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Sensitive content. Please help me understand this.

Radagast

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Has this passage been properly translated?

I believe so. At least, all translations I've looked at agree. Notice that the man has to support the woman as his wife as long as he lives. But there's nothing to say that she has to live with him, if she doesn't want to.

Some cases covered by this rule would be consensual sex without the father's permission. In that case, the rule provides a way of getting married without paternal consent (in which case the silver becomes a sweetener to keep him happy). The key thing is that the rule puts no restrictions on what the woman chooses to do.
 
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Quid est Veritas?

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Probably, but I am no expert in Hebrew. But this must be understood in context of the time.
If a girl was no longer a virgin, her marriageability was low to non-existent, and she would therefore remain a burden unto her father into his old age. Basically become an old maid. So this was a means to make sure she then got a husband and remained cared for, at least. There is no reason to suppose that everyone would be able to care for an additional woman into their old age. It might be about rape, but a consenting relationship is also possible. It also makes provision that the man cannot divorce her, which is probably a way to discourage rape then - it would be quite horrible to have to live with someone who despises you your entire life, she would be a financial burden unto you, with angry in-laws and social pressure to back it up. A shotgun wedding, essentially.

It is far from perfect, but makes sense in a Bronze Age context. Carrying off other peoples' daughters as wives was a common enough practice - Think of the rape of the Sabine women in Roman history for example, or the mythologic carrying off of Helen of Troy.

*Edited in light of earlier verses that mention rape already, as per the information of post 5. So this might be regarding consensual relations mostly, although a 'raped' context is still possible, as it qualifies it by 'betrothed'. Silly me, this is why one reads the whole passage.
 
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Radagast

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It also makes provision that the man cannot divorce her, which is probably a way to discourage rape then - it would be quite horrible to have to live with someone who despises you your entire life.

It doesn't actually say that the woman has to live with the man; just that he has all the obligations of a husband, including the financial ones.
 
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Traveling teacher

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this verse talks about consensual fornication...not rape

as rape is mentioned a few verses up vs.25-28
it also says young woman..virgin vs 28

this would be like a teenager getting another girl pregnant...
in the old days in my time they were expected to marry....

i believe it should be the same today...
the boy who got her pregnant should accept his responsiblitly
 
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Dropout_Theologian

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Before I checked your gender I checked the verses and I quickly thought of John 8:1-11, though some theologians doubt the canonicity of that passage. I am not qualified to expound further.

I suppose if the law were binding to such a young woman, then some effort should be made (as far she is capable) of marrying the man, keeping in mind that he may not desire. I think it would be wisest to consider both people in the situation. Though, if she were not held to the law through some sort of grace or covering, then one's duty would be to God and then her husband (if he exists) down the road. That's how I see it, anyway.

What prompted the question about the translation?

Though the poster may be pure of heart, you don't have to answer this question if you don't want to.
 
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Michellegen34

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I think since Deuteronomy a little bit earlier already mentioned the punishment for rape, this might be a different topic. Deuteronomy repeats a lot of the laws in Exodus (it's name even suggests it) and in Exodus we find this:

Exodus 22:16 - Now if a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged and he lies down with her, he must pay the bride-price for her to become his wife. 17 If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he is to pay the money at the rate of the bride-price
 
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Inkfingers

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'You break it, you bought it' essentially.

Well, not exactly because despite modern uberfeminist propaganda I doubt that Biblical fathers really lacked love for their daughters and treated them like property. But essentially that is what is happening - if a man wrecks a woman's chance of marriage the punishment is that she becomes a burden to him as if he were married to her. Quite poetic justice for a seducer (and even a rapist if the woman is not forced to marry him, and the passage certainly does not say the woman has to accept the marriage).
 
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dreadnought

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Bible Gateway passage: Deuteronomy 22:28-29 - King James Version
Has this passage been properly translated? I am not judging, just asking for help/

I think the New King James Version is a little clearer:

28 If a man finds a young woman who is a virgin, who is not betrothed, and he seizes her and lies with her, and they are found out,
29 then the man who lay with her shall give to the young woman’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife because he has humbled her; he shall not be permitted to divorce her all his days.
 
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YeshuaBought

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this verse talks about consensual fornication...not rape

as rape is mentioned a few verses up vs.25-28
it also says young woman..virgin vs 28

this would be like a teenager getting another girl pregnant...
in the old days in my time they were expected to marry....

i believe it should be the same today...
the boy who got her pregnant should accept his responsiblitly
That is what I thought, but was not sure. I have survived an attack, so I was struggling. Thank you.
 
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