Leviticus 19:20

Leviticus 19:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid, betrothed to an husband, and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her; she shall be scourged; they shall not be put to death, because she was not free.
• New International Version (NIV)“ ‘If a man sleeps with a female slave who is promised to another man but who has not been ransomed or given her freedom, there must be due punishment. Yet they are not to be put to death, because she had not been freed.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"If a man lies sexually with a woman who is a slave, assigned to another man and not yet ransomed or given her freedom, a distinction shall be made. They shall not be put to death, because she was not free;
• New King James Version (NKJV)‘Whoever lies carnally with a woman who is betrothed to a man as a concubine, and who has not at all been redeemed nor given her freedom, for this there shall be scourging; but they shall not be put to death, because she was not free.

Context of Leviticus 19:20

18You shall not take revenge nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor (acquaintance, associate, companion) as yourself; I am the Lord. 19‘You are to keep My statutes. You shall not breed together two kinds of your cattle; you shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed, nor wear clothing of two kinds of material mixed together. ‘Now if a man has intimate relations with a woman who is a slave acquired for [marriage to] another man, but who has not been redeemed nor given her freedom, there shall be punishment [after an investigation]; they shall not be put to death, because she was not free; 21but he shall bring his guilt offering to the Lord to the doorway of the Tent of Meeting, a ram as a guilt offering. 22The priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering before the Lord for his sin which he has committed; and he shall be forgiven for his sin.

Leviticus 19:20 word by word

וְ֠אִישׁ כִּֽי־יִשְׁכַּ֨ב אֶת־אִשָּׁ֜ה שִׁכְבַת־זֶ֗רַע וְהִ֤וא שִׁפְחָה֙ נֶחֱרֶ֣פֶת לְאִ֔ישׁ וְהָפְדֵּה֙ לֹ֣א נִפְדָּ֔תָה א֥וֹ חֻפְשָׁ֖ה לֹ֣א נִתַּן־לָ֑הּ בִּקֹּ֧רֶת תִּהְיֶ֛ה לֹ֥א יוּמְת֖וּ כִּי־לֹ֥א חֻפָּֽשָׁה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And whosoeverאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• liethשָׁכַבshâkab · to lie down: have sexH7901
• carnallyשְׁכָבָהshekâbâh · semenH7902
• carnallyזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seed: semenH2233
• with a womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• a bondmaidשִׁפְחָהshiphchâh · maidservantH8198
• betrothedחָרַףchâraph · to acquireH2778
• and not at allפָּדָהpâdâh · to ransomH6299
• nor freedomחֻפְֿשָׁהchûphshâh · freedomH2668
• givenנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• her; she shall be scourgedבִּקֹּ֫רֶתbiqqôreth · punishmentH1244
• they shall not be put to deathמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• because she was not freeחָפַשׁchâphash · be freeH2666

Cross-references for Leviticus 19:20

• Exodus 21:20“If a man strikes his male or his female servant with a staff and the servant dies at his hand, he must be punished.
• Deuteronomy 22:23“If a young woman who is a virgin is engaged (legally betrothed) to a man, and another man finds her in the city and is intimate with her,

Commentaries on Leviticus 19:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20A woman that is a bondmaid - Had she been free, the law required that she should be put to death; (see Deuteronomy 22:24;); but as she was a slave, she is supposed to have less self-command, and therefore less guilt: but as it is taken for granted she did not make resistance, or did consent, she is to be scourged, and the man is to bring a ram for a trespass-offering.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Betrothed to an husband - Rather, who has been betrothed to a man. The reference appears to be to a bondwoman who has been betrothed to a fellow-servant by her master. Death was the punishment for unfaithfulness in a betrothed woman in other cases. Compare Deuteronomy 22:23-24. She shall be scourged - Or, They shall be chastized (see the margin). The trespass-offering was especially due from the man as having not only sinned with the woman, but inflicted…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-22In the biblical world, betrothal (engagement) was viewed as equal to marriage. Having sexual relations with a betrothed woman who was not a slave brought the same punishment as adultery. The punishment was death (Deuteronomy 22:22; see Leviticus 18:20). The situation was less clear if the woman was a slave, since she might not be able to refuse. Slaves in Israel had more rights than those in Mesopotamia or Egypt, but they were still not free. They could…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-372. Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel--Many of the laws enumerated in this chapter had been previously announced. As they were, however, of a general application, not suited to particular classes, but to the nation at large, so Moses seems, according to divine instructions, to have rehearsed them, perhaps on different occasions and to successive divisions of the people, till "all the congregation of the children of Israel" were…Read the comment

Topics related to Leviticus 19:20

• Adultery
• Concubinage
• Punishment
• Scourging
• Servant

In the dictionaries

• Bastinado
• Corner
• Dead
• Deal
• Divers
• Gender
• Husband
• Mar
• Prostitute
• Reap

Commentaries on Leviticus 19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings