Leviticus 19:20

“And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, etc.] Has carnal knowledge of her: a man and woman are expressed, signifying those that are of age, Aben Ezra observes, that according to the mystical exposition of these words, this same carnally lying is as of divers kinds, of a free man with a bondwoman, and so follows upon the above law and in connection with it: the woman is described as one that [is] a bondmaid; either meaning a Canaanitish maid, as Jarchi, or an Israelitish one, as Aben Ezra, whom her father had sold, (<022107>Exodus 21:7); betrothed to her husband: to an Hebrew servant, as Jarchi, or who was promised marriage, either by her master or his son, as Aben Ezra, (<022108>Exodus…”

“Betrothed 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 an injury on the rights of the master. return to 'Top of Page'”

“She shall be scourged - Heb. There shall be a scourging, which probably may belong to both of them, for Both were guilty. It follows, they shall not be punished with death, which may seem to imply that they were to be punished by some other common and considerable punishment, which scourging indeed was, but the paying of a ram was a small penalty and very unsuitable to the greatness of the offence. And the offering of the ram as a trespass offering for the sin against God, is not inconsistent with making satisfaction other ways for the injury done to men, but only added here as farther punishment to the man, either because he only could do this, and not the woman, who being a bondwoman had…”

“19:20-22 Betrothal in the biblical world was considered equivalent to marriage. Sexual relations with a betrothed or engaged woman who was not a slave merited death, the same punishment as for adultery (Deut 22:22; see Lev 18:20). However, the situation was less clear when the woman was a slave who might be unable to refuse. While slaves in Israel had considerably more rights than those in Mesopotamia or Egypt, they were still not free. Because a slave girl could not be punished, the man was also left unpunished. Still, he was guilty in God’s sight and had to sacrifice a ram for his sin.”

“betrothed to an husband: or, abused by any, Heb. reproached by, or, for man she shall be scourged: or, they, Heb. there shall be a scourging. they shall. Exo 21:20, Exo 21:21; Deu 22:23, Deu 22:24 Leviticus 19:21”