Domestic Relations

10 “When you go out to battle against your enemies, and (A)the Lord your God hands them over to you and you take them away captive, 11 and you see among the captives a beautiful woman, and are strongly attracted to her and would take her as a wife for yourself, 12 then you shall bring her into your home, and she shall (B)shave her head and [a]trim her nails. 13 She shall also [b]remove the clothes of her captivity and shall remain in your house, and (C)weep for her father and mother a full month; and after that you may have relations with her and become her husband and she shall be your wife. 14 But it shall be, if you are not pleased with her, then you shall let her go [c]wherever she wishes; and you certainly shall not sell her for money, you shall not treat her as merchandise, since you have [d](D)humiliated her.

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 21:12 Lit do
  2. Deuteronomy 21:13 Lit remove from her
  3. Deuteronomy 21:14 Lit according to her soul
  4. Deuteronomy 21:14 I.e., by a forced marriage

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)

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