Exodus 22:16
New International Version
“If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife.

New Living Translation
“If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to anyone and has sex with her, he must pay the customary bride price and marry her.

English Standard Version
“If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price for her and make her his wife.

Berean Standard Bible
If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged in marriage and sleeps with her, he must pay the full dowry for her to be his wife.

King James Bible
And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.

New King James Version
“If a man entices a virgin who is not betrothed, and lies with her, he shall surely pay the bride-price for her to be his wife.

New American Standard Bible
“If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed and sleeps with her, he must pay a dowry for her to be his wife.

NASB 1995
“If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, and lies with her, he must pay a dowry for her to be his wife.

NASB 1977
“And if a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, and lies with her, he must pay a dowry for her to be his wife.

Legacy Standard Bible
“If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged and lies with her, he must pay a dowry for her to be his wife.

Amplified Bible
“If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed, and lies with her, he must pay a dowry (marriage price) for her to be his wife.

Christian Standard Bible
“If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, and he sleeps with her, he must certainly pay the bridal price for her to be his wife.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, and he has sexual relations with her, he must certainly pay the bridal price for her to be his wife.

American Standard Version
And if a man entice a virgin that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely pay a dowry for her to be his wife.

Contemporary English Version
Suppose a young woman has never had sex and isn't engaged. If a man talks her into having sex, he must pay the bride price and marry her.

English Revised Version
And if a man entice a virgin that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely pay a dowry for her to be his wife.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Whenever a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to anyone and has sexual intercourse with her, he must pay the bride-price and marry her.

Good News Translation
"If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, he must pay the bride price for her and marry her.

International Standard Version
"When a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to be married and has sexual relations with her, he must pay her bride price, and she is to become his wife.

Majority Standard Bible
If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged in marriage and sleeps with her, he must pay the full dowry for her to be his wife.

NET Bible
"If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged and has sexual relations with her, he must surely endow her to be his wife.

New Heart English Bible
"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.

Webster's Bible Translation
And if a man shall entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.

World English Bible
“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.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And when a man entices a virgin who [is] not betrothed, and has lain with her, he certainly endows her to himself for a wife;

Young's Literal Translation
And when a man doth entice a virgin who is not betrothed, and hath lain with her, he doth certainly endow her to himself for a wife;

Smith's Literal Translation
If a man shall seduce a virgin who was not betrothed, and lying with her, endowing, he shall endow her to him for a wife.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
If a man seduce a virgin not yet espoused, and lie with her: he shall endow her, and have her to wife.

Catholic Public Domain Version
If a man has led astray a virgin not yet betrothed, and he has slept with her, he shall pay her dowry and have her as a wife.

New American Bible
When a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed, and lies with her, he shall make her his wife by paying the bride price.

New Revised Standard Version
When a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to be married, and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price for her and make her his wife.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And if a man entices a virgin who is not betrothed, and lies with her, he shall surely marry her.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And when a man will seduce a virgin that was not engaged and he shall have sexual intercourse with her, he shall surely take her to him as a wife.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And if a man entice a virgin that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely pay a dowry for her to be his wife.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And if any one deceive a virgin that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her for a wife to himself.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Laws of Social Responsibility
16If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged in marriage and sleeps with her, he must pay the full dowry for her to be his wife. 17If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, the man still must pay an amount comparable to the bridal price of a virgin.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 22:28-29
If a man encounters a virgin who is not pledged in marriage, and he seizes her and lies with her, and they are discovered, / then the man who lay with her must pay the young woman’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she must become his wife because he has violated her. He must not divorce her as long as he lives.

Genesis 34:2-12
When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the region, saw her, he took her and lay with her by force. / And his soul was drawn to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young girl and spoke to her tenderly. / So Shechem told his father Hamor, “Get me this girl as a wife.” ...

Leviticus 19:20-22
If a man lies carnally with a slave girl promised to another man but who has not been redeemed or given her freedom, there must be due punishment. But they are not to be put to death, because she had not been freed. / The man, however, must bring a ram to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting as his guilt offering to the LORD. / The priest shall make atonement on his behalf before the LORD with the ram of the guilt offering for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven the sin he has committed.

