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  • From: Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>
  • To: Harold Holmyard <hholmyard3 AT earthlink.net>
  • Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Definite Article 7:14
  • Date: Sun, 15 Jul 2007 18:24:32 -0400

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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