Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>]

Harold,

We need to distinguish between physical virginity and chastity.  
Deuteronomy 22:13-21 makes clear that lack of physical virginity  
means nothing, since we know, and the ancient Hebrews certainly knew  
as well, that a girl may inadvertently lose her virginity for no  
fault of her own. The threat of verses 20-21 is a theoretical one to  
impress upon the accusing husband the seriousness of his allegations.  
It is inconceivable that the ancient Hebrews would stone a woman to  
death for sheer lack of virginity.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On Jul 15, 2007, at 5:35 PM, Harold Holmyard wrote:

> Dear Isaac,
> > The whole point of Deuteronomy 22:13-21 is to calm down and shut up a
> > mad husband [as in the case of a supposedly SOTAH] who does not know
> > [or does not want to know] that some girls are born non virgins, that
> > some girls need some medical intervention to facilitate their blood
> > flow during menstruation which leads to virginity loss, and that a
> > good number of girls loose their virginity by some common non sexual
> > activities. So an old blood stained dress is produced, he is goodly
> > thrashed, goodly fined, and made to stick with his wife for the rest
> > of his miserable life for wishing her stoned. The rest of them
> > husbands will learn their lesson: You want to divorce you wife just
> > tell her to go home.
>
> HH: Did you read the entire passage? The woman found not to have  
> been a
> virgin at marriage was to be stoned to death. This law is dealing with
> several issues. But it shows that God puts a premium on sexual purity,
> and that he expected it of the women in Israel before marriage.
>
> Yours,
> Harold Holmyard
> > > Deut. 22:13 If a man takes a wife and, after lying with her,  
> > > dislikes her
> > > Deut. 22:14 and slanders her and gives her a bad name, saying, “I
> > > married this woman, but when I approached her, I did not find  
> > > proof of
> > > her virginity,”
> > > Deut. 22:15 then the girl’s father and mother shall bring proof  
> > > that she
> > > was a virgin to the town elders at the gate.
> > > Deut. 22:16 The girl’s father will say to the elders, “I gave my
> > > daughter in marriage to this man, but he dislikes her.
> > > Deut. 22:17 Now he has slandered her and said, ‘I did not find your
> > > daughter to be a virgin.’ But here is the proof of my daughter’s
> > > virginity.” Then her parents shall display the cloth before the  
> > > elders
> > > of the town,
> > > Deut. 22:18 and the elders shall take the man and punish him.
> > > Deut. 22:19 They shall fine him a hundred shekels of silver and give
> > > them to the girl’s father, because this man has given an Israelite
> > > virgin a bad name. She shall continue to be his wife; he must not
> > > divorce her as long as he lives.
> > > Deut. 22:20 ¶ If, however, the charge is true and no proof of the  
> > > girl’s
> > > virginity can be found,
> > > Deut. 22:21 she shall be brought to the door of her father’s  
> > > house and
> > > there the men of her town shall stone her to death. She has done a
> > > disgraceful thing in Israel by being promiscuous while still in her
> > > father’s house. You must purge the evil from among you.
>
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