Exodus 22:17 kjv
If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.
Exodus 22:17 nkjv
If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money according to the bride-price of virgins.
Exodus 22:17 niv
If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins.
Exodus 22:17 esv
If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the bride-price for virgins.
Exodus 22:17 nlt
But if her father refuses to let him marry her, the man must still pay him an amount equal to the bride price of a virgin.
Exodus 22 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text (Shortened) | Reference (Note) |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 22:16 | "If a man seduces a virgin... he shall surely endow her to be his wife." | Immediate context: requirement for marriage if father consents. |
| Deut 22:28-29 | "If a man finds a virgin who is not betrothed... he shall pay the girl's father fifty shekels of silver." | Clarifies the standard "dowry of virgins" (bride-price) as 50 shekels. |
| Gen 34:11-12 | "Shechem said to Dinah's father and brothers... Name your price." | Illustrates the ancient custom of the mohar (bride-price) in a seduction context. |
| Gen 24:53 | "he brought out articles of silver... gave them to Rebekah's brother and mother." | Example of gifts/payments made to the bride's family, indicating a form of mohar. |
| Gen 29:18 | "Jacob loved Rachel... I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter." | Example of labor serving as a form of bride-price or mohar. |
| 1 Sam 18:25 | "David wants no dowry but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines." | Saul's demand of a specific mohar from David. |
| Deut 22:13-21 | Laws regarding proofs of virginity in marriage. | Emphasizes the societal value placed on female virginity. |
| Lev 21:14 | "A high priest must marry a virgin." | Underscores the high value and requirement of virginity for specific roles. |
| Prov 6:29 | "Whoever touches his neighbor’s wife will not be unpunished." | Principle of punishment for illicit sexual relations. |
| Mal 2:14-15 | "The LORD was a witness between you and the wife of your youth." | Emphasis on faithfulness and the sanctity of marriage covenants. |
| Matt 5:28 | "everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart." | NT principle of purity, addressing the heart level of sexual sin. |
| 1 Cor 6:18-20 | "Flee from sexual immorality... Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit." | NT command to avoid sexual sin, body's sacredness. |
| Eph 5:3 | "But sexual immorality and all impurity... must not even be named among you." | NT call to purity, explicit condemnation of sexual sin. |
| Heb 13:4 | "Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled." | Upholds the sanctity and honor of marriage and sexual purity. |
| 1 Thess 4:3-5 | "God’s will... that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body." | Call to sanctification and sexual self-control. |
| Exod 21:33-36 | Laws regarding restitution for damages to property. | Broader legal principle of restitution for wrongs committed. |
| Lev 6:1-5 | Laws concerning restitution for wronging another. | Outlines principles of confession, full restitution, and added penalty for wrongdoing. |
| Num 5:6-7 | "When a man or woman commits any of the sins that people commit... they shall confess their sin." | Emphasizes restitution when a person is wronged. |
| Ezra 10:2-3 | Confession of intermarriage and proposal to send away foreign wives. | Reflection on the importance of purity and obedience to God's law. |
| Gen 20:6 | "I kept you from sinning against me... that I might not touch her." | God's protection of women and prevention of sin. |
| 2 Sam 13:14 | "But he would not listen to her; and being stronger than she, he violated her." | The severe wrong of violating a woman. |
| Prov 5:8 | "Keep your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house." | Wisdom teaching about avoiding temptation and sexual sin. |
| Pro 7:27 | "Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death." | Warning about the destructive path of immorality. |
| Exod 20:14 | "You shall not commit adultery." | Fundamental commandment establishing sexual boundaries. |
| Jer 2:2 | "I remember... the love of your betrothal, how you followed me in the wilderness." | Poetic language connecting God's relationship with Israel to marriage fidelity. |
Exodus 22 verses
Exodus 22 17 Meaning
Exodus 22:17 stipulates the legal consequence for a man who seduces an unbetrothed virgin when her father subsequently refuses to permit their marriage. In this specific scenario, even though marriage does not proceed, the seducer is still obligated to pay the father the customary bride-price that would typically be given for a virgin, compensating for the dishonor and damage to her marriage prospects.
