Deuteronomy 21:13

Translation
King James Version
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.
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KJV (with Strong's)
And she shall put H5493 the raiment H8071 of her captivity H7628 from off her, and shall remain H3427 in thine house H1004, and bewail H1058 her father H1 and her mother H517 a full H3117 month H3391: and after H310 that thou shalt go H935 in unto her, and be her husband H1166, and she shall be thy wife H802.
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Complete Jewish Bible
and remove her prison clothing. She will stay there in your house, mourning her father and mother for a full month; after which you may go in to have sexual relations with her and be her husband, and she will be your wife.
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Berean Standard Bible
and put aside the clothing of her captivity. After she has lived in your house a full month and mourned her father and mother, you may have relations with her and be her husband, and she shall be your wife.
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American Standard Version
and she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in thy 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.
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World English Bible Messianic
She shall take the clothing of her captivity off of herself, and shall remain in your house, and bewail her father and her mother a full month. After that you shall go in to her and be her husband, and she shall be your wife.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
And she shall put off the garment that shee was taken in, and she shall remaine in thine house, and bewaile her father and her mother a moneth long: and after that shalt thou go in vnto her, and marry her, and she shalbe thy wife.
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Young's Literal Translation
and turned aside the raiment of her captivity from off her, and hath dwelt in thy house, and bewailed her father and her mother a month of days, and afterwards thou dost go in unto her and hast married her, and she hath been to thee for a wife:
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See also
Luke 14:26Luke 14:27Psalms 45:10Psalms 45:11
In the KJVVerse 5,461 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Deuteronomy 21:13 details the specific, compassionate, and legally mandated transitional period for a female captive of war before an Israelite man could take her as his wife. This verse outlines the symbolic act of shedding her "raiment of captivity," followed by a full month of mourning for her parents, culminating in the formalization of the marriage. It highlights a unique aspect of Mosaic Law that, while rooted in the harsh realities of ancient warfare, sought to mitigate its brutality by providing a measure of dignity, emotional space, and legal recognition to a vulnerable individual, setting it apart from contemporary ancient Near Eastern practices.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse is the culmination of a specific legal instruction found in Deuteronomy 21:10-14. The preceding verses (Deuteronomy 21:10-12) introduce the scenario: an Israelite man encounters a beautiful female captive of war and desires to marry her. Crucially, the law immediately imposes a series of mandatory steps designed to prevent immediate exploitation and ensure a formal, recognized union, rather than mere conquest or concubinage. This particular statute is embedded within a broader section of civil and social regulations in Deuteronomy 21-25 that often address domestic matters, justice, and the protection of vulnerable members of society, including women, slaves, and the poor. It stands in stark contrast to other laws in the chapter, such as those concerning a rebellious son (Deuteronomy 21:18-21) or an unchaste bride (Deuteronomy 22:13-21), demonstrating the diverse and often counter-cultural ethical scope of the Deuteronomic code.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: In the ancient Near East, the treatment of female captives of war was typically brutal and exploitative, often involving immediate sexual violence, forced enslavement, or concubinage without any rights or formal recognition. The Mosaic Law, as presented in Deuteronomy 21, stands out as remarkably progressive for its time. While the premise of taking a captive as a wife may seem harsh by modern standards, the regulations introduced a unique framework designed to mitigate the inherent harshness of war and provide a measure of dignity and compassion. The "full month" of mourning was a recognized and significant period for expressing profound grief in ancient Israelite culture, similar to the mourning period observed for national figures like Moses (Deuteronomy 34:8) or Aaron (Numbers 20:29). This mandated mourning period underscored the seriousness of the captive's immense loss—her family, home, culture, and former life—and reflected a distinct ethical concern for human dignity, even for those considered enemies, setting Israelite law apart from contemporary legal codes.
  • Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several key themes within Deuteronomy and the broader Pentateuch. Firstly, it underscores God's profound concern for the vulnerable and marginalized, even those from outside the covenant community. This resonates with the repeated commands to care for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow found throughout Deuteronomy, such as in Deuteronomy 10:18-19 and the broader social justice principles articulated in Deuteronomy 24. Secondly, it emphasizes transition and transformation, as the woman is given a structured period to shed her past identity and integrate into a new life. This theme of new beginnings after a period of separation or purification is common in biblical narratives. Thirdly, it highlights the sanctity and formalization of marriage, ensuring that the union, even under these difficult circumstances, is a legitimate and recognized covenant, not merely an act of conquest or exploitation. This aligns with the high regard for marriage established in Genesis 2:24 and reinforced throughout the Law.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Raiment (Hebrew, simlâh', H8071): This term refers to an outer garment or mantle, often used to signify one's status or identity. In this context, the "raiment of her captivity" is not merely her physical clothing but symbolizes her former life, her status as a war captive, and the trauma associated with her capture. The act of removing it is a profound symbolic gesture of shedding her past identity and the circumstances of her capture, preparing her for a new beginning and a new identity within the Israelite household.
  • Bewail (Hebrew, bâkâh', H1058): This primitive root means "to weep" or "to bemoan," denoting a deep, often vocal, expression of grief and lamentation. The command for the captive to "bewail her father and her mother" for a full month underscores the law's remarkable sensitivity to her profound loss—her family, home, culture, and former life. It grants her a necessary and sanctioned period for emotional processing and psychological adjustment, recognizing her humanity and the severity of her displacement amidst the harshness of war.
  • Month (Hebrew, yerach', H3391): This word refers to a lunation or a lunar month. The phrase "a full month" (literally "a month of days," incorporating H3117, yôwm, "day") specifies a complete lunar cycle, a common and significant period for mourning in ancient Israelite culture. The precise duration emphasizes the seriousness of the captive's grief and the importance of allowing ample, divinely sanctioned time for her emotional and psychological transition before the marriage can be consummated, ensuring the process is not rushed or exploitative.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her": This initial clause mandates a symbolic act of purification and severance from her past. The removal of her captive's clothing signifies a stripping away of her old identity, her status as a war prize, and the traumatic circumstances of her capture. It is a necessary, tangible step in her transition from a foreign captive to a potential member of the Israelite household, marking a clear break with her former life.
  • "and shall remain in thine house": This indicates a crucial period of integration and observation within the Israelite man's home. She is no longer merely a captive in a camp but is brought into the domestic sphere, albeit in a transitional state. This allows for mutual acclimatization, for the man's family to observe her, and for her to begin adapting to her new environment and the customs of her potential new family.
  • "and bewail her father and her mother a full month": This is a profound and remarkably compassionate provision. The law explicitly grants the woman a full month to mourn the immense loss of her family, home, and former life. This period acknowledges her deep grief, trauma, and displacement, providing a crucial psychological and emotional space for her to process her immense loss before entering into a new marital covenant. It stands as a powerful testament to the Mosaic Law's unique concern for the emotional well-being and humanity of the individual, even in circumstances of war.
  • "and after that thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall be thy wife": This final clause formalizes the union and establishes its legitimacy. After the prescribed period of mourning and transition, the man is permitted to consummate the marriage. The phrasing "be her husband, and she shall be thy wife" explicitly establishes a legitimate, legally recognized, and binding marital relationship within the Israelite community, rather than a mere act of sexual conquest, concubinage, or exploitation. This ensures her status and rights within the new household.

Literary Devices

The passage employs several significant Literary Devices that enhance its meaning and ethical weight. Symbolism is prominently featured in the "raiment of her captivity," which represents the woman's past identity, trauma, and her status as a war prize. Its mandated removal is a powerful symbolic act of purification and a shedding of her former life, preparing her for a new beginning. The entire process outlined, from the removal of clothing to the period of mourning and subsequent marriage, functions as a Ritual. This prescribed sequence of actions transforms her status from a captive to a wife, emphasizing order, divine sanction, and a formal, structured transition. There is also an implicit Contrast between the ethical framework of this Israelite law and the brutal realities of ancient Near Eastern warfare, where such compassionate provisions for captives were virtually nonexistent. This highlights the distinctiveness of God's covenant law in its radical concern for human dignity, justice, and the mitigation of suffering, even in the most challenging and violent circumstances.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Deuteronomy 21:13, though dealing with a difficult subject, profoundly illustrates God's character as a God of justice, order, and deep compassion, even in the midst of human fallenness and the harsh realities of war. It reveals that God's law seeks to bring dignity and structure where chaos and exploitation might otherwise reign. This passage underscores the divine concern for the vulnerable and marginalized, extending protection and emotional space even to those considered "enemies" or "outsiders." It also subtly reinforces the sanctity and formalization of marriage, ensuring that even a union born from conquest is formalized and recognized, rather than being left to the whims of unchecked power. This principle of caring for the "other," the sojourner, and the distressed is a recurring and foundational theme throughout the Torah, demonstrating a radical empathy that distinguishes God's covenant people from surrounding nations.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

