Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, December 20th, 2025
the Third Week of Advent
Attention!
StudyLight.org has pledged to help build churches in Uganda. Help us with that pledge and support pastors in the heart of Africa.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

New Life Version

Exodus 22:16

"If a man tempts a woman who has never had a man and is not promised in marriage, and lies with her, he must pay a wedding gift for her to be his wife.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Adultery;   Dowry;   Marriage;   Seduction;   Women;   The Topic Concordance - Marriage;   Sexual Activities;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Woman;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Dowry;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Fornication;   Virgin;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Family Life and Relations;   Money;   Punishment;   Sexuality, Human;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Fornication;   Marriage;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Betrothal;   Crimes and Punishments;   Exodus, Book of;   Maid, Maiden;   Rape;   Sex, Biblical Teaching on;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Canon of the Old Testament;   Covenant, Book of the;   Ethics;   Exodus;   Hexateuch;   Law;   Leviticus;   Marriage;   Priests and Levites;   Sin;   Slave, Slavery;   Ten Commandments;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Dowry;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Law of Moses;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Samuel the Prophet;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Covenant, the Book of the;   Crime;   Endow;   Maid;   Relationships, Family;   Seduce;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Admissions in Evidence;   Chastity;   Commandments, the 613;   Daughter in Jewish Law;   Fines and Forfeiture;   Fornication;   Ketubot;   Marriage;   Money;   Seduction;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
"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.
King 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.
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.
New Century Version
"Suppose a man finds a woman who is not pledged to be married and has never had sexual relations with a man. If he tricks her into having sexual relations with him, he must give her family the payment to marry her, and she will become his wife.
New English Translation
"If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged and has sexual relations with her, he must surely endow her to be his wife.
Amplified Bible
"If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed, and lies with her, he must pay a dowry (marriage price) for her to be his wife.
New American Standard Bible
"If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed and sleeps with her, he must pay a dowry for her to be his wife.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And if a man entise a maide that is not betrothed, and lie with her, hee shall endowe her, and take her to his wife.
Legacy Standard Bible
"If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged and lies with her, he must pay a dowry for her to be his wife.
Contemporary English Version
The Lord said: Suppose a young woman has never been married and isn't engaged. If a man talks her into having sex, he must pay the bride price and marry her.
Complete Jewish Bible
But if her father refuses to give her to him, he must pay a sum equivalent to the bride-price for virgins.
Darby Translation
And if a man seduce a virgin that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall certainly endow her, to be his wife.
Easy-to-Read Version
"If a man has sexual relations with a virgin who he is not engaged to, then he must pay her father the full amount necessary to marry her.
English 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.
George Lamsa Translation
And if a man entices a virgin who is not betrothed, and lies with her, he shall surely marry her.
Good News Translation
"If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, he must pay the bride price for her and marry her.
Christian 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.
Literal Translation
And when a man lures a virgin who is not betrothed, and lies with her, paying he shall pay her dowry for a wife to himself.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Yf a man begile a mayde, that is not yet spoused, and lye with her, the same shal geue her hir dowry, and take her to his wife.
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
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.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
If a man entice a mayde that is not betrouthed, and lye with her, he shall endowe her, and take her to his wyfe.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.
King James Version (1611)
And if a man entice a maide that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And if any one deceive a virgin that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her for a wife to himself.
English Revised Version
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.
Berean Standard Bible
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.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
If a man disseyueth a virgyn not yit weddid, and slepith with hir, he schal yyue dower to hir, and schal haue hir wijf.
Young's Literal Translation
`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;
Update Bible Version
And if a man entices a virgin that is not betrothed, and lies with her, he shall surely pay a dowry for her to be his wife.
Webster's Bible Translation
And if a man shall entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.
World English Bible
"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.
New King James Version
"If a man entices a virgin who is not betrothed, and lies with her, he shall surely pay the bride-price for her to be his wife.
New 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.
New Revised Standard
When a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to be married, and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price for her and make her his wife.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, when a man enticeth a virgin who is not betrothed, and lieth with her, he shall, surely pay a purchase-price, that she may be his wife.
Douay-Rheims Bible
If a man seduce a virgin not yet espoused, and lie with her: he shall endow her, and have her to wife.
Revised Standard Version
"If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed, and lies with her, he shall give the marriage present for her, and make her his wife.
THE MESSAGE
"If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the marriage price and marry her. If her father absolutely refuses to give her away, the man must still pay the marriage price for virgins.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, and lies with her, he must pay a dowry for her to be his wife.

