Deuteronomy 22:16

16 and the father of the damsel hath said unto the elders, My daughter I have given to this man for a wife, and he doth hate her;

Deuteronomy 22:16 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 22:16

And the damsel's father shall say unto the elders
Not her mother; hence we learn, says Jarchi, that a woman has not power (or is not allowed) to speak before men; that is, in public see ( 1 Corinthians 14:34 ) and it was most proper for a father to appear in court for her, and defend her; and if she had no parents living then, those that brought her up, her guardians, that had the education of her, and placing her out in marriage, were to undertake her cause; or, as Josephus ^F18 says, those that were next akin to her; or, as, Aben Ezra, one appointed by the court:

I gave my daughter unto this man to wife;
and, by the Jewish canons {s}, a man might give his daughter in marriage, but a woman might not:

and he hateth her;
has taken a dislike to her, and wants to be rid of her, and therefore has brought this infamous action against her.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 Antiqu. l. 4. c. 8. sect. 23.
F19 Misn. Sotah, c. 3. sect. 8.

Deuteronomy 22:16 In-Context

14 and laid against her actions of words, and brought out against her an evil name, and said, This woman I have taken, and I draw near unto her, and I have not found in her tokens of virginity:

15 `Then hath the father of the damsel -- and her mother -- taken and brought out the tokens of virginity of the damsel unto the elders of the city in the gate,

16 and the father of the damsel hath said unto the elders, My daughter I have given to this man for a wife, and he doth hate her;

17 and lo, he hath laid actions of words, saying, I have not found to thy daughter tokens of virginity -- and these [are] the tokens of the virginity of my daughter! and they have spread out the garment before the elders of the city.

18 `And the elders of that city have taken the man, and chastise him,