Deuteronomy 21:11 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Ver. 11. And seest among the captives a beautiful woman— The Jewish rabbis have many of them supposed, licentiously enough, that criminal familiarities were first allowed with these women. But Schickard and Grotius have, with great learning, endeavoured, to disprove this opinion; the latter of whom cites these words of Rabbi Bechai: "God would have the camp of the Israelites holy; and not suffer fornication, or other abominations, to be committed in it, as in the camp of the Gentiles." And at the same time Grotius observes, that the customs of all civilized nations have ever paid a particular respect to the modesty of captive women. Alexander the Great, in the tent of Darius, is a striking example: so that we cannot here understand the indulgence of Moses to extend further, than a simple permission to marry a captive woman, if willing to change her religion; and, indeed, the next verses plainly prove, that a decent time was to be previously allowed her to lament the loss of her country and friends, and prepare for a new connection.