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.