And she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in thine house, and bewail her father and her mother a full month: and after that thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall be thy wife.

DEUTERONOMY 21:13KJV
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Deuteronomy 21:13 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 21:13 mean?

Deuteronomy 21:13 describes a rule for an Israelite man who takes a woman captive in war and wishes to marry her: she must first remove her captive clothing, stay in his house, and mourn her parents for a full month before the marriage can take place. This process gives the woman time to grieve and adjust before entering into marriage.

In this passage, Moses is giving instructions to the Israelites about how to treat women captured during warfare. The verse sets out a waiting period and specific steps to ensure the woman is not rushed into marriage, recognizing her loss and humanity. The focus is on allowing space for mourning and transition, rather than immediate assimilation into the captor’s household.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 21:13

  • "Raiment" (שִׂמְלָה, simlah): This word refers to clothing or garments. In this context, it means the woman must take off the clothes she wore as a captive, symbolizing a change in her status and a break from her former life.
  • "Captivity" (שְׁבִי, shevi): This word means captivity or exile. The verse’s use of this term highlights that the woman’s situation is not voluntary, and the process acknowledges her forced displacement.
  • "Bewail" (בָּכָה, bakhah): This word means to weep or mourn. The instruction for her to mourn her father and mother for a full month shows an allowance for her grief and loss before any new relationship begins.
  • "Full" (יָמִים, yamim) and "month" (יֶרַח, yerach): These words together specify the mourning period as a complete month, not just a few days, emphasizing the seriousness of her loss and the time given for her emotional transition.

Why Deuteronomy 21:13 matters

  • Deuteronomy 21:13 clarifies that the woman’s grief and humanity are recognized, countering assumptions that captives were simply absorbed into Israelite society without consideration for their feelings or losses.
  • The verse shows a deliberate pause before marriage, which stands out in the ancient context as a measure of protection and respect for the captive woman’s emotional state.
  • This instruction fits into a wider section of Deuteronomy that sets boundaries on the treatment of vulnerable people, showing that even in difficult circumstances, the law sought to limit harm and provide some dignity.

Where else these words appear

“month” Hebrew H3391 · used in 13 verses

  • Exodus 2:2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.
  • 1 Kings 8:2 And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.
  • Job 29:2 Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;

“husband” Hebrew H1166 · used in 14 verses

  • Genesis 20:3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.
  • Proverbs 30:23 For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
  • Isaiah 62:4 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.

“raiment” Hebrew H8071 · used in 28 verses

  • Genesis 9:23 And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness.
  • Exodus 19:10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,
  • Judges 8:25 And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.

“captivity” Hebrew H7628 · used in 47 verses

  • Exodus 12:29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.
  • Ezra 9:7 Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.
  • Jeremiah 30:10 Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid.