Ulangan 22:13-16

Purity in the Marriage Relationship

22:13 Suppose a man marries a woman, has sexual relations with her, ¹  and then rejects ²  her, 22:14 accusing her of impropriety ³  and defaming her reputation ⁴  by saying, “I married this woman but when I had sexual relations ⁵  with her I discovered she was not a virgin!” 22:15 Then the father and mother of the young woman must produce the evidence of virginity ⁶  for the elders of the city at the gate. 22:16 The young woman’s father must say to the elders, “I gave my daughter to this man and he has rejected ⁷  her.

[22:13]  ¹ tn Heb “goes to her,” a Hebrew euphemistic idiom for sexual relations.

[22:13]  ² tn Heb “hate.” See note on the word “other” in Deut 21:15. Cf. NAB “comes to dislike”; NASB “turns against”; TEV “decides he doesn’t want.”

[22:14]  ³ tn Heb “deeds of things”; NRSV “makes up charges against her”; NIV “slanders her.”

[22:14]  ⁴ tn Heb “brings against her a bad name”; NIV “gives her a bad name.”

[22:14]  ⁵ tn Heb “drew near to her.” This is another Hebrew euphemism for having sexual relations.

[22:15]  ⁶ sn In light of v. 17 this would evidently be blood-stained sheets indicative of the first instance of intercourse. See E. H. Merrill, Deuteronomy (NAC), 302-3.

[22:16]  ⁷ tn Heb “hated.” See note on the word “other” in Deut 21:15.