“et videris in numero captivorum mulierem pulchram, et adamaveris eam, voluerisque habere uxorem,”
“And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife;”
“if you see a beautiful woman among them, and you desire her and want to take her as your wife,”
“and see among the captives a beautiful woman, and you have a desire to her, and desire to take her as your wife;”
“and seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and thou hast a desire unto her, and wouldest take her to thee to wife;”
Lovest her. The Jewish doctors explain this of an action, which modesty disallows, and which they tolerate nevertheless in the first transports of victory; (Selden, Jur. v. 13,) though the pagans condemned it as unjust and contrary to reason. (Grotius, Jur. iii. 4) — All know with what reserve Alexander treated the captive women; and the Romans banished one Torquatus, for having violated a prisoner of war. (Plutarch) — Yet the Jews blush not to assert, that such liberties might be taken even with married women, as their former marriage with a pagan was by some deemed null, and by others thought to be dissolved. (Josephus, [Antiquities?] iv. 8) (Calmet) — The law, however, seems only to allow the marrying of those who had no husbands before, as the women are only said to mourn for father and mother, ver. 13. (Haydock) — On these occasions the Chinese, and probably the Egyptians also, and the Roman matrons, formerly clothed themselves in white, while almost all other nations assumed black. (Tirinus)
Verses 10-14 By this law a soldier was allowed to marry his captive, if he pleased. This might take place upon some occasions; but the law does not show any approval of it. It also intimates how binding the laws of justice and honour are in marriage; which is a sacred engagement.
“The sons of God seeing the daughters of men, that they were fair, took to themselves wives of all which they chose.”
“And when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians saw the woman that she was very beautiful.”