Focused Passage

Deuteronomy 22:13-21

Covenant Order: Neighbor, Creation, and Sexual Holiness

The chapter moves from concrete acts of community care for neighbor and creature (vv. 1–8), through laws protecting created distinctions in the natural order (vv. 9–12), into a sustained legislation of sexual holiness, marital fidelity, and covenant purity (vv. 13–30), grounding neighbor-love and sexual ethics together in the covenant order Israel bears before God.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

13 Suppose a man marries a woman, has relations with her, and comes to hate her,

14 and he then accuses her of shameful conduct and gives her a bad name, saying, “I married this woman and had relations with her, but I discovered she was not a virgin.”

15 Then the young woman’s father and mother shall bring the proof of her virginity to the city elders at the gate

16 and say to the elders, “I gave my daughter in marriage to this man, but he has come to hate her.

17 And now he has accused her of shameful conduct, saying, ‘I discovered that your daughter was not a virgin.’ But here is the proof of her virginity.” And they shall spread out the cloth before the city elders.

18 Then the elders of that city shall take the man and punish him.

19 They are also to fine him a hundred shekels of silver and give them to the young woman’s father, because this man has given a virgin of Israel a bad name. And she shall remain his wife; he must not divorce her as long as he lives.

20 If, however, this accusation is true, and no proof of the young woman’s virginity can be found,

21 she shall be brought to the door of her father’s house, and there the men of her city will stone her to death. For she has committed an outrage in Israel by being promiscuous in her father’s house. So you must purge the evil from among you.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 13

Original words

Suppose כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction a man אִ֖ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular marries יִקַּ֥ח H3947 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular a woman אִשָּׁ֑ה H802 Noun - feminine singular has relations with וּבָ֥א H935 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular her אֵלֶ֖יהָ H413 Preposition | third person feminine singular and comes to hate her וּשְׂנֵאָֽהּ׃ H8130 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Verse 14

Original words

and he then accuses וְשָׂ֥ם H7760 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular her לָהּ֙ Preposition | third person feminine singular of shameful conduct עֲלִילֹ֣ת H5949 Noun - feminine plural construct . . . דְּבָרִ֔ים H1697 Noun - masculine plural and gives her וְהוֹצִ֥יא H3318 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular . . . עָלֶ֖יהָ H5921 Preposition | third person feminine singular a bad רָ֑ע H7451 Adjective - masculine singular name שֵׁ֣ם H8034 Noun - masculine singular saying וְאָמַ֗ר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker I married לָקַ֔חְתִּי H3947 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular this הַזֹּאת֙ H2063 Article | Pronoun - feminine singular woman הָאִשָּׁ֤ה H802 Article | Noun - feminine singular and had relations with וָאֶקְרַ֣ב H7126 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular her אֵלֶ֔יהָ H413 Preposition | third person feminine singular but I discovered מָצָ֥אתִי H4672 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular she was not וְלֹא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle a virgin בְּתוּלִֽים׃ H1331 Noun - masculine plural
Verse 15

Original words

Then the young woman’s הַנַּעַר H5291 Article | Noun - feminine singular father אֲבִ֥י H1 Noun - masculine singular construct and mother וְאִמָּ֑הּ H517 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular - וְלָקַ֛ח H3947 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular shall bring וְהוֹצִ֜יאוּ H3318 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural the proof of her הַנַּעַר H5291 Article | Noun - feminine singular virginity בְּתוּלֵ֧י H1331 Noun - masculine plural construct - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the city הָעִ֖יר H5892 Article | Noun - feminine singular elders זִקְנֵ֥י H2205 Adjective - masculine plural construct at the gate הַשָּֽׁעְרָה׃ H8179 Article | Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Verse 16

Original words

[and] הַנַּעַר H5291 Article | Noun - feminine singular - אֲבִ֥י H1 Noun - masculine singular construct say וְאָמַ֛ר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the elders הַזְּקֵנִ֑ים H2205 Article | Adjective - masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker I gave נָתַ֜תִּי H5414 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular my daughter בִּתִּ֗י H1323 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular in marriage לְאִשָּׁ֖ה H802 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular to this הַזֶּ֛ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular man לָאִ֥ישׁ H376 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular but he has come to hate her וַיִּשְׂנָאֶֽהָ׃ H8130 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Verse 17

