches to heaven.^{(D) 10} And now you intend to make the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem your slaves.^(E) But aren’t you also guilty of sins against the Lord your God?

¹⁴ As for the women, the children, the livestock^(A) and everything else in the city,^(B) you may take these as plunder^(C) for yourselves. And you may use the plunder the Lord your God gives you from your enemies.

⁴⁴ “‘Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves.