39 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).
40 This is the word בְּתוּלָה (bétulah); 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.
41 Or “pledged” for marriage.
42 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.

In other versions

“If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price for her and make her 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 he sleeps with her, he must certainly pay the bridal price for her to be his wife.

“If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to anyone and has sex with her, he must pay the customary bride price and marry her.

“ ‘If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged and he lies with her, he surely will give her bride price to have her as his wife.

And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.

Public Domain