Deuteronomy 21:13
A plain-spoken deep dive on this verse. Read the chapter →
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.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
In this chapter provision is made, I. For the putting away of the guilt of blood from the land, when he that shed it had fled from justice (Deu 21:1-9). II. For the preserving of the honour of a captive maid (Deu 21:10-14). III. For the securing of the right of a first-born son, though he were not a favourite (Deu 21:15-17). IV. For the restraining and punishing of a rebellious son (Deu 21:18-21). V. For the maintaining of the honour of human bodies, which must not be hanged in chains, but decently buried, even the bodies of the worst malefactors (Deu 21:22, Deu 21:23).
Open source ↗21:13 To change the clothes she was wearing symbolically communicated taking on a new life and identifying with a new family.
Open source ↗