Deuteronomy 22 20

Deuteronomy 22:20 kjv

But if this thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel:

Deuteronomy 22:20 nkjv

"But if the thing is true, and evidences of virginity are not found for the young woman,

Deuteronomy 22:20 niv

If, however, the charge is true and no proof of the young woman's virginity can be found,

Deuteronomy 22:20 esv

But if the thing is true, that evidence of virginity was not found in the young woman,

Deuteronomy 22:20 nlt

"But suppose the man's accusations are true, and he can show that she was not a virgin.

Deuteronomy 22 verses

Deuteronomy 22 20 Meaning

Deuteronomy 22:20 describes the legal premise when a husband's accusation against his new wife's premarital chastity is proven to be true. It sets the condition that if the factual investigation confirms the bride was not a virgin before marriage, despite her and her parents' potential denial or claim of innocence, then the severe penalties outlined in the subsequent verse (Deut 22:21) apply. This verse underscores the high societal and covenantal value placed on purity and honesty regarding a woman's marital status in ancient Israel.

Deuteronomy 22 20 Context

Deuteronomy chapter 22 outlines various laws pertaining to community life and moral conduct, with a strong emphasis on protecting the sanctity of the Israelite family and maintaining sexual purity within the covenant community. Verses 13-21 specifically address the scenario of a newlywed husband accusing his bride of not being a virgin before their marriage. This passage establishes a legal process to either validate or disprove such a serious accusation. The law mandated public exposure of the alleged unchastity or a vindication of the bride.

Historically and culturally, in ancient Israelite society, a bride's virginity was paramount. It signified her purity, honored her family, and guaranteed the legitimacy of the husband's lineage, preventing confusion of paternity within the patrilineal system. Betrothal was a binding agreement, often holding the weight of marriage itself. A woman who engaged in sexual intercourse before marriage was considered to have defiled herself and dishonored her family, bringing shame upon them and violating community standards of holiness. The "tokens of virginity" mentioned in Deuteronomy 22:15, usually physical evidence such as a bloodstained cloth from the wedding night, served as tangible proof of consummation and premarital virginity, within the cultural framework. The law, though harsh in its penalties from a modern perspective, served to uphold a strong moral code, deter illicit sexual activity, and protect women from capricious accusations by demanding clear evidence and establishing severe consequences for false witness.

Deuteronomy 22 20 Word Analysis

• But if (כִּי־הָיָה kî-hāyāh): This conjunctive phrase introduces a strong conditional clause, setting up a contrast or an alternative outcome to the preceding scenario (Deut 22:19), which dealt with the consequences of a false accusation. It transitions the legal narrative from unproven accusation to factual confirmation.
• the thing (הַדָּבָר hadāvār): Refers to the "matter" or "affair," specifically the husband's accusation or claim. It denotes the entire subject or legal case concerning the woman's virginity. Dāvār signifies not just a word but a concrete issue or event that requires a legal judgment.
• is true (אֱמֶת emet): This powerful word means "truth," "firmness," "reliability," or "faithfulness." It signifies that the husband's claim has been objectively substantiated and confirmed as fact. This moves the situation beyond mere accusation or suspicion to verified reality, underscoring the importance of justice based on evidence rather than rumor.
• that the young woman (הַנַּעֲרָה hānaʿarāh): This refers to a "maiden" or "girl" of marriageable age. It distinguishes her status as someone expected to be chaste before marriage and indicates she is a subject of the law's specific protections or judgments relating to premarital conduct.
• was not found (לֹא־נִמְצָא loʾ-nimtsāʾ): This phrase uses the Niphal stem (passive voice) of matsāʾ ("to find"). It implies that her non-virginity was a discovered, pre-existing condition, rather than something that occurred during the marriage. It highlights the outcome of the investigation, meaning the required evidence for virginity (Deut 22:15) was conspicuously absent or disproved.
• to be a virgin (לָהּ בְּתוּלִים lāh bəṯûlîm):
  • לָהּ (lāh): A preposition meaning "to her" or "for her," indicating possession or association.
  • בְּתוּלִים (bəṯûlîm): The plural noun specifically refers to "virginity" in a physical sense, often translated as "tokens of virginity" or "evidence of virginity." It implies the physical signs of an intact hymen and the state of being chaste and having never engaged in sexual intercourse. Its absence confirms that the bride had engaged in sexual relations before her marriage to the accuser.

Deuteronomy 22 20 Bonus Section

The severe nature of this law and others concerning sexual immorality in the Old Testament reflects several theological and sociological truths. Firstly, it underscores God's absolute holiness and His demand for moral purity in His people, differentiating Israel from the idolatrous and promiscuous practices of surrounding nations (e.g., Lev 18:24-30). The punishment served as a means of "purging evil from your midst" (Deut 13:5), preventing the spiritual and social decay that results from widespread sexual sin.

Secondly, these laws reveal the high regard God places on marriage as a covenant relationship. A woman's premarital purity was vital for establishing a clean, undisputed marital bond and ensuring the integrity of the family unit, which was the bedrock of Israelite society.

Thirdly, while seemingly harsh from a modern viewpoint, the legal framework in Deuteronomy aimed to establish clear justice and deter arbitrary accusations. The provision for a thorough investigation (Deut 22:15) and severe penalties for false claims (Deut 22:18-19) provided a measure of protection, especially for women against malicious accusations, underscoring that the law sought justice based on truth, not mere suspicion. New Testament teachings often affirm the principles of purity and the sanctity of marriage, even as they transcend the strict application of specific capital punishments of the Mosaic Law, emphasizing spiritual purity and mercy as well (Matt 5:27-28; John 8:1-11).

Deuteronomy 22 20 Commentary

Deuteronomy 22:20 serves as a pivotal conditional statement within the larger legal context of marital accusations and purity. Following the detailed process for investigating a husband's claim (Deut 22:13-19), this verse decisively states the alternative: if the accusation is demonstrably true, then the law proceeds to capital punishment. This highlights that Israelite jurisprudence under Mosaic law was not based on mere accusation or rumor, but on evidence and the verification of truth. The phrase "the thing is true" is central, signifying that a just and thorough investigation, consistent with the standards of witness and evidence outlined elsewhere in the Law (e.g., Deut 19:15), has confirmed the premarital sexual activity.

The gravity of the consequence in Deuteronomy 22:21—death by stoning at the door of her father's house—underscores the severe nature of the offense. Premarital unchastity was not just a personal transgression but a fundamental breach of the communal covenant, a defilement that stained the family's honor and introduced impurity into the congregation. Such conduct was seen as an "outrage in Israel" (Deut 22:21) because it violated the sanctity of marriage, which God established, threatened the legitimacy of family lines, and contradicted the holiness God required of His people (Lev 18:24-30). These strict laws served as a potent deterrent, emphasizing God's demand for purity and righteousness within the covenant community. While the specific legal mechanisms and penalties of this law are rooted in a distinct ancient Near Eastern context and cultural norms regarding family and honor, the underlying divine principle—God's value for purity, the sanctity of marriage, and the gravity of sexual sin—resonates throughout Scripture into the New Testament (e.g., Heb 13:4, 1 Cor 6:18, Eph 5:3).