Contextual Overview

16 "If a man tempts a woman who has never had a man and is not promised in marriage, and lies with her, he must pay a wedding gift for her to be his wife. 17 If her father will not give her to him, he will pay the wedding gift that is to be paid for women who have never had a man. 18 "Do not allow a woman to live who does witchcraft. 19 Whoever does sex sins with an animal will be put to death. 20 "He who gives a gift in worship to any god other than the Lord alone will be destroyed. 21 Do not do wrong to a stranger or make it hard for him. For you were strangers in the land of Egypt. 22 Do not bring trouble to any woman whose husband has died or any child whose parents have died. 23 If you bring them trouble, and they cry out to Me, for sure I will hear their cry. 24 My anger will burn and I will kill you with the sword. Then your wives will lose their husbands. And your children will lose their fathers.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

a man entice: Genesis 34:2-4, Deuteronomy 22:28, Deuteronomy 22:29

Reciprocal: Genesis 29:18 - I will serve Genesis 34:12 - dowry 1 Samuel 18:25 - dowry Proverbs 30:19 - and the

Cross-References

Genesis 12:2
And I will make you a great nation. I will bring good to you. I will make your name great, so you will be honored.
Genesis 22:13
Then Abraham looked and saw a ram behind him, with his horns caught in the bushes. Abraham went and took the ram, and gave him as a burnt gift instead of his son.
Genesis 22:14
Abraham gave that place the name "The Lord will give us what we need." And it is said to this day, "On the mountain of the Lord it will be given."
Psalms 105:9
the agreement that He made with Abraham, and His promise to Isaac.
Isaiah 45:23
By Myself I have sworn. The Word has gone out from My mouth in truth, and will not turn back: ‘Every knee will bow down before Me. And every tongue will say that I am God.'
Jeremiah 49:13
For I have promised by Myself," says the Lord, "that Bozrah will become an object of trouble, a shame, a waste, and a curse. All its cities will be destroyed forever."
Jeremiah 51:14
The Lord of All has promised by Himself, saying, "For sure I will fill you with men, as with many locusts. And they will call out that they have won the war against you."
Amos 6:8
The Lord God has promised by Himself. The Lord God of All has said, "I hate the pride of Jacob, and I hate his strong-places, so I will give up the city and everything in it."
Luke 1:73
God promised this to our early father Abraham.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And if a man entice a maid, that is not betrothed,.... For one might be betrothed according to the custom of those times, and not be married, or the nuptials consummated, and so be yet a maid or virgin; but being betrothed, it made the case different, because such an one was as a wife to a man: but the case here supposed is of a maid not betrothed, and also not forced, but yielding to the solicitations of a man, as is implied by her being enticed; which signifies his gaining upon her affections, and obtaining her consent by expressing strong affection for her, and making large promises to her, and so both by words and gestures prevailing with her to yield to his desire:

and lie with her; in a way of carnal copulation; and such an action between two single persons, by consent, is what is called simple fornication: if this was done in a field, the maid was supposed to be forced, since there she might cry out, and not be heard; but if in a city, she is supposed to be enticed, and consent, since if she cried out she might be heard; this the Jewish writers gather from

Deuteronomy 22:23, though the law there respects a betrothed damsel:

he shall surely endow her to be his wife; give her a dowry in order to be his wife, or, however, such an one as he would or must give if she became his wife, even one suitable to her rank and dignity, whether he married her or not; for he was not obliged to it whether he would or not, and in some cases could not if he would, as follows.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the marginal references.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 22:16. If a man entice a maid — This was an exceedingly wise and humane law, and must have operated powerfully against seduction and fornication; because the person who might feel inclined to take the advantage of a young woman knew that he must marry her, and give her a dowry, if her parents consented; and if they did not consent that their daughter should wed her seducer, in this case he was obliged to give her the full dowry which could have been demanded had she been still a virgin. According to the Targumist here, and to Deuteronomy 22:29, the dowry was fifty shekels of silver, which the seducer was to pay to her father, and he was obliged to take her to wife; nor had he authority, according to the Jewish canons, ever to put her away by a bill of divorce. This one consideration was a powerful curb on disorderly passions, and must tend greatly to render marriages respectable, and prevent all crimes of this nature.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile