Exodus 22:16 · Bible study
Exodus 22:16 Commentary: Seduction Law and Women's Dignity
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the Mosaic law on seduction in Exodus 22:16. Understand its purpose for justice, protection, and the dignity of women in ancient Israel.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A seducer must marry the virgin he seduced and pay a dowry; if her father refuses, he pays the dowry anyway.
- Key words: “Entice” implies persuasion (consent) versus force; “dowry” is the marriage price (mohar) paid to the woman’s family.
- Main debate: Was the marriage mandatory for the seducer or conditional on the father’s consent? The text (v.17) clearly gives the father a veto, but the seducer is always obligated to pay the dowry.
- Theological theme: God’s justice protects vulnerable women within a patriarchal order, holding men accountable and providing for the woman’s future.
- Best use: Teaching on OT law as a reflection of God’s heart for justice; discussion of sexual ethics and responsibility in a biblical framework.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged in marriage and sleeps with her, he must pay the full dowry for her to be his wife.
WEB World English Bible 2000
“If a man entices a virgin who isn’t pledged to be married, and lies with her, he shall surely pay a dowry for her to be his wife.
KJV King James Version 1769
And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And if a man entice a virgin that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely pay a dowry for her to be his wife.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`And when a man doth entice a virgin who is not betrothed, and hath lain with her, he doth certainly endow her to himself for a wife;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And if a man seduce a virgin that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall certainly endow her, to be his wife.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
If a man seduce a virgin not yet espoused, and lie with her: he shall endow her, and have her to wife.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y si alguno engañare á alguna doncella que no fuere desposada, y durmiere con ella, deberá dotarla y tomarla por mujer.
E se alguém enganar a alguma virgem que não for desposada, e dormir com ela, deverá pagar o dote por ela e tomá-la por mulher.
Si un homme séduit une vierge qui n’ est point fiancée, et qu’ il couche avec elle, il paiera sa dot et la prendra pour femme.
[22:15] Wenn jemand eine Jungfrau beredet, die noch nicht verlobt ist, und bei ihr schläft, der soll ihr geben ihre Morgengabe und sie zum Weibe haben.
Wanneer nu iemand een maagd verlokt, die niet ondertrouwd is, en hij ligt bij haar, die zal haar zonder uitstel een bruidschat geven, dat zij hem ter vrouwe zij.
Se uno seduce una fanciulla non ancora fidanzata e si giace con lei, dovrà pagare la sua dote e prenderla per moglie.
Jeźliby kto zwiódł pannę, która nie jest poślubiona, i spałby z nią, da jej koniecznie wiano, i weźmie ją sobie za żonę.
Если обольстит кто девицу необрученную и переспит с нею, пусть даст ей вено [и возьмет ее] себе в жену;
「人 若 引誘 沒有 受聘 的處女，與她 行淫，他總要交出 聘禮，娶她 為妻。
If a man takes a virgin, who has not given her word to another man, and has connection with her, he will have to give a bride-price for her to be his wife.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Exodus 22:16 addresses the seduction of an unbetrothed virgin and requires the man to marry her with a dowry. Adam Clarke notes the law is “exceedingly wise and humane,” operating against seduction by ensuring the man must either marry the woman or pay the full dowry if her father refuses. Calvin explains that God ordains this remedy to protect young women from becoming prostitutes after being deceived, and to guard them against poverty. Gill adds that the seducer “shall surely endow her to be his wife”, a marriage price that compensates the family for the loss of her virginity. Keil & Delitzsch frame the seduction as an attack on the father’s household property, since the daughter belongs to her father until betrothal. The law thus curbs sexual sin, upholds the father’s authority, and provides for the woman’s future, preventing her from being cast aside.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Mandatory marriage view: The text reads “he shall surely pay a dowry for her to be his wife” (v.16) and Deuteronomy 22:29 says “she shall be his wife,” suggesting the seducer has no choice but to marry her if the father agrees.
- Conditional marriage view: The father can refuse (v.17), and the seducer then pays the dowry without marriage. Some argue the seducer himself might also choose to pay rather than marry, though the text does not explicitly allow it.
- Protective view: The primary purpose is to prevent the woman from being abandoned and falling into poverty or prostitution (Calvin, Clarke). The marriage requirement serves that protection, not punishment.
