Adultery

(Exodus 20:14) The parties to this crime, according to Jewish law, were a married woman and a man who was not her husband. The Mosaic penalty was that both the guilty parties should be stoned, and it applied as well to the betrothed as to the married woman, provided she were free. (22:22-24) A bondwoman so offending was to be scourged, and the man was to make a trespass offering. (Leviticus 19:20-22) At a later time, and when owing, to Gentile example, the marriage tie became a looser bond of union, public feeling in regard to adultery changed, and the penalty of death was seldom or never inflicted. The famous trial by the waters of jealousy, (Numbers 5:11-29) was probably an ancient custom, which Moses found deeply seated --(But this ordeal was wholly in favor of the innocent, and exactly opposite to most ordeals. For the water which the accused drank was perfectly harmless, and only by a miracle could it produce a bad effect; while in most ordeals the accused must suffer what naturally produces death, and be proved innocent only by a miracle. Symbolically adultery is used to express unfaithfulness to covenant vows to God, who is represented as the husband of his people.)

Adultery

Is a criminal connection between persons who are engaged, one or both, to keep themselves wholly to others; and thus it exceeds the guilt of fornication, which is the same intercourse between unmarried persons. As the highest sin of its kind, and son including all other sins of the flesh, it is forbidden in the seventh commandment. Where polygamy was allowed, as among the ancient Jews, illicit intercourse between a married man and a woman who was married, nor betrothed, constituted not adultery, but fornication.

Fornication may be, in some sense, covered by a subsequent marriage of the parties; but adultery cannot be so healed. Hence God often compares himself to a husband jealous of his honor, Jeremiah 31:32; and hence the forsaking of the true God is compared to fornication and adultery of the vilest kind, Jeremiah 3:9; Ezekiel 23:36-49.

By the Law of Moses, both the man and the woman who had committed adultery were punished with death, Le 20:10; 21:9; John 8:5. A woman suspected of this crime might, in order to clear herself, drink the "water of jealousy," as prescribed in Numbers 5:1-31.

Conjugal infidelity. An adulterer was a man who had illicit intercourse with a married or a betrothed woman, and such a woman was an adulteress. Intercourse between a married man and an unmarried woman was fornication. Adultery was regarded as a great social wrong, as well as a great sin.

The Mosaic law (Numbers 5:11-31) prescribed that the suspected wife should be tried by the ordeal of the "water of jealousy." There is, however, no recorded instance of the application of this law. In subsequent times the Rabbis made various regulations with the view of discovering the guilty party, and of bringing about a divorce. It has been inferred from John 8:1-11 that this sin became very common during the age preceding the destruction of Jerusalem.

Idolatry, covetousness, and apostasy are spoken of as adultery spiritually (Jeremiah 3:6, 8, 9; Ezek. 16:32; Hosea 1:2:3; Revelation 2:22). An apostate church is an adulteress (Isaiah 1:21; Ezek. 23:4, 7, 37), and the Jews are styled "an adulterous generation" (Matthew 12:39). (Comp. Revelation 12.)

1. (n.) The unfaithfulness of a married person to the marriage bed; sexual intercourse by a married man with another than his wife, or voluntary sexual intercourse by a married woman with another than her husband.

2. (n.) Adulteration; corruption.

3. (n.) Lewdness or unchastity of thought as well as act, as forbidden by the seventh commandment.

4. (n.) Faithlessness in religion.

5. (n.) The fine and penalty imposed for the offense of adultery.

6. (n.) The intrusion of a person into a bishopric during the life of the bishop.

7. (n.) Injury; degradation; ruin.

ADULTERY

a-dul'-ter-i: In Scripture designates sexual intercourse of a man, whether married or unmarried, with a married woman.

