Deuteronomy 22

King James Version

Full text for Deuteronomy Chapter 22

1¶ Thou shalt not see thy brother's ox or his sheep go astray, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt in any case bring them again unto thy brother.

2And if thy brother [be] not nigh unto thee, or if thou know him not, then thou shalt bring it unto thine own house, and it shall be with thee until thy brother seek after it, and thou shalt restore it to him again.

3In like manner shalt thou do with his ass; and so shalt thou do with his raiment; and with all lost thing of thy brother's, which he hath lost, and thou hast found, shalt thou do likewise: thou mayest not hide thyself.

4Thou shalt not see thy brother's ass or his ox fall down by the way, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely help him to lift [them] up again.

5¶ The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so [are] abomination unto the LORD thy God.

6If a bird's nest chance to be before thee in the way in any tree, or on the ground, [whether they be] young ones, or eggs, and the dam sitting upon the young, or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with the young:

7[But] thou shalt in any wise let the dam go, and take the young to thee; that it may be well with thee, and [that] thou mayest prolong [thy] days.

8When thou buildest a new house, then thou shalt make a battlement for thy roof, that thou bring not blood upon thine house, if any man fall from thence.

9Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers seeds: lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard, be defiled.

10Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together.

11Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, [as] of woollen and linen together.

12Thou shalt make thee fringes upon the four quarters of thy vesture, wherewith thou coverest [thyself].

13¶ If any man take a wife, and go in unto her, and hate her,

14And give occasions of speech against her, and bring up an evil name upon her, and say, I took this woman, and when I came to her, I found her not a maid:

15Then shall the father of the damsel, and her mother, take and bring forth [the tokens of] the damsel's virginity unto the elders of the city in the gate:

16And the damsel's father shall say unto the elders, I gave my daughter unto this man to wife, and he hateth her;

17And, 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.

18And the elders of that city shall take that man and chastise him;

19And they shall amerce him in an hundred [shekels] of silver, and give [them] unto the father of the damsel, because he hath brought up an evil name upon a virgin of Israel: and she shall be his wife; he may not put her away all his days.

20But if this thing be true, [and the tokens of] virginity be not found for the damsel:

21Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father's house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you.

22If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, [both] the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.

23If a damsel [that is] a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her;

24Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, [being] in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour's wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you.

25But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then the man only that lay with her shall die:

26But unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing; [there is] in the damsel no sin [worthy] of death: for as when a man riseth against his neighbour, and slayeth him, even so [is] this matter:

27For he found her in the field, [and] the betrothed damsel cried, and [there was] none to save her.

28If a man find a damsel [that is] a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found;

29Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father fifty [shekels] of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.

30A man shall not take his father's wife, nor discover his father's skirt.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Deuteronomy 22 outlines various laws concerning civic responsibility, personal conduct, and sexual purity within Israel. It mandates returning lost property and aiding neighbors, while prohibiting practices deemed abominable, such as cross-dressing and mixed plantings. A significant portion addresses marriage and sexual offenses, detailing severe penalties for adultery, rape, and false accusations of non-virginity, alongside provisions for seduction. The chapter emphasizes maintaining order, purity, and justice within the Israelite community.

Medium Summary

Deuteronomy 22 begins with commands for civic duty, requiring Israelites to return lost livestock or garments to their owners and to assist neighbors whose animals have fallen. It then prohibits practices considered an "abomination to the LORD," including cross-dressing and the mixing of different seeds in a vineyard or diverse materials in a garment. The chapter also includes a unique law regarding bird nests, allowing the taking of young but requiring the mother bird to be set free. Safety regulations for new houses, specifically the construction of a battlement on the roof, are also prescribed. The latter half of the chapter focuses heavily on laws concerning marriage and sexual purity, outlining severe penalties for false accusations against a wife's virginity, adultery, and various forms of sexual misconduct, including rape and seduction. These laws aim to uphold the sanctity of marriage and prevent evil within Israel.

Long Summary

Deuteronomy 22 commences with statutes promoting communal responsibility, instructing individuals to actively return lost property, such as stray oxen, sheep, or garments, to their rightful owners, even if the owner is unknown or distant. It further commands assistance for a neighbor whose animal has fallen, emphasizing a duty not to hide oneself from such needs. The chapter then transitions to prohibitions, declaring cross-dressing an "abomination unto the LORD" and forbidding the sowing of vineyards with diverse seeds, plowing with an ox and an ass together, or wearing garments of mixed materials like wool and linen. A specific command is given to make fringes on the four quarters of one's vesture. Ethical considerations extend to the natural world, with a law permitting the taking of young birds from a nest but requiring the mother to be set free, promising well-being and prolonged days. Practical safety is addressed by mandating a battlement for new house roofs to prevent accidental falls. The latter and most extensive part of the chapter details laws concerning sexual purity and marriage. It prescribes severe penalties for a man who falsely accuses his wife of not being a virgin, requiring him to be chastised, fined, and forbidden from divorcing her. Conversely, if the accusation is proven true, the woman is to be stoned for her "folly in Israel." Adultery is punishable by death for both parties. Laws distinguish between consensual sexual acts and rape, particularly concerning betrothed virgins in the city versus in the field, with differing consequences for the woman based on her ability to cry out for help. Seduction of an unbetrothed virgin requires the man to pay a dowry and marry her, never to put her away. Finally, the chapter concludes with a prohibition against a man taking his father's wife, underscoring the importance of family purity.

Core Concepts

  • Civic Duties and AidThis concept highlights the responsibility of Israelites to actively assist their neighbors, including returning lost property like livestock or garments and helping fallen animals, rather than ignoring their distress.
  • Prohibited Mixtures and PracticesThe chapter forbids various forms of mixing, such as diverse seeds in a vineyard, an ox and an ass plowing together, and garments of mixed materials, alongside the prohibition of cross-dressing, all deemed abominable.
  • Ethical Treatment of AnimalsA specific law concerning bird nests mandates that while the young or eggs may be taken, the mother bird must be allowed to go free, promoting a principle of preservation and long life.
  • Public Safety RegulationsNew houses are required to have a battlement on the roof, a practical safety measure designed to prevent accidental falls and avoid the shedding of innocent blood.
  • Laws of Sexual Purity and MarriageThis extensive section details statutes concerning marital fidelity, virginity, and sexual offenses, including severe penalties for adultery, rape, seduction, and false accusations regarding a wife's virginity, aiming to uphold moral order.
  • Garment RegulationsIsraelites are commanded to make fringes upon the four quarters of their vesture, serving as a distinctive mark and a reminder of their covenant obligations.