A betrothed woman was one who had committed to marriage and was, thus, considered to be married, to be a “wife.” Thus, for a man to have sex with a betrothed woman, even consensual sex, was a violation of the seventh commandment and was to be treated with the most severe punishment.
The situation covered in this statute is considered to be consensual – the woman did not cry for help.
T. M. Moore
The Law of God is the soil which, fertilized by the rest of God’s Word and watered by His Spirit, brings forth the fruit of Christian life. If you’d like to understand this process better, and how to make best use of the Law in your walk with and work for the Lord, order the book, The Ground for Christian Ethics, from our online store.
Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.