22:13 Suppose a man marries a woman, has sexual relations with her, 1 and then rejects 2 her, 22:14 accusing her of impropriety 3 and defaming her reputation 4 by saying, “I married this woman but when I had sexual relations 5 with her I discovered she was not a virgin!” 22:15 Then the father and mother of the young woman must produce the evidence of virginity 6 for the elders of the city at the gate. 22:16 The young woman’s father must say to the elders, “I gave my daughter to this man and he has rejected 7 her.
1 tn Heb “goes to her,” a Hebrew euphemistic idiom for sexual relations.
2 tn Heb “hate.” See note on the word “other” in Deut 21:15. Cf. NAB “comes to dislike”; NASB “turns against”; TEV “decides he doesn’t want.”
3 tn Heb “deeds of things”; NRSV “makes up charges against her”; NIV “slanders her.”
4 tn Heb “brings against her a bad name”; NIV “gives her a bad name.”
5 tn Heb “drew near to her.” This is another Hebrew euphemism for having sexual relations.
6 sn In light of v. 17 this would evidently be blood-stained sheets indicative of the first instance of intercourse. See E. H. Merrill, Deuteronomy (NAC), 302-3.
7 tn Heb “hated.” See note on the word “other” in Deut 21:15.