New English Translation
Deuteronomy 22:17
17Moreover, he has raised accusations of impropriety by saying, ‘I discovered your daughter was not a virgin,’ but this is the evidence of my daughter’s virginity!” The cloth must then be spread out before the city’s elders.
Deuteronomy 22:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And, lo, he hath given occasions of speech against her, saying, I found not thy daughter a maid; and yet these are the tokens of my daughter’s virginity. And they shall spread the cloth before the elders of the city.
- New International Version (NIV)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,
- English Standard Version (ESV)and behold, he has accused her of misconduct, saying, "I did not find in your daughter evidence of virginity." And yet this is the evidence of my daughter's virginity.' And they shall spread the cloak before the elders of the city.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now he has charged her with shameful conduct, saying, “I found your daughter was not a virgin,” and yet these are the evidences of my daughter’s virginity.’ And they shall spread the cloth before the elders of the city.
Context of Deuteronomy 22:17
15Then the father and mother of the young woman must produce the evidence of virginity for the elders of the city at the gate. 16The young woman’s father must say to the elders, “I gave my daughter to this man and he has rejected her. Moreover, he has raised accusations of impropriety by saying, ‘I discovered your daughter was not a virgin,’ but this is the evidence of my daughter’s virginity!” The cloth must then be spread out before the city’s elders. 18The elders of that city must then seize the man and punish him. 19They will fine him one hundred shekels of silver and give them to the young woman’s father, for the man who made the accusation ruined the reputation of an Israelite virgin. She will then become his wife and he may never divorce her as long as he lives.
Read all of Deuteronomy 22Deuteronomy 22:17 word by word
וְהִנֵּה־ה֡וּא שָׂם֩ עֲלִילֹ֨ת דְּבָרִ֜ים לֵאמֹ֗ר לֹֽא־מָצָ֤אתִי לְבִתְּךָ֙ בְּתוּלִ֔ים וְאֵ֖לֶּה בְּתוּלֵ֣י בִתִּ֑י וּפָֽרְשׂוּ֙ הַשִּׂמְלָ֔ה לִפְנֵ֖י זִקְנֵ֥י הָעִֽיר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And, lo, he hath givenשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: accuseH7760
- occasionsעֲלִילָה‛ălîylâh ‛ălilâh · wantonnessH5949
- of speechדָּבָרdâbâr · word: caseH1697
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- I foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
- not thy daughterבַּתbath · daughterH1323
- a maidבְּתוּלִיםbethûlîym · virginityH1331
- And they shall spreadפָּרַשׂpâraώ · to spreadH6566
- the clothשִׂמְלָהώimlâh · mantleH8071
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- the eldersזָקֵןzâqên · old: elderH2205
- of the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 22:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17They shall spread the cloth, etc. - A usage of this kind argues a roughness of manners which would ill comport with the refinement of European ideas on so delicate a subject. Attempts have been made to show that the law here is to be understood metaphorically; but they so perfectly fail to establish any thing like probability, that it would be wasting my own and my reader's time to detail them. A custom similar to that above is observed among the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-30Verses 13-30 These and the like regulations might be needful then, and yet it is not necessary that we should curiously examine respecting them. The laws relate to the seventh commandment, laying a restraint upon fleshly lusts which war against the soul.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17The cloth (literally covering) may also have been a piece of clothing, such as a night garment.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-3013-30. If a man take a wife, &c.--The regulations that follow might be imperatively needful in the then situation of the Israelites; and yet, it is not necessary that we should curiously and impertinently inquire into them. So far was it from being unworthy of God to leave such things upon record, that the enactments must heighten our admiration of His wisdom and goodness in the management of a people so perverse and so given to irregular passions. Nor is…Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 22:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 22
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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