^22:16³⁹ “If a man seduces a virgin⁴⁰ who is not engaged⁴¹ and has sexual relations with her, he must surely endow⁴² her to be his wife. ^22:17If her father refuses to give her to him, he must pay money for the bride price of virgins.

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Footnotes

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

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“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 her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the bride-price for virgins.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“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 her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

“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 her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must pay an amount in silver equal to the bridal price for virgins.

NLTNew Living Translation

“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. 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.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

“ ‘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. If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he will weigh out money according to the bride price for the virgin.

KJV 1900King James Version

And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife. If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.

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