Exodus 22:16

¹ “If a man seduces a virgin ²  who is not engaged ³  and has sexual relations with her, he must surely endow ⁴  her to be his wife.

"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.

"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.

"If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to anyone and sleeps with her, he must pay the customary dowry and accept her as his wife.

"If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the marriage price and marry her.

If a man takes a virgin, who has not given her word to another man, and has connection with her, he will have to give a bride-price for her to be his wife.

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.

"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.

¹ “If a man seduces a virgin ²  who is not engaged ³  and has sexual relations with her, he must surely endow ⁴  her to be his wife.

¹ sn The second half of the chapter records various laws of purity and justice. Any of them could be treated in an expository way, but in the present array they offer a survey of God’s righteous standards: Maintain the sanctity of marriage (16-17); maintain the purity of religious institutions (18-20), maintain the rights of human beings (21-28), maintain the rights of Yahweh (29-31).

² tn This is the word בְּתוּלָה (bÿtulah); it describes a young woman who is not married or a young woman engaged to be married; in any case, she is presumed to be a virgin.

³ tn Or “pledged” for marriage.

⁴ tn The verb מָהַר (mahar) means “pay the marriage price,” and the related noun is the bride price. B. Jacob says this was a proposal gift and not a purchase price (Exodus, 700). This is the price paid to her parents, which allowed for provision should there be a divorce. The amount was usually agreed on by the two families, but the price was higher for a pure bride from a noble family. Here, the one who seduces her must pay it, regardless of whether he marries her or not.