"you see among the captives a beautiful woman, and desire her and would take her for your wife, then you shall bring her home to your house, and she shall shave her head and trim her nails. She shall put off the clothes of her captivity, remain in your house, and mourn her father and her mother a full month; after that you may go in to her and be her husband, and she shall be your wife. And it shall be, if you have no delight in her, then you shall set her free, but you certainly shall not sell her for money; you shall not treat her brutally, because you have humbled her." vv.11-14
Read chapter 21
Barbaric seems like here. This would make many feminist mad. Let's take a closer look at this, not to justify or explain it away, but to see the truth when it comes to the treatment of women in the law. This was a law that wasn't for any heathen woman one wanted to marry but only of the nations that God said to spare the women and children when they warred against a nation. Also, this was only allowable in wartime of their captives, not just whenever.
The man could not have her as wife for a month so as to not make a rash decision. During this month she would shave her head, cut her nails and put on clothes of mourning. This changed the appearance of the woman which could quite possibly change the mind of the man's desire for her. It is said in various commentaries that many women of other nations would adorn themselves in war to allure and entice men. She would get to mourn her parents that were most likely dead from war and being a captive might never see them again. This month would also allow time to get to know her potential future husband, and he her, and to learn about Jehovah. As hard as that time might be, the law allowed for this transition period for the female captive.
Now if after the marriage is consummated and the husbands doesn't want her, he was to let her free, not selling her as a slave or abusing her. He couldn't just throw her out but had to divorce her and set her free to go where she wanted.
So this law protected the woman from being raped in battle or having to live with a man that didn't want her to be set free instead.
What are some other ways you know of cultures of how women were treated in the past, both for their protection and not?
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