While the specific context of this law is rooted in ancient warfare and may seem distant from modern life, the underlying principles offer enduring lessons for believers today. This passage challenges us to consider how we treat those who are vulnerable, marginalized, or in a position of powerlessness. It calls for a radical empathy that acknowledges pain, trauma, and loss, even in those we might consider "other" or "enemy." The mandated period of mourning and transition emphasizes the importance of allowing individuals the necessary time and space to process significant life changes, grief, and trauma, rather than rushing them into new circumstances or forcing immediate integration. As followers of Christ, we are called to embody God's compassion and justice, seeking to mitigate harm and extend dignity in all our interactions, particularly towards those who are most susceptible to exploitation or neglect. This means actively creating environments where healing, emotional processing, and respectful integration are prioritized, reflecting God's heart for every human being created in His image.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does this ancient law challenge our modern assumptions about justice and compassion, particularly in times of conflict or when dealing with those we perceive as "outsiders" or "enemies"?
  • In what ways can we, as individuals or communities, create space for others to process grief and transition, even when their circumstances are not of our making or are uncomfortable to witness?
  • What does this passage teach us about God's character and His unwavering concern for the dignity of every human being, regardless of their status, origin, or past circumstances?

FAQ

Was this law truly compassionate, or was it still oppressive by modern standards?

Answer: From a modern, post-Enlightenment perspective, the very premise of taking a war captive as a wife is deeply problematic and appears to condone practices that are now considered abhorrent. However, it is crucial to interpret this law within its specific historical and cultural context. In the ancient Near East, the treatment of female war captives was typically far more brutal, involving immediate sexual exploitation, forced enslavement, and no legal rights or recognition whatsoever. The Mosaic Law, in contrast, introduced unprecedented regulations that were remarkably progressive for its time. It mandated a formal, recognized marriage, not mere concubinage or abuse, and crucially, it provided a mandatory period of mourning and transition. This law was not an endorsement of war or the taking of captives, but rather a mitigation of the harsh realities of ancient warfare, designed to bring order, dignity, and a measure of protection to a highly vulnerable individual. It prevented immediate exploitation and ensured a formal, legally binding union, which was a significant step towards compassion and justice compared to contemporary practices, demonstrating God's desire to regulate even fallen human behavior towards greater righteousness.

Why was a "full month" of mourning specifically required?

Answer: The "full month" (Hebrew: yerach yamim), literally "a month of days," was a significant and recognized period for deep mourning in ancient Israelite culture, often associated with major losses, such as the deaths of national leaders like Moses (Deuteronomy 34:8) or Aaron (Numbers 20:29). For the captive woman, this period was both practical and symbolic. Practically, it provided a necessary time for her to detach emotionally from her past life, family, and culture, and to begin the psychological process of adjusting to her new, drastically altered circumstances. Symbolically, it underscored the profound nature of her loss—her parents, home, and former identity—and demonstrated the law's unique sensitivity to her grief. This mandated mourning period served as a crucial transitional phase, acknowledging her humanity and emotional needs before she could enter into a new marital covenant, ensuring that the union was not rushed or forced upon her without a period of processing her trauma.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Deuteronomy 21:13, with its focus on shedding old identities, undergoing a period of transition, and entering into a new covenant relationship, finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment. The captive woman putting off her "raiment of captivity" and entering a new household powerfully foreshadows the spiritual transformation offered in Christ. Believers are called to "put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:22-24). This concept is echoed in Colossians 3:9-10, urging us to shed the old nature and embrace the new. We, too, were once captives—captives to sin and death—but through Christ, we are liberated and given a new identity and a new home in God's family (Romans 6:6-7). The formalization of marriage in the passage, though in a difficult context, ultimately points to the ultimate covenant union between Christ and His Church, portrayed as the "marriage supper of the Lamb" (Revelation 19:7-9). Just as God's law in Deuteronomy extended compassion and dignity to the vulnerable captive, Christ's earthly ministry was characterized by radical compassion for the marginalized, proclaiming "liberty to the captives" (Luke 4:18-19) and offering a new creation to all who believe, making all things new in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17).