1. Its Punishment:

It is categorically prohibited in the Decalogue (seventh commandment, Exodus 20:14 Deuteronomy 5:18): "Thou shalt not commit adultery." In more specific language we read: "And thou shalt not he carnally with thy neighbor's wife, to defile thyself with her" (Leviticus 18:20). The penalty is death for both guilty parties: "And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbor's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death" (Leviticus 20:10). The manner of death is not particularized; according to the rabbis (Siphra' at the place; Sanhedhrin 52b) it is strangulation. It would seem that in the days of Jesus the manner of death was interpreted to mean stoning ("Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such," John 8:5, said of the woman taken in adultery). Nevertheless, it may be said that in the case in question the woman may have been a virgin betrothed unto a husband, the law (in Deuteronomy 22:23) providing that such a person together with her paramour be stoned to death (contrast Deuteronomy 22:22, where a woman married to a husband is spoken of and the manner of death is again left general). Ezekiel 16:40 (compare 23:47) equally mentions stoning as the penalty of the adulteress; but it couples to her sin also that of shedding blood; hence, the rabbinic interpretation is not necessarily disputed by the prophet. Of course it may also be assumed that a difference of custom may have obtained at different times and that the progress was in the line of leniency, strangulation being regarded as a more humane form of execution than stoning.

2. Trial by Ordeal:

The guilty persons become amenable to the death penalty only when taken "in the very act" (John 8:4). The difficulty of obtaining direct legal evidence is adverted to by the rabbis (see Makkoth 7a). In the case of a mere suspicion on the part of the husband, not substantiated by legal evidence, the woman is compelled by the law (Numbers 5:11-30) to submit to an ordeal, or God's judgment, which consists in her drinking the water of bitterness, that is, water from the holy basin mingled with dust from the floor of the sanctuary and with the washed-off ink of a writing containing the oath which the woman has been made to repeat. The water is named bitter with reference to its effects in the case of the woman's guilt; on the other hand, when no ill effects follow, the woman is proved innocent and the husband's jealousy unsubstantiated. According to the Mishna (SoTah 9) this ordeal of the woman suspected of adultery was abolished by Johanan ben Zaccai (after 70 A.D.), on the ground that the men of his generation were not above the suspicion of impurity.

See article BITTER, BITTERNESS.

3. A Heinous Crime:

Adultery was regarded as a heinous crime (Job 31:11). The prophets and teachers in Israel repeatedly upbraid the men and women of their generations for their looseness in morals which did not shrink from adulterous connections. Naturally where luxurious habits of life were indulged in, particularly in the large cities, a tone of levity set in: in the dark of the evening, men, with their features masked, waited at their neighbors' doors (Job 24:15; Job 31:9; compare Proverbs 7), and women forgetful of their God's covenant broke faith with the husbands of their youth (Proverbs 2:17). The prophet Nathan confronted David after his sin with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, with his stern rebuke ("Thou art the man," 2 Samuel 12:7); the penitential psalm (Psalm 51)-"Miserere"-was sung by the royal bard as a prayer for divine pardon. Promiscuous intercourse with their neighbors' wives is laid by Jeremiah at the door of the false prophets of his day (Jeremiah 23:10, 14; Jeremiah 29:23).

4. Penal and Moral Distinctions:

While penal law takes only cognizance of adulterous relations, it is needless to say that the moral law discountenances all manner of illicit intercourse and all manner of unchastity in man and woman. While the phrases "harlotry," "commit harlotry," in Scripture denote the breach of wedlock (on the part of a woman), in the rabbinical writings a clear distinction is made on the legal side between adultery and fornication. The latter is condemned morally in no uncertain terms; the seventh commandment is made to include all manner of fornication. The eye and the heart are the two intermediaries of sin (Palestinian Talmud, Berakhoth 6b). A sinful thought is as wicked as a sinful act (Niddah 13b and elsewhere). Job makes a covenant with his eyes lest he look upon a virgin (31:1). And so Jesus who came "not to destroy, but to fulfill" (Matthew 5:17), in full agreement with the ethical and religious teaching of Judaism, makes the intent of the seventh commandment explicit when he declares that "every one that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already In his heart" (Matthew 5:28). And in the spirit of Hosea (Hosea 4:15) and Johanan ben Zaccai (see above) Jesus has but scorn for those that are ready judicially to condemn though they be themselves not free from sin! "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her" (John 8:7). Whereas society is in need of the death penalty to secure the inviolability of the home life, Jesus bids the erring woman go her way and sin no more. How readily His word might be taken by the unspiritual to imply the condoning of woman's peccability is evidenced by the fact that the whole section (John 7:53-8:11) is omitted by "most ancient authorities" (see Augustine's remark).

