“But if the man finds the girl who is betrothed in the field, and the man seizes her and rapes her, then only the man who raped her shall die.
Parallel translations
- WEB 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;
- KJV But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then the man only that lay with her shall die:
- BSB But if the man encounters a betrothed woman in the open country, and he overpowers her and lies with her, only the man who has done this must die.
- NKJV “But if a man finds a betrothed young woman in the countryside, and the man forces her and lies with her, then only the man who lay with her shall die.
- NLT “But if the man meets the engaged woman out in the country, and he rapes her, then only the man must die.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
If a betrothed woman is forced in the open country, only the man, the rapist, is put to death. The law clearly distinguishes assault from consent.
Overview
In the field, where no one could hear her cries, the woman is presumed a victim of force, and the guilt falls solely on the attacker. This protects the innocent from being punished for a crime committed against her. The careful, compassionate distinction reveals God's justice, which never condemns the victim for the violence done to her.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 1
- 2 Sam 13:14However he would not listen to her voice; but being stronger than she, he forced her, and lay with her.
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Moses promised a Prophet like himself to whom Israel must listen (18:15); Jesus is that Prophet, the one who keeps the covenant we broke and becomes the curse for us by hanging on a tree (Gal 3:13).
How Deuteronomy 22:25 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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