The Meaning of Deuteronomy 21:11 Explained

Deuteronomy 21:11

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

YLT: and hast seen in the captivity a woman of fair form, and hast delighted in her, and hast taken to thee for a wife,

Darby: and thou seest among the captives a woman of beautiful form, and hast a desire unto her, and takest her as thy wife;

ASV: and seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and thou hast a desire unto her, and wouldest take her to thee to wife;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Deuteronomy 21:11 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 21

1  The Atonement for an Unsolved Murder
10  The usage of a captive taken to wife
15  The firstborn is not to be disinherited upon private affection
18  A rebellious son is to be stoned to death
22  The malefactor must not hang all night on a tree

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 21:11 mean?

And you see among the captives a woman beautiful in appearance and desire her and would take her for your wife
וְרָאִיתָ֙ בַּשִּׁבְיָ֔ה אֵ֖שֶׁת יְפַת־ תֹּ֑אַר וְחָשַׁקְתָּ֣ בָ֔הּ וְלָקַחְתָּ֥ לְךָ֖ לְאִשָּֽׁה

וְרָאִיתָ֙  And  you  see 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
בַּשִּׁבְיָ֔ה  among  the  captives 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: שִׁבְיָה  
Sense: captivity, captives.
אֵ֖שֶׁת  a  woman 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
יְפַת־  beautiful 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular construct
Root: יָפֶה  
Sense: fair, beautiful, handsome.
תֹּ֑אַר  in  appearance 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: תֹּאַר  
Sense: shape, form, outline, figure, appearance.
וְחָשַׁקְתָּ֣  and  desire 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: חָשַׁק 
Sense: (Qal) to love, be attached to, long for.
בָ֔הּ  her 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
וְלָקַחְתָּ֥  and  would  take 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
לְךָ֖  her 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
לְאִשָּֽׁה  for  your  wife 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.