5. A Ground of Divorce:

Adultery as a ground of divorce. -The meaning of the expression "some unseemly thing" (Deuteronomy 24:1) being unclear, there was great variety of opinion among the rabbis as to the grounds upon which a husband may divorce his wife. While the school of Hillel legally at least allowed any trivial reason as a ground for divorce, the stricter interpretation which limited it to adultery alone obtained in the school of Shammai. Jesus coincided with the stricter view (see Matthew 5:32; Matthew 19:9, and commentaries). From a moral point of view, divorce was discountenanced by the rabbis likewise, save of course for that one ground which indeed makes the continued relations between husband and wife a moral impossibility.

See also CRIMES; DIVORCE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT; DIVORCE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.

Max L. Margolis

3431. moicheuo -- to commit adultery
... to commit adultery. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: moicheuo Phonetic Spelling:
(moy-khyoo'-o) Short Definition: I commit adultery Definition: I commit ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3431.htm - 7k

3429. moichao -- to commit adultery with
... to commit adultery with. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: moichao Phonetic
Spelling: (moy-khah'-o) Short Definition: I commit adultery Definition: I commit ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3429.htm - 6k

3430. moicheia -- adultery
... adultery. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: moicheia Phonetic Spelling:
(moy-khi'-ah) Short Definition: adultery Definition: adultery. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3430.htm - 6k

3428. moichalis -- an adulteress
... Spelling: (moy-khal-is') Short Definition: an adulteress Definition: (a) an adulteress
(that is, a married woman who commits adultery), (b) Hebraistically ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3428.htm - 6k

4202. porneia -- fornication
... fornication. From porneuo; harlotry (including adultery and incest); figuratively,
idolatry -- fornication. see GREEK porneuo. (porneia) -- 8 Occurrences. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4202.htm - 7k

5003. naaph -- to commit adultery
... 5002, 5003. naaph. 5004 . to commit adultery. Transliteration: naaph Phonetic
Spelling: (naw-af') Short Definition: adultery. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/5003.htm - 6k

5005. naaphuph -- adultery
... 5004, 5005. naaphuph. 5006 . adultery. Transliteration: naaphuph Phonetic
Spelling: (nah-af-oof') Short Definition: adultery. Word ...
/hebrew/5005.htm - 6k

5004. niuph -- adultery
... niuph. 5005 . adultery. Transliteration: niuph Phonetic Spelling: (nee-oof') Short
Definition: adulteries. ... adultery. From na'aph; adultery -- adultery. ...
/hebrew/5004.htm - 6k

2181. zanah -- to commit fornication, be a harlot
... root Definition to commit fornication, be a harlot NASB Word Usage adulterous (1),
become a harlot (1), commit adultery (1), commits flagrant harlotry (1 ...
/hebrew/2181.htm - 6k

2114. zuwr -- to be a stranger
... root; to turn aside (especially for lodging); hence to be a foreigner, strange,
profane; specifically (active participle) to commit adultery -- (come from ...
/hebrew/2114.htm - 5k

2183. zenunim -- fornication
... whoredom. From zanah; adultery; figuratively, idolatry -- whoredom. see HEBREW
zanah. 2182, 2183. zenunim. 2184 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/2183.htm - 6k

2184. zenuth -- fornication
... whoredom. From zanah; adultery, ie (figuratively) infidelity, idolatry -- whoredom.
see HEBREW zanah. 2183, 2184. zenuth. 2185 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/2184.htm - 6k

Of the Prohibition of Adultery in the Decalogue.
... Chapter V."Of the Prohibition of Adultery in the Decalogue. ... And this (the Law)
accordingly fortified, by immediately prohibiting its foe, adultery. ...
/.../tertullian/on modesty/chapter v of the prohibition of.htm

The Woman Taken in Adultery.
... XVII. THE WOMAN TAKEN IN ADULTERY. "And they went every man unto his own
house: but Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. And early ...
/.../the expositors bible the gospel of st john vol i/xvii the woman taken in.htm

