War and Treatment of Captive Women

This chapter discusses a passage from the book of Deuteronomy in the Bible that deals with the treatment of captive women during war. It explores the permission given to the Israelites to marry women from conquered territories and examines the potential sexual violence allowed by ancient biblical law. The discussion highlights surprising features of the passage and emphasizes that these women are not raped on the battlefield, but instead taken to the man's home where they are given a month to mourn and prepare for their new life as a wife.