Original words

And now וְהִנֵּה־ H2009 Conjunctive waw | Interjection he ה֡וּא H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular has accused her שָׂם֩ H7760 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular of shameful conduct עֲלִילֹ֨ת H5949 Noun - feminine plural construct . . . דְּבָרִ֜ים H1697 Noun - masculine plural saying לֵאמֹ֗ר H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct I discovered that מָצָ֤אתִי H4672 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular your daughter לְבִתְּךָ֙ H1323 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular was not לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle a virgin בְּתוּלִ֔ים H1331 Noun - masculine plural But here is the proof וְאֵ֖לֶּה H428 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - common plural of [her] בִתִּ֑י H1323 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular virginity בְּתוּלֵ֣י H1331 Noun - masculine plural construct And they shall spread out וּפָֽרְשׂוּ֙ H6566 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural the cloth הַשִּׂמְלָ֔ה H8071 Article | Noun - feminine singular before לִפְנֵ֖י H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct the city הָעִֽיר׃ H5892 Article | Noun - feminine singular elders זִקְנֵ֥י H2205 Adjective - masculine plural construct
Verse 18

Original words

Then the elders זִקְנֵ֥י H2205 Adjective - masculine plural construct of that הַהִ֖וא H1931 Article | Pronoun - third person feminine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker city הָֽעִיר־ H5892 Article | Noun - feminine singular shall take וְלָֽקְח֛וּ H3947 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural the man הָאִ֑ישׁ H376 Article | Noun - masculine singular and punish him וְיִסְּר֖וּ H3256 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural - אֹתֽוֹ׃ H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine singular
Verse 19

Original words

They are also to fine וְעָנְשׁ֨וּ H6064 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural him אֹת֜וֹ H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine singular a hundred [shekels] מֵ֣אָה H3967 Number - feminine singular of silver כֶ֗סֶף H3701 Noun - masculine singular and give them וְנָתְנוּ֙ H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural to the young woman’s הַֽנַּעֲרָ֔ה H5291 Article | Noun - feminine singular father לַאֲבִ֣י H1 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct because כִּ֤י H3588 Conjunction this man has given הוֹצִיא֙ H3318 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular a virgin בְּתוּלַ֣ת H1330 Noun - feminine singular construct of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular a bad רָ֔ע H7451 Adjective - masculine singular . . . עַ֖ל H5921 Preposition name שֵׁ֣ם H8034 Noun - masculine singular And she shall remain תִהְיֶ֣ה H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular his וְלֽוֹ־ Conjunctive waw | Preposition | third person masculine singular wife לְאִשָּׁ֔ה H802 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular he must not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle . . . יוּכַ֥ל H3201 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular divorce her לְשַּׁלְּחָ֖הּ H7971 Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular as כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct long as he lives יָמָֽיו׃ס H3117 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • 100 shekels is approximately 2.5 pounds or 1.1 kilograms of silver.
Verse 20

Original words

If, however וְאִם־ H518 Conjunction this הַזֶּ֑ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular accusation הַדָּבָ֖ר H1697 Article | Noun - masculine singular is הָיָ֔ה H1961 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular true אֱמֶ֣ת H571 Noun - feminine singular and no לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle proof of the young woman’s לַנַּעַר׃ H5291 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular virginity בְתוּלִ֖ים H1331 Noun - masculine plural can be found נִמְצְא֥וּ H4672 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural
Verse 21

Original words

[she] הַנַּעַר H5291 Article | Noun - feminine singular shall be brought וְהוֹצִ֨יאוּ H3318 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the door פֶּ֣תַח H6607 Noun - masculine singular construct of her father’s אָבִ֗יהָ H1 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular house בֵּית־ H1004 Noun - masculine singular construct and there the men אַנְשֵׁ֨י H582 Noun - masculine plural construct of her city עִירָ֤הּ H5892 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular will stone her וּסְקָלוּהָ֩ H5619 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural | third person feminine singular . . . בָּאֲבָנִים֙ H68 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine plural to death וָמֵ֔תָה H4191 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular For כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction she has committed עָשְׂתָ֤ה H6213 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular an outrage נְבָלָה֙ H5039 Noun - feminine singular in Israel בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל H3478 Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular by being promiscuous לִזְנ֖וֹת H2181 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct in her father’s אָבִ֑יהָ H1 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular house בֵּ֣ית H1004 Noun - masculine singular construct So you must purge וּבִֽעַרְתָּ֥ H1197 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular the evil הָרָ֖ע H7451 Article | Adjective - masculine singular from among you מִקִּרְבֶּֽךָ׃ס H7130 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Here and in verse 24; cited in 1 Corinthians 5:13

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.