Exodus 22 17 Context
Exodus 22:17 is part of the "Book of the Covenant" (Exod 20:22–23:33), which elaborates on the Ten Commandments given at Sinai. Specifically, verses 16 and 17 address civil laws regarding sexual misconduct, safeguarding vulnerable individuals and their family's honor. The preceding verse (Exod 22:16) details the legal outcome when a man seduces an unbetrothed virgin and her father consents to their marriage; the seducer must marry her and cannot divorce her. Verse 17 addresses the specific alternative where the father exercises his right to refuse the marriage. This legal framework was vital in ancient Israelite society, where female virginity before marriage was paramount to family honor and the woman's value for future marital prospects.
Exodus 22 17 Word analysis
- If: Establishes a conditional legal premise, setting out a specific circumstance.
- her father: Highlights the paternal authority structure in ancient Israelite society, where the father had primary jurisdiction over his unmarried daughter's life, especially regarding marriage. His decision was final in such matters.
- utterly refuse: From the Hebrew root ma'en y'ma'en (מָאֵן יְמָאֵן), an infinitive absolute construct emphasizing an emphatic and definitive refusal. It signifies a strong, unequivocal "no," not a mere hesitation. This firm rejection carries legal weight.
- to give her unto him: Refers to the act of formalizing a marriage through patriarchal consent.
- he shall pay money: Mandates a specific financial restitution, emphasizing legal accountability for the man's actions, even in the absence of marriage.
- according to the dowry of virgins: The Hebrew term for "dowry" here is mohar (מֹהַר). In this context, mohar refers to the bride-price paid by the groom or his family to the bride's father or family, not money brought by the bride to the marriage. This payment compensates the father for the "damage" done to his daughter's honor and the potential reduction of her marriage prospects. It typically served as an economic safeguard for the woman as well. Deut 22:29 clarifies this standard amount for virgins as fifty shekels of silver.
- Word-Group Analysis:
- "If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him": This clause establishes the father's absolute prerogative. Despite the initial seduction and potential agreement in verse 16, the father maintains the right to prevent the marriage from occurring, showcasing his protective role and authority.
- "he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins": This clause sets the required restitution. It ensures that even when marriage is refused, the seduced woman and her family receive due compensation, mitigating the economic and social dishonor caused by the seduction and acknowledging the value of virginity within the culture. The specified amount based on "virgins" implies a fixed, standard price for such cases, reflecting consistent legal practice.
Exodus 22 17 Bonus section
The distinction between "seduction" in Exodus 22:16-17 and "rape" in Deuteronomy 22:28-29 is crucial. In Exodus 22, the woman is described as "not betrothed" and implies some degree of "persuasion" or "enticement." In Deuteronomy 22:28-29, the scenario involves a man finding "a young woman, a virgin who is not betrothed, and he seizes her and lies with her," implying force. Both laws demand the payment of the 50 shekel mohar. However, in the case of rape, marriage to the victim is always compulsory (Deut 22:29b) with no paternal option to refuse, and the man cannot divorce her. This highlights the severity of violent assault, emphasizing mandatory, lifelong responsibility over an option for restitution only.
Exodus 22 17 Commentary
Exodus 22:17 complements verse 16 by addressing the alternative outcome when an unbetrothed virgin is seduced. While verse 16 prescribes marriage if the father agrees, verse 17 ensures that if the father refuses marriage (a choice reflecting his authority and the severity of the offense against his family's honor), the seducer is still held accountable. The mandatory payment of the mohar, or customary bride-price, for a virgin serves multiple purposes: it acts as a penalty for the seducer, compensating for his transgression; it provides restitution to the father for the violation of his daughter's purity and the resulting damage to her marital value; and it underlines the high societal value placed on female virginity in ancient Israel. This law prevented seducers from acting with impunity and upheld the dignity of the wronged woman and her family, reflecting God's concern for justice and protection for the vulnerable within the community.