Back to Deuteronomy 22

Deuteronomy 22:28-29

If a man finds a lady who is a virgin, who is not pledged to be married, grabs her and lies with her, and they are found, then the man who lay with her shall give to the lady’s father fifty shekels of silver. She shall be his wife, because he has humbled her. He may not put her away all his days.

World English Bible · Public Domain
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Deuteronomy 22:28-29 sits inside this longer paragraph.

If a man is found lying with a woman married to a husband, then they shall both die, the man who lay with the woman and the woman. So you shall remove the evil from Israel. If there is a young lady who is a virgin pledged to be married to a husband, and a man finds her in the city, and lies with her, then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with stones; the lady, because she didn’t cry, being in the city; and the man, because he has humbled his neighbor’s wife. So you shall remove the evil from among you. But if the man finds the lady who is pledged to be married in the field, and the man forces her and lies with her, then only the man who lay with her shall die; but to the lady you shall do nothing. There is in the lady no sin worthy of death; for as when a man rises against his neighbor and kills him, even so is this matter; for he found her in the field, the pledged to be married lady cried, and there was no one to save her. If a man finds a lady who is a virgin, who is not pledged to be married, grabs her and lies with her, and they are found, then the man who lay with her shall give to the lady’s father fifty shekels of silver. She shall be his wife, because he has humbled her. He may not put her away all his days. A man shall not take his father’s wife, and shall not uncover his father’s skirt.

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Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    If a man finds a lady who is a virgin, who is not pledged to be married, grabs her and lies with her, and they are found,

    then the man who lay with her shall give to the lady’s father fifty shekels of silver. She shall be his wife, because he has humbled her. He may not put her away all his days.

  • KJV King James Version

    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;

    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 hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.

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  • JPS JPS Tanakh (1917)

    If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, that is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found;

    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 hath humbled her; he may not put her away all his days.

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Examined in Scripture Analysis

Cross-references (4)

  • Exodus 22:16-17 (v28) “If a man entices a virgin who isn’t pledged to be married, and lies with her, he shall surely pay a dowry for her to be his wife. If her…
  • Deuteronomy 22:19 (v29) They shall fine him one hundred shekels of silver, and give them to the father of the young lady, because he has given a bad name to a…
  • Deuteronomy 21:14 (v29) It shall be, if you have no delight in her, then you shall let her go where she desires; but you shall not sell her at all for money. You…
  • Deuteronomy 22:24 (v29) then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with stones; the lady, because she didn’t…

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (10 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On v29 Deu 22:29 Then the man that lay with her…

Deu 22:29 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 hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.

Ver. 29. She shall be his wife.] Howbeit he must be humbled before the Lord, for entering into his ordinance through the devil’s portal.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv28–29 i.e. An unmarried man, as appears,
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv28–29 Then the man that lay with her shall give…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On v29 Fifty shekels - Besides the dowry, as Philo, the…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On v29 Deu 22:29. Shall give unto the damsel’s father fifty…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On v29 Life. A law nearly similar occurs, Exodus xxii. 16,…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv28–29 28, 29. Of Intercourse with a Virgin not Betrothed.…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On v28 See Exo_22:16-17. The sin of seduction before marriage is…
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v28 but who is not engaged
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v29 22:29 fifty pieces of silver: The father could still…
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