The Story of Captured Women

Deuteronomy 21:10-14

Beth was thinking of all the stories her mother had told her about the Israelites and how they had killed thousands of men and taken thousands of women prisoner. That made her think of a question.
"Mother," Beth said to her mother who was sitting in the dressing room clipping her toenails, "what did the Israelites do with all those women they captured in the wars?"
"I'll tell you a story about that, Dear One," said her mother.
And this is the story she told:

One day, Moses was talking to the Israelites and said, "Let's say you go to war against your enemies and, after God gives them to you, you take prisoners. Let's also say that one of the prisoners is a really pretty woman and looking at her makes you really want to have some sex so you decide to marry her. If that happens, then you should bring her to your house.
"After she is in your house, the woman should shaver her head, cut her nails, take off her clothes, and stay in your house, and spend a month crying because she will never see her parents again. After that you can put your penis in her and be her husband, she will be your wife.
"When you've done putting your penis in her, if you decide that she's not very good at that kind of thing then you should let her go. Just don't sell her for money or make her into some kind of product because you've already taken all her dignity away."

Beth thought about this for a moment. "So if a man puts his penis in a woman then they're married?" Beth asked her mother.
"Well," answered her mother, considering her words carefully, "in this case, yes."
Beth's eyebrows got all thoughtful. "But if they are married, how can the man just send her away? Don't they have to get divorced?" she asked.
"It's a different kind of marriage than when two good people get married. This kind of marriage is only for when a good man wants to marry a bad women who was captured in a war," said her mother.
"I get it now," said Beth. "That also explains why Father says that Meagan is his 'little prisoner of war'."
Beth's mother sighed. "So, tell me about Meagan," she said.
"You know," said Beth, "Meagan? She's cool. She's bald and has dangly crucifix earrings and a pierced nose and always wears leather because she rides a motorcycle. Father said that she's an evil pagan that he's trying to reform. I like her because she says that I can have rides on her motorcycle so long as I don't mention her to... oops."
"Don't worry, Dear One," said Beth's mother. "You're not in trouble. Just let me know the next time that Meagan is supposed to come over, all right?"
"Sure!" said Beth. Then she smiled and hugged her mother. All her questions had been answered.