What is the meaning of Deuteronomy 21:14? And if you are not pleased with her Deuteronomy 21:14 opens with the possibility that, after marrying the captive woman described in verses 10-13, the man’s affection fades. Scripture acknowledges human frailty yet still holds the man accountable. • The law never excuses fickle love but regulates it so the woman is protected (see Deuteronomy 24:1; Matthew 19:8). • God’s concern for the vulnerable appears throughout the Law, from widows and orphans (Exodus 22:22) to sojourners (Leviticus 19:34). you are to let her go wherever she wishes Her freedom is non-negotiable. She is free “wherever she wishes,” not merely to the next village but to any life she chooses. • This directive stands in sharp contrast to ancient Near-Eastern customs that treated captives as perpetual property (compare Exodus 3:7-8, where God hears the cry of the oppressed). • By granting liberty, the Lord affirms her personhood and agency, reflecting the creation truth that both man and woman bear God’s image (Genesis 1:27). But you must not sell her for money Financial gain from her release is forbidden. • The law bars turning repentance into profit, echoing Exodus 21:8, where a master who loses delight in a female servant “has no right to sell her to foreigners.” • The principle anticipates New-Covenant teaching: “Freely you have received; freely give” (Matthew 10:8). or treat her as a slave Even remaining in the household, she cannot be reduced to servitude. • Israel’s memory of Egyptian bondage undergirds this command (Deuteronomy 5:15). • Paul later reinforces that in Christ there is “neither slave nor free” (Galatians 3:28), reflecting the same heartbeat. since you have dishonored her The man’s prior intimacy imposes lasting responsibility. • Sexual union creates covenantal obligations (Exodus 22:16-17). • Dishonor here means he humbled her by marrying then rejecting her; therefore he must bear the cost, not her. • The Lord upholds justice by tying privilege to responsibility—if a man benefits from a woman’s vulnerability, he must also protect her dignity (James 1:27 in principle). summary Deuteronomy 21:14 sets a boundary around male power and elevates the worth of a vulnerable woman. If love cools, the man must release her freely, refuse profit, and never enslave her, because his earlier intimacy placed him in her debt. The verse reveals God’s unwavering commitment to human dignity, reminding believers that covenant love is accountable love and that freedom, justice, and honor are the minimum owed to every image-bearer. |
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