Deuteronomy 22:23

23 If a man espouseth a damsel (who is a) virgin, and another man findeth her in the city, and doeth lechery 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 they shall cast her out of her father's gates; and men of that city shall oppress her with stones, and she shall die, for she did [an] unleaveful thing in Israel, that she did lechery in her father's house; and so thou shalt do away evil from the midst of thee. (then they shall bring her to the door of her father's house; and men of that city shall kill her with stones, and she shall die, for she did an unlawful thing in Israel, she did lechery in her father's house; and so thou shalt do away evil from the midst of thee.)
22 If a man sleepeth with the wife of another man, ever either shall die, that is, the adulterer, and the adulteress; and thus thou shalt do away evil from Israel.
23 If a man espouseth a damsel (who is a) virgin, and another man findeth her in the city, and doeth lechery with her,
24 thou shalt lead ever either to the gate of that city, and they shall be killed with stones (and both of them shall be killed with stones); the damsel shall be stoned, for she cried not, when she was in the city; the man shall be stoned, for he defouled his neighbour's wife; and thus thou shalt do away evil from the midst of thee.
25 But if a man findeth in the field a damsel, which is espoused (who is espoused), and he taketh (hold of) her, and doeth lechery with her, he alone shall die;
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.