1 Samuel 18:25-27
Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king desires no other dowry but a hundred Philistine foreskins as revenge on his enemies.’” But Saul intended to cause David’s death at the hands of the Philistines. / When the servants reported these terms to David, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the wedding day arrived, / David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented them as payment in full to become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave his daughter Michal to David in marriage.

2 Samuel 13:12-14
“No, my brother!” she cried. “Do not violate me, for such a thing should never be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing! / Where could I ever take my shame? And you would be like one of the fools in Israel! Please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.” / But Amnon refused to listen to her, and being stronger, he violated her and lay with her.

Numbers 30:3-5
And if a woman in her father’s house during her youth makes a vow to the LORD or obligates herself by a pledge, / and her father hears about her vow or pledge but says nothing to her, then all the vows or pledges by which she has bound herself shall stand. / But if her father prohibits her on the day he hears about it, then none of the vows or pledges by which she has bound herself shall stand. The LORD will absolve her because her father has prohibited her.

Ruth 4:10
Moreover, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, to raise up the name of the deceased through his inheritance, so that his name will not disappear from among his brothers or from the gate of his home. You are witnesses today.”

Judges 21:7-23
What should we do about wives for the survivors, since we have sworn by the LORD not to give them our daughters in marriage?” / So they asked, “Which one of the tribes of Israel failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah?” And, in fact, no one from Jabesh-gilead had come to the camp for the assembly. / For when the people were counted, none of the residents of Jabesh-gilead were there. ...

Proverbs 6:32-35
He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself. / Wounds and dishonor will befall him, and his reproach will never be wiped away. / For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy in the day of vengeance. ...

Malachi 2:14-16
Yet you ask, “Why?” It is because the LORD has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have broken faith, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. / Has not the LORD made them one, having a portion of the Spirit? And why one? Because He seeks godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit and do not break faith with the wife of your youth. / “For I hate divorce,” says the LORD, the God of Israel. “He who divorces his wife covers his garment with violence,” says the LORD of Hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit and do not break faith.

Matthew 1:18-20
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged in marriage to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. / Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and was unwilling to disgrace her publicly, he resolved to divorce her quietly. / But after he had pondered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to embrace Mary as your wife, for the One conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 7:36-38
However, if someone thinks he is acting inappropriately toward his betrothed, and if she is beyond her youth and they ought to marry, let him do as he wishes; he is not sinning; they should get married. / But the man who is firmly established in his heart and under no constraint, with control over his will and resolve in his heart not to marry the virgin, he will do well. / So then, he who marries the virgin does well, but he who does not marry her does even better.

Matthew 5:32
But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, brings adultery upon her. And he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

1 Corinthians 6:18-20
Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a man can commit is outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. / Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; / you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.

Hebrews 13:4
Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.


Treasury of Scripture

And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.

a man entice

Genesis 34:2-4
And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her…

Deuteronomy 22:28,29
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; …

Jump to Previous
Betrothed Bride-Price Connection Dowry Endow Engaged Entice Entices Lies Maid Marriage Married Pay Pledged Present Seduce Seduces Sleeps Surely Virgin Wife Word
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Betrothed Bride-Price Connection Dowry Endow Engaged Entice Entices Lies Maid Marriage Married Pay Pledged Present Seduce Seduces Sleeps Surely Virgin Wife Word
Exodus 22
1. Of Theft
5. Of damage
7. Of trespasses
14. Of borrowing
16. Of fornication
18. Of witchcraft
19. Of bestiality
20. Of idolatry
21. Of strangers, widows, and fatherless
25. Of usury
26. Of pledges
28. Of reverence to magistrates
29. Of the first fruits
31. Of torn flesh














If a man entices
The Hebrew word for "entices" is "פִּתָּה" (pittah), which implies persuasion or seduction. This word suggests a scenario where the man actively persuades the woman, indicating a level of responsibility and intentionality on his part. In the ancient Near Eastern context, this reflects societal norms where men were expected to take responsibility for their actions, especially in matters of sexual conduct.

