Deuteronomy 22:20-30

20 But if this thing is true and the tokens of virginity are not found for the damsel,

21 then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones, and she shall die because she has wrought folly in Israel, to fornicate in her father’s house; so shalt thou put evil away from among you.

22 If a man is found lying with a woman married to a husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman and the woman; so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.

23 When a damsel that is a virgin is betrothed unto a husband and a man finds her in the city and lies with her,

24 then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones, and they shall die; the damsel because she did not cry out, being in the city, and the man because he has humbled his neighbour’s wife; so thou shalt put away evil from among you.

25 But if the man found a betrothed damsel in the field and the man forced her and lay with her; then only the man that lay with her shall die;

26 but unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing; there is in the damsel no sin worthy of death; for as when a man rises against his neighbour and murders him, even so is this matter.

27 For he found her in the field and the betrothed damsel cried out, and there was no one to save her.

28 When a man finds a damsel that is a virgin who is not betrothed and lays hold on her and lies with her, and they are found,

29 then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel’s father fifty shekels of silver and she shall be his wife; because he has humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.

30 A man shall not take his father’s wife, nor uncover his father’s skirt.

Deuteronomy 22:20-30 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 22

In this chapter are various laws, concerning care of a neighbour's cattle gone astray or in distress, and of anything lost by him, De 22:1-4, forbidding one sex to wear the apparel, of another, De 22:5 and the taking away of the dam with the young found in a bird's nest, De 22:6,7, ordering battlements to be made in a new house, De 22:8, prohibiting mixtures in sowing, ploughing, and in garments, De 22:9-11, requiring fringes on the four quarters of a garment, De 22:12, fining a man that slanders his wife, upon producing the tokens of her virginity, De 22:13-19 but if these cannot be produced, then orders are given that she be put to death, De 22:20-21, then follow other laws, punishing with death the adulterer and adulteress, and one that hath ravished a betrothed damsel, De 22:22-27, amercing a person that lies with a virgin not betrothed and she consenting, and obliging him to marry her, and not suffering him to divorce her, De 22:28-29 and another against a man's lying with his father's wife, De 22:30.