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Commentary on Deuteronomy 21 verses 10–14

By this law a soldier is allowed to marry his captive if he pleased. For the hardness of their hearts Moses gave them this permission, lest, if they had not had liberty given them to marry such, they should have taken liberty to defile themselves with them, and by such wickedness the camp would have been troubled. The man is supposed to have a wife already, and to take this wife for a secondary wife, as the Jews called them. This indulgence of men's inordinate desires, in which their hearts walked after their eyes, is by no means agreeable to the law of Christ, which therefore in this respect, among others, far exceeds in glory the law of Moses. The gospel permits not him that has one wife to take another, for from the beginning it was not so. The gospel forbids looking upon a woman, though a beautiful one, to lust after her, and commands the mortifying and denying of all irregular desires, though it be as uneasy as the cutting off of a right hand; so much does our holy religion, more than that of the Jews, advance the honour and support the dominion of the soul over the body, the spirit over the flesh, consonant to the glorious discovery it makes of life and immortality, and the better hope.

But, though military men were allowed this liberty, yet care is here taken that they should not abuse it, that is,

I. That they should not abuse themselves by doing it too hastily, though the captive was ever so desirable: "If thou wouldest have her to thy wife (Deu 21:10, Deu 21:11), it is true thou needest not ask her parents' consent, for she is thy captive, and is at thy disposal. But, 1. Thou shalt have no familiar intercourse till thou hast married her." This allowance was designed to gratify, not a filthy brutish lust, in the heat and fury of its rebellion against reason and virtue, but an honourable and generous affection to a comely and amiable person, though in distress; therefore he may make her his wife if he will, but he must not deal with her as with a harlot. 2. "Thou shalt not marry her of a sudden, but keep her a full month in thy house," Deu 21:12, Deu 21:13. This he must do either, (1.) That he may try to take his affection off from her; for he must know that, though in marrying her he does not do ill (so the law then stood), yet in letting her alone he does much better. Let her therefore shave her head, that he might not be enamoured with her locks, and let her nails grow (so the margin reads it), to spoil the beauty of her hand. Quisquid amas cupias non placuisse nimis - We should moderate our affection for those things which we are tempted to love inordinately. Or rather, (2.) This was done in token of her renouncing idolatry, and becoming a proselyte to the Jewish religion. The shaving of her head, the paring of her nails, and the changing of her apparel, signified her putting off her former conversation, which was corrupt in her ignorance, that she might become a new creature. She must remain in his house to be taught the good knowledge of the Lord and the worship of him: and the Jews say that if she refused, and continued obstinate in idolatry, he must not marry her. Note, The professors of religion must not be unequally yoked with unbelievers, Co2 6:14.

II. That they should not abuse the poor captive. 1. She must have time to bewail her father and mother, from whom she was separated, and without whose consent and blessing she is now likely to be married, and perhaps to a common soldier of Israel, though in her country ever so nobly born and bred. To force a marriage till these sorrows were digested, and in some measure got over, and she was better reconciled to the land of her captivity by being better acquainted with it, would be very unkind. She must not bewail her idols, but be glad to part with them; to her near and dear relations only her affection must be thus indulged. 2. If, upon second thoughts, he that had brought her to his house with a purpose to marry her changed his mind and would not marry her, he might not make merchandise of her, as of his other prisoners, but must give her liberty to return, if she pleased, to her own country, because he had humbled her and afflicted her, by raising expectations and then disappointing them (Deu 21:14); having made a fool of her, he might not make a prey of her. This intimates how binding the laws of justice and honour are, particularly in the pretensions of love, the courting of affections, and the promises of marriage, which are to be looked upon as solemn things, that have something sacred in them, and therefore are not to be jested with.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 10–14. Public domain.
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Clement of AlexandriaAD 215
The Stromata Book 3
The [Deuteronomic] law wishes males to have responsible sexual relations with their marriage partners, solely for the generation of children. This is clear when a bachelor is prevented from enjoying immediate sexual relations with a woman prisoner of war. If he once falls in love with her, he must let her cut her hair short and mourn for thirty days. If even so his desire has not faded away, then he may father children by her. The fixed period of time enables the overpowering impulse to be scrutinized and to turn into a more rational appetency.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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