What is clear: The law requires the seducer to provide the dowry — either as part of marriage to the woman or as compensation to her father — ensuring she is not left destitute or dishonored without redress.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Mandatory marriage | The law requires the seducer to take the woman as his wife by paying the dowry, provided the father consents. | Some commentators (e.g., Gill) suggest the seducer is not absolutely forced to marry; he may pay the dowry without marriage if the father refuses. Others (Clarke, Calvin) stress the obligation to marry as the intended outcome, with the dowry payment as an alternative only when the father withholds permission. |
| Dowry amount | The dowry is the bride-price paid to the woman’s family. Deuteronomy 22:29 specifies 50 shekels for a similar case. | Clarke cites 50 shekels as the fixed amount; Cambridge Bible notes the <em>mohar</em> varied with circumstances and mutual agreement. The text in Exodus does not fix a specific sum. |
| Woman’s consent and punishment | The woman is not punished in this law; the man bears the financial and relational responsibility. | Some traditions (e.g., later Jewish law) debated whether the woman’s consent made her complicit. Calvin and Clarke stress that she is the victim of deception; Gill notes she was “enticed” and yielded, but the law focuses on the man’s action. The woman’s lack of agency is assumed in the patriarchal context. |
| Applicability to Christians | The principle of protecting the vulnerable and holding sexual sinners accountable is timeless. | Some Christians view this as a civil law for ancient Israel, not binding today. Others see it as a moral model for church discipline and restitution in cases of sexual sin. The debate touches on the continuity of OT judicial law under the new covenant. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Exodus 22:16 sits within the Covenant Code (Exodus 20, 23), a collection of laws given at Sinai that govern Israel’s communal life. In ancient Israel, a woman’s social standing was tied to her father’s household until betrothal, and her virginity carried significant economic and honor value. A virgin could command a bride-price (mohar) from a suitor, paid to her family at betrothal, as the Cambridge Bible notes, the term “dowry” in English translations should be understood as a marriage price. The law here protects that economic interest.
Seduction is distinct from rape: the verb “entice” implies persuasion and consent, unlike the coercive force described in Deuteronomy 22:28, 29, where the man “grabs her” and must still marry her but cannot divorce her. The seducer in Exodus 22:16 is not yet married (as Poole argues, a married man would be guilty of adultery punishable by death). If the father refuses the marriage, the seducer still pays the full dowry, a fine for the dishonor and loss of value. The community thus ensures that no woman is left destitute or forced into prostitution after being sexually involved outside marriage.
This law reflects God’s concern for order, justice, and protection within a patriarchal society. It does not challenge the family structure but works within it to safeguard vulnerable individuals, particularly young women, from exploitation and abandonment.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Exodus 22:16. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, and the verse is quoted without variation in commentaries. The translation differences (e.g., “endow” in KJV, “pay a dowry” in WEB) reflect English choices rather than textual issues.
Reception History
Early Jewish interpretation, as reflected in the Targum and later rabbinic discussions (e.g., Talmud Ketubot), elaborated the details: the dowry was set at 50 shekels (derived from Deuteronomy 22:29), and the seducer could not divorce her if the marriage took place. Christian commentators from the Reformation, such as Calvin and Matthew Henry, praised the law for protecting vulnerable women and upholding marriage. In modern scholarship, the law is analyzed alongside ancient Near Eastern codes (Hammurabi, Middle Assyrian) that similarly regulated seduction, but Israel’s law uniquely emphasizes the father’s consent and the woman’s economic security. The verse has been used in ethical discussions on sexual responsibility and restitution.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The law protects the vulnerable. The seducer must provide for the woman he has harmed, either by marriage (with full dowry) or by payment. This prevents her from being discarded and left to poverty or shame.
- The father retains authority in marriage. Even though the law commands the marriage, the father can refuse. This respects the family’s role in protecting their daughter’s long-term welfare.
- God takes sexual sin seriously. The requirement for restitution, financial and relational, shows that sexual sin is not private; it affects families and requires tangible repair.
Five-point outline
- The definition of seduction: persuasion without force, as distinguished from rape in Deuteronomy 22:28, 29.
- The requirement of a dowry: a bride-price paid to the woman’s family, not just a fine, marriage is the intended outcome.
- The father’s veto: if he refuses, the man still pays the full dowry; consent is not coerced.
- The absence of punishment for the woman: her consent is assumed but the law focuses on the man’s responsibility and the family’s loss.