Whether Adultery is Determinate Species of Lust, Distinct from the ...
... OF THE PARTS OF LUST (TWELVE ARTICLES) Whether adultery is determinate species
of lust, distinct from the other species? Objection ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether adultery is determinate species.htm

Adultery and Fornication Synonymous.
... Chapter IV."Adultery and Fornication Synonymous. Having defined the
distinction (between the kinds) of repentance, we are by this ...
/.../tertullian/on modesty/chapter iv adultery and fornication synonymous.htm

Spiritual Adultery.
... Homily III. Chapter XXVIII."Spiritual Adultery. ... But to those who know the
mystery, death is also produced by spiritual adultery. ...
/.../unknown/the clementine homilies/chapter xxviii spiritual adultery.htm

Thou Shalt not Commit Adultery.
... Thou shalt not commit adultery. ... And it really aims at adultery, because among the
Jews it was ordained and commanded that every one must be married. ...
/.../luther/the large catechism/thou shalt not commit adultery.htm

Evils of Adultery.
... Homily IV. Chapter XXI."Evils of Adultery. ... And how many other evils naturally
spring from adultery! And the secret evils we do not know. ...
/.../unknown/the clementine homilies/chapter xxi evils of adultery.htm

The Philosophers Advocates of Adultery.
... Homily V. Chapter XVIII."The Philosophers Advocates of Adultery. "But why?
Do not the celebrated philosophers extol pleasure, and ...
/.../unknown/the clementine homilies/chapter xviii the philosophers advocates of.htm

Thou Shalt not Commit Adultery.
... Thou shalt not commit adultery. In this Commandment too a good work is
commanded, which includes much and drives away much vice; it ...
/.../luther/a treatise on good works/thou shalt not commit adultery.htm

Second Marriage a Species of Adultery, Marriage Itself Impugned ...
... Chapter IX."Second Marriage a Species of Adultery, Marriage Itself Impugned,
as Akin to Adultery. If we look deeply into his meanings ...
/.../tertullian/on exhortation to chastity/chapter ix second marriage a species.htm

Adultery (49 Occurrences)
...Adultery was regarded as a great social wrong, as well as a great sin. ... 5. (n.)
The fine and penalty imposed for the offense of adultery. ...
/a/adultery.htm - 32k

Committeth (22 Occurrences)
... Matthew 5:32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving
for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever ...
/c/committeth.htm - 13k

Divorces (7 Occurrences)
... Matthew 5:32 But I tell you that every man who puts away his wife except on the
ground of unfaithfulness causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries her ...
/d/divorces.htm - 8k

Marries (20 Occurrences)
... whoever puts away his wife, except for the cause of sexual immorality, makes her
an adulteress; and whoever marries her when she is put away commits adultery. ...
/m/marries.htm - 12k

Committing (30 Occurrences)
... Committing (30 Occurrences). Mark 10:12 and if a woman may put away her husband,
and is married to another, she committeth adultery.' (See NAS). ...
/c/committing.htm - 15k

Commits (39 Occurrences)
... whoever puts away his wife, except for the cause of sexual immorality, makes her
an adulteress; and whoever marries her when she is put away commits adultery. ...
/c/commits.htm - 18k

Divorced (10 Occurrences)
... Matthew 5:32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving
for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever ...
/d/divorced.htm - 9k

Marry (48 Occurrences)
... Matthew 5:32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving
for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever ...
/m/marry.htm - 22k

Steal (29 Occurrences)
... Matthew 19:18 He said to him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, "'You shall not
murder.''You shall not commit adultery.''You shall not steal.''You shall not offer ...
/s/steal.htm - 16k

Jealousy (54 Occurrences)
... Jealousy offering. The name of the offering the husband was to bring when he charged
his wife with adultery (Numbers 5:11-15). ... See ADULTERY; SACRIFICE. ...
/j/jealousy.htm - 29k

What does the Bible say about adultery? | GotQuestions.org

What is the biblical punishment for adultery? | GotQuestions.org

Why is "You shall not commit adultery" in the Ten Commandments? | GotQuestions.org

Adultery: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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