Deuteronomy 22:23

23 Yf a mayde be hanfasted vnto an husbonde, and then a man finde her in the towne and leye with her,

Deuteronomy 22:23 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 22:23

If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband,
&c.] But not married, not as yet brought home to her husband's house, and the marriage consummated; for the Jews distinguish between being betrothed or espoused, and married; and generally there was some time between the one and the other. And a wife was obtained in this way by three things; by money, which was the most usual; and by writing, which was to be done before witnesses, and with her consent; and by copulation, which, though valid, was not so much approved of F1. There is a whole treatise in the Misnah, called Kiddushin, or Espousals, which largely treats of this matter:

and a man find her in the city, and lie with her;
with her consent, as might be presumed by her not crying out, when, had she, she might have been heard, being in a city; and her being there also makes against her, since, being betrothed to a man, she ought to have abode in her father's house till her husband fetched her home, and not to have gadded abroad in the city, where she was exposed to temptation.


FOOTNOTES:

F1 Misn. Kiddushin, c. 1. sect. 1.

Deuteronomy 22:23 In-Context

21 let them brynge her vnto the dore of hir fathers housse, and let the men of that citie stone her with stones to deeth, because she hath wrought folye in Israel, to playe the whore in hir fathers housse. And so thou shalt put euell awaye from the.
22 Yf a man be founde lyenge with a woman, that hath a wedded husbonde, then let the dye etherother of the: both the man that laye with the wife and also the wife: so thou shalt put awaye euell from Israel.
23 Yf a mayde be hanfasted vnto an husbonde, and then a man finde her in the towne and leye with her,
24 then ye shall brynge them both out vnto the gates of that same citie and shall stone them with stones to deeth: The damsell because she cried not beynge in the citie: And the man, because he hath humbled his neyghbours wife, and thou shalt put awaye evell from the.
25 But yf a man finde a betrothed damsell in the felde and force her and leye with her: The the man that laye with her shall dye alone,
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