a virgin
The term "virgin" is translated from the Hebrew word "בְּתוּלָה" (betulah), which refers to a young woman of marriageable age who has not engaged in sexual relations. In the cultural and religious context of ancient Israel, virginity was highly valued, and the loss of it outside of marriage could have significant social and familial implications. This underscores the importance of protecting the dignity and future of the woman involved.

who is not pledged in marriage
This phrase indicates that the woman is not betrothed or engaged to another man. In ancient Israel, betrothal was a binding agreement, almost as significant as marriage itself. The distinction here is crucial because the consequences for seducing a betrothed woman were more severe, reflecting the sanctity of the betrothal covenant.

and lies with her
The phrase "lies with her" is a euphemism for sexual intercourse. The Hebrew verb "שָׁכַב" (shakab) is used here, which is often employed in the context of sexual relations. This act, outside the bounds of marriage, necessitates a response to restore honor and order within the community.

he must pay the bride price
The "bride price" or "מֹהַר" (mohar) in Hebrew, was a customary payment made by the groom to the bride's family. This payment served multiple purposes: it compensated the family for the loss of their daughter, provided financial security for the woman, and formalized the marriage agreement. This requirement emphasizes the man's obligation to take responsibility for his actions and ensure the woman's future well-being.

and she will be his wife
This phrase indicates the expected outcome of the situation: marriage. By marrying the woman, the man is required to provide for her and integrate her into his household, thus restoring her social status and ensuring her protection. This reflects the biblical principle of justice and restoration, where wrongs are made right through responsible action and commitment.

MISCELLANEOUS LAWS.

(16-31) The remainder of the chapter contains laws which it is impossible to bring under any general head or heads, and which can, therefore, only be regarded as miscellaneous. Moses may have recorded them in the order in which they were delivered to him; or have committed them to writing as they afterwards occurred to his memory.

(16) If a man entice a maid.--The seduction of a maiden is regarded more seriously in primitive than in more advanced communities. The father looked to receive a handsome sum (????) from the man to whom he consented to betroth his virgin daughter; and required compensation if his daughter's eligibility as a wife was diminished. If the seducer were a person to whom he felt it a degradation to marry his daughter, he might exact from him such a sum as would be likely to induce another to wed her; if he was one whom he could accept as a son-in-law, he might compel him to re-establish his daughter's status by marriage. It might be well if modern societies would imitate the Mosaic code on this point by some similar proviso.

He shall surely endow her--i.e., pay the customary sum to the father. See Deuteronomy 22:29, where the sum is fixed at fifty shekels of silver.

Verse 16. - If a man entice. Rather "seduce." He shall surely endow her to be his wife. In the East a man commonly pays money, or money's worth, to the parents in order to obtain a wife. The seducer was to comply with this custom, and make over to the damsel's father the sum of fifty shekels of silver (Deuteronomy 22:29), for his sanction of the marriage. If the father consented, he was compelled to marry the girl, and he was forbidden to repudiate her afterwards (ibid.).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
If
וְכִֽי־ (wə·ḵî-)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

a man
אִ֗ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

seduces
יְפַתֶּ֣ה (yə·p̄at·teh)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6601: To open, be, roomy, to be, simple, delude

a virgin
בְּתוּלָ֛ה (bə·ṯū·lāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1330: A virgin, sometimes, a bride

who
אֲשֶׁ֥ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

is not
לֹא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

pledged in marriage
אֹרָ֖שָׂה (’ō·rā·śāh)
Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 781: To engage for, matrimony

and sleeps
וְשָׁכַ֣ב (wə·šā·ḵaḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7901: To lie down

with her,
עִמָּ֑הּ (‘im·māh)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5973: With, equally with

he must pay the full dowry
מָהֹ֛ר (mā·hōr)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 4117: To acquire by paying a purchase price

for her
לּ֖וֹ (lōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

to be his wife.
לְאִשָּֽׁה׃ (lə·’iš·šāh)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female


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OT Law: Exodus 22:16 If a man entices a virgin who (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 22:15
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