- The broader context: this law is one of several in Exodus 22 that protect the marginalized, strangers, widows, orphans (vv. 21, 24), showing God’s care for those at risk.
Illustration hooks
- A young woman in a relationship where a partner pressures her into sex with promises of commitment, then disappears once he gets what he wants. The law would have required him to follow through or pay a serious price.
- A parent who learns their teenage daughter has been sexually active at a party. The shame and worry about her future echoes the father in this law, who must decide whether the young man can be trusted as a husband.
- In many cultures today, a woman who loses her virginity outside marriage still faces stigma or forced marriage. This law shows that God’s concern is for her protection, not for shame or punishment.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this law force a victim to marry her abuser? (No, it applies to seduction with consent, not rape; and the father can refuse.)
- Why is there no punishment for the woman? (The law protects her from being left destitute; she is seen as a vulnerable participant under her father’s protection.)
- What does this law say about today’s sexual ethics? (It shows that sex outside marriage has consequences and that God cares about justice for the person harmed.)
Leading a Discussion
This law comes from a world very different from ours, yet it shows that God has always cared about what happens to women who are taken advantage of. The man who seduces a young woman does not get to walk away free; he must take responsibility through marriage or payment. As you discuss, pay attention to both the protection the law offers and the limits of its patriarchal frame.
Discussion questions
- Read Exodus 22:16, 17 with Deuteronomy 22:28, 29. What is the difference between “entice” and “grabs”? Why does that matter for the penalty?
- Why do you think the father’s consent is so important in this law? What does that reveal about family structure in ancient Israel?
- Calvin said this law was to prevent women from becoming prostitutes after being “deceived.” Do you see the law as protective or as controlling? How can it be both?
- If the seducer had to marry the woman, does that create a good outcome for her? What are the potential downsides of forcing a marriage in such circumstances?
- How does this law compare to modern attitudes toward sexual consent and responsibility? Where do we see parallels, and where does our culture fall short?
- What does this law teach us about God’s character, especially His concern for the vulnerable and His view of sexual sin?
- How can Christian communities today apply the principle behind this law: ensuring that those who cause sexual harm are held accountable and that victims are not left abandoned?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 34:2 | Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her. He took her, lay with her, and humbled her. |
| Genesis 34:4 | Shechem spoke to his father, Hamor, saying, “Get me this young lady as a wife.” |
| Deuteronomy 22:28 | If a man finds a lady who is a virgin, who is not pledged to be married, grabs her and lies with her, and they are found, |
| Deuteronomy 22:29 | then the man who lay with her shall give to the lady’s father fifty shekels of silver. She shall be his wife, because he has humbled her. He may not put her away all his days. |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights the law's protective design: a seducer must marry the woman and pay a full dowry, with no right to ever divorce her. This severe consequence powerfully discouraged such crimes, making marriages more secure and shielding vulnerable young women from exploitation.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that God's law here focuses on protecting young women from ruin, not merely punishing the seducer. By requiring the seducer to marry his victim and provide a dowry, the law prevents her from becoming a prostitute. This shows that even when the harsher penalty is lifted, fornication remains displeasing to God.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator clarifies that the "marriage-price" (mohar) was a payment to the girl's family, not a dowry, and it ratified the betrothal. Seduction of an unbetrothed maiden was treated as a property offense—her value to her father diminished—so the seducer must pay and take her as wife. A betrothed maiden's seduction was considered adultery, a separate case.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note stresses that a man who seduces an unbetrothed virgin must make
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill distinguishes this case from forcible rape by noting the woman was enticed, meaning she yielded willingly to persuasion and promises. Because she was not betrothed to another, the man is required to provide a dowry and take her as his wife, unless legal obstacles prevent it.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch treat the seduction of an unbetrothed girl as an attack on the father's family property. The seducer must either marry her by paying the customary dowry or, if the father refuses, pay that same amount as compensation for the dishonor done to the household.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange treats these civil laws not as a criminal code but as a system for training a people in freedom. He notes that the legislation begins with emancipation and that every main point indirectly secures the rights of personal liberty, reflecting the theocratic character of Israel's community.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry stresses that even in a case where God's law itself appointed marriage as the penalty for seduction, the father's consent was still required, showing how sacred parental authority remains. He also notes that the law makes witchcraft a capital offense, indicating its seriousness.