Deuteronomy 22:28-29
“If a man meets a virgin who is not betrothed, and seizes her and lies with her, and they are found, then the man who lay with her shall give to the father of the young woman fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he has violated her. He may not divorce her all his days.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The phrase "lay hold on her" points to a forceful act, distinct from seduction with enticements, highlighting the severity of the offense when violence is involved. This isn't just about consensual activity outside of marriage, but about a violation where the woman's will is overridden.
This passage sits within a series of laws designed to protect women and maintain social order within Israel. Immediately preceding this, Moses addresses instances of sexual sin and impurity, setting a tone for righteous conduct. What follows clarifies the specific penalties and obligations stemming from sexual relations with an unbetrothed virgin, emphasizing a required marriage and financial recompense.
The Bible lays out different penalties for sexual acts, and the details matter. How does this passage differentiate between being taken by force and being seduced?
In Deuteronomy 22:28, the man 'lays hold' on the virgin, which suggests a forceful action, but it's distinct from the word used for rape in verse 25. Commentaries point out that this forceful seizing could lead to seduction, where consent might be overcome by his initial action, but it's not the outright violation described as rape. Exodus 22:16 clarifies that seduction can involve 'enticing' words and promises, implying a degree of consent from the woman. However, this passage highlights that even when 'seized,' if sexual intercourse occurs and they are 'found,' specific consequences follow, distinct from a full rape scenario where marriage is not an option.
The consequence for the man in this scenario isn't just punishment, but a life-altering commitment. What does this forced marriage reveal about God's view of sexual sin?
Unlike other sexual offenses that might carry the death penalty, the man who seduces a virgin is compelled to marry her and pay a bride-price. This wasn't a casual arrangement; it was a severe consequence designed to protect the woman and uphold the sanctity of family and community. It underscores that sexual intimacy outside of marriage carries real, often irreversible, consequences. The prohibition against divorce in this specific case (mentioned in commentaries) further emphasizes the gravity of the situation and the permanence of the commitment God required.
Understand the original words
betulah · Hebrew Noun
A young, unmarried woman, often implying purity or lack of previous sexual experience.
shakhav · Hebrew Verb
A legal act of sexual intimacy; in biblical law, it carries a sense of forced or illicit sexual union that imposes binding consequences on the perpetrator.
anah · Hebrew Verb
To humble, afflict, or defile; in a sexual context, it refers to the degradation of a woman's honor and the violation of her personal sanctity.
shalach · Hebrew Verb
To legally terminate a marriage; biblically, it represents the dissolution of the covenantal bond between a husband and wife.
This passage addresses a similar situation of a man having relations with an unbetrothed virgin, highlighting the penalty of paying a bride-price and the father's discretion in allowing marriage, which parallels the context in Deuteronomy.
Leviticus 18:7While not a direct parallel in terms of penalty, Leviticus 18 lays out general principles of sexual purity and prohibitions against incestuous relations, emphasizing the sacredness of sexual conduct that underlies these specific laws.
Song of Solomon 3:1-4This passage poetically describes a search for a beloved, which, in contrast to the forceful 'laying hold' in Deuteronomy, emphasizes the longing and rightful pursuit within relationships, providing a spiritual counterpoint to the violation described.
1 Corinthians 6:18-20Paul's exhortation to flee sexual immorality and honor God with our bodies speaks to the enduring principle behind these Old Testament laws: that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and sexual sin is a profound offense against God.
pooleDeuteronomy 22:28: "If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found;"
i.e. An unmarried man, as appears, 1. From his obligation to marry the person he abused, which it is not probable would have been imposed upon him, had he been married. 2. Because if the man had been married, this had been adultery, and so had been punished with death. Lay hold on her; which notes some kind of force or artifice, whereby she was overpowe…
ellicottDeuteronomy 22:28: "If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found;"
Deuteronomy 22:28-29 .— SEDUCTION. See Exodus 22:16-17. The sin of seduction before marriage is punished by a heavy fine. We have recently amended our own laws in the direction of this very precept. But the fact that marriage was made compulsory in these cases makes the Law stricter still. It seems, however, from Exodus 22:17, that the girl’s father mig…
The phrase "lay hold on her" points to a forceful act, distinct from seduction with enticements, highlighting the severity of the offense when violence is involved. This isn't just about consensual activity outside of marriage, but about a violation where the woman's will is overridden.
This passage sits within a series of laws designed to protect women and maintain social order within Israel. Immediately preceding this, Moses addresses instances of sexual sin and impurity, setting a tone for righteous conduct. What follows clarifies the specific penalties and obligations stemming from sexual relations with an unbetrothed virgin, emphasizing a required marriage and financial recompense.
This passage sits within a series of laws designed to protect women and maintain social order within Israel. Immediately preceding this, Moses addresses instances of sexual sin and impurity, setting a tone for righteous conduct. What follows clarifies the specific penalties and obligations stemming from sexual relations with an unbetrothed virgin, emphasizing a required marriage and financial recompense.
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sheqel · Hebrew Noun
A Hebrew monetary unit; silver shekels were the standard currency used for legal payments, fines, and trade in ancient Israel.
"“If a man meets a virgin who is not betrothed, and seizes her and lies with her, and they are found, then the man who lay with her shall give to the father of the young woman fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he h…" — The phrase "lay hold on her" points to a forceful act, distinct from seduction with enticements, highlighting the severity of the offense when violence is involved. This isn't just about consensual a…
