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Scripture: The text alone. Study: The verses explained. Original: The Hebrew and Greek, and the tradition.

Deuteronomychapter 21

23 verses · BSBDeuteronomy book hub →

Original Language

Deuteronomy 21— Hebrew word study · with the Hebrew tradition

In Jewish life

Jewish practice and Jewish teaching both have something to say about Deuteronomy 21. Three things follow: where it is read, what is done because of it, and how the rabbis have taught it. The purpose is to inform a Christian reader what Jews believe and how Judaism was and is practised.

The reading

Weekly portion 48 of 54

שֹׁפְטִים Shoftim, Deuteronomy 16:18 to 21:9

Read with it: Isaiah 51:12 to 52:12.

Weekly portion 49 of 54

כִּי־תֵצֵא Ki Teitzei, Deuteronomy 21:10 to 25:19

Read with it: Isaiah 54:1 to 54:10.

The verse numbers here are the ones a Hebrew Bible carries, which differ from an English Bible by a verse or two in several places. The Sephardi reading is named only where this site records a difference; communities vary beyond what is listed. What these books are, and how a Christian reader meets them →

Where the rabbis cite this chapter

4 rows sit beside their verses in the text, on 4 verses of this chapter. No row that speaks to the chapter as a whole is recorded. Every quote links to its full source.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria (sefaria.org); excerpts follow each version’s license, and every passage opens at its source.

How to read a word below: the Hebrewword, then how it sounds, then what it means, then its number in Strong’s concordance, a widely used lookup this site follows (H for Hebrew and Aramaic, G for Greek). Square brackets hold a word the English supplies that the Hebrew does not, angle brackets mark the Hebrew’s own grammatical elements that English renders as separate words, and the mark ס or פ is where the Hebrew manuscripts end a paragraph.

Deuteronomy 21:12· Hebrew and glosses: STEP Bible

וַהֲבֵאתָ֖הּvahavetahand you will bring herH935אֶל־ʾel-intoH413תּ֣וֹךְtokh[the] middle ofH8432בֵּיתֶ֑ךָbeitekhahouse yourH1004וְגִלְּחָה֙vegilechahand she will shaveH1548אֶת־ʾet-<obj.>H853רֹאשָׁ֔הּroshahhead herH7218וְעָשְׂתָ֖הveasetahand she will attend toH6213אֶת־ʾet-<obj.>H853צִפָּרְנֶֽיהָ׃tzipareneihafinger-nails herH6856

Ramban on Deuteronomy 21:12

RambanSpain, 1194–1270· Commentary
“She shall ‘let them grow,’ [the reason being] that she should become repulsive.” This is Rashi’s language which accords with the words of Rabbi Akiba, 3 Sifre, Ki Theitzei. and so did Onkelos explain it [“and she shall let her nails grow”].

Read it in full at Sefaria · Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976

Deuteronomy 21:14· Hebrew and glosses: STEP Bible

וְהָיָ֞הvehayahand it will beH1961אִם־ʾim-ifH518לֹ֧אlo'notH3808חָפַ֣צְתָּchafatztayou delightH2654בָּ֗הּbahin <the> herוְשִׁלַּחְתָּהּ֙veshilachtahand you will let go herH7971לְנַפְשָׁ֔הּlenafshahfor self herH5315וּמָכֹ֥רumakhorand certainly <sell>H4376לֹא־lo'-notH3808תִמְכְּרֶ֖נָּהtimkerenahyou will sell herH4376בַּכָּ֑סֶףbakaseffor <the> moneyH3701לֹא־lo'-notH3808תִתְעַמֵּ֣רtitameryou will treat as a slaveH6014בָּ֔הּbah<in> <the> herתַּ֖חַתtachatbecauseH8478אֲשֶׁ֥רʾasherthatH834עִנִּיתָֽהּ׃ סʾinitahyou have humiliated herH6031

Ramban on Deuteronomy 21:14

RambanSpain, 1194–1270· Commentary
[AND IT SHALL BE, IF THOU HAVE NO DESIRE FOR HER,] THEN THOU SHALT LET HER GO WHITHER SHE WILL. The Rabbis have said thereon in the Sifre: 44 Sifre, Ki Theitzei. “But not to her fathers’ house.

Read it in full at Sefaria · Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976

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