And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife;

DEUTERONOMY 21:11KJV
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Deuteronomy 21:11 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 21:11 mean?

Deuteronomy 21:11 describes a situation where an Israelite man sees a beautiful woman among the captives taken in war and desires to take her as his wife. The verse sets up instructions for what could happen if an Israelite wants to marry a foreign woman captured during a military campaign.

In this passage, Moses is speaking to the Israelites, giving them laws to follow as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. The context is about warfare and what is permitted regarding captives. The verse introduces a specific case where attraction leads to considering marriage, which is then regulated by the following verses to ensure certain protections and procedures.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 21:11

  • "seest" (רָאָה, ra'ah): This word means to see or look at, and here it emphasizes the act of noticing someone among the captives, not just a passing glance.
  • "captives" (שְׁבִי, shevi): This term refers to prisoners taken in war, highlighting that the woman is not an Israelite but someone taken from another nation.
  • "beautiful" (תֹּאַר, to'ar; יָפֶה, yafeh): Two words are used for beauty here, one focusing on form or appearance (to'ar) and the other on attractiveness (yafeh), stressing that the attraction is based on physical appearance.
  • "desire" (חָשַׁק, chashaq): This word means to long for or be attached to, suggesting a strong attraction or longing, not just a casual interest.
  • "wife" (אִשָּׁה, ishah): The same word is used for "woman" and "wife," showing that the intent is to make her a legitimate spouse, not simply to take her as a concubine or servant.

Why Deuteronomy 21:11 matters

  • This verse clarifies that the law addresses real situations of war and human desire, setting boundaries rather than ignoring these realities.
  • Deuteronomy 21:11 is the beginning of a passage that introduces protections for captive women, which was unusual in the ancient world, and signals that the following instructions are meant to regulate and limit what could otherwise be abuse.
  • Understanding this verse in context helps explain the laws about marriage and foreign women in Israel, and how the Israelites were to treat those captured in war with a measure of dignity.

Where else these words appear

“captives” Hebrew H7633 · used in 9 verses

  • Deuteronomy 32:42 I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh; and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy.
  • 2 Chronicles 28:11 Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you.
  • 2 Chronicles 28:15 And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.

“desire” Hebrew H2836 · used in 11 verses

  • Genesis 34:8 And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife.
  • Exodus 38:28 And of the thousand seven hundred seventy and five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, and overlaid their chapiters, and filleted them.
  • 1 Kings 9:19 And all the cities of store that Solomon had, and cities for his chariots, and cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.

“beautiful” Hebrew H8389 · used in 15 verses

  • Genesis 29:17 Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.
  • Judges 8:18 Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king.
  • Esther 2:7 And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.

“beautiful” Hebrew H3303 · used in 38 verses

  • Genesis 12:11 And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:
  • 2 Samuel 14:27 And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance.
  • Song of Solomon 2:10 My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.