Leviticus 19 · Verse 20

Leviticus 19:20

And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid, betrothed to an husband, and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her; she shall be scourged; they shall not be put to death, because she was not free.
Leviticus 19:20, King James Version

Leviticus 19:20 in other translations

BSBIf a man lies carnally with a slave girl promised to another man but who has not been redeemed or given her freedom, there must be due punishment. But they are not to be put to death, because she had not been freed.
WEB“‘If a man lies carnally with a woman who is a slave girl, pledged to be married to another man, and not ransomed or given her freedom; they shall be punished. They shall not be put to death, because she was not free.
ASVAnd whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid, betrothed to a husband, and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her; they shall be punished; they shall not be put to death, because she was not free.
YLT‘And when a man lieth with a woman with seed of copulation, and she a maid-servant, betrothed to a man, and not really ransomed, or freedom hath not been given to her, an investigation there is; they are not put to death, for she is not free.
DARBYAnd if a man lie with a woman for copulation, and she is a bondwoman betrothed to a husband, but not at all ransomed, nor hath freedom been given to her, there shall be a chastisement: they shall not be put to death, for she was not free.
BBEIf any man has sex relations with a servant-woman who has given her word to be married to a man, and has not been made free for a price or in any other way, the thing will be looked into; but they will not be put to death because she was not a free woman.
WebsterAnd whoever lieth carnally with a woman that is a bond-maid betrothed to a husband, and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her; she shall be scourged: they shall not be put to death, because she was not free.

What does Leviticus 19:20 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 A woman that is a bondmaid - Had she been free, the law required that she should be put to death; (see Deu 22:24); but as she was a slave, she is supposed to have less self-command, and therefore less guilt: but as it is taken for granted she did not make resistance, or did consent, she is to be scourged, and the man is to bring a ram for a trespass-offering.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Leviticus 19:20 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְ֠אִישׁVe.'ishand a manH376
כִּֽי\־ki-ifH3588
יִשְׁכַּ֨בyish.Kavhe will lie withH7901
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
אִשָּׁ֜ה'i.Shaha womanH802
שִׁכְבַת\־shikh.vat-a laying ofH7902
זֶ֗רַעZe.ra'seedH2233
וְהִ֤ואve.Hiv'and sheH1931
שִׁפְחָה֙shif.Chah[is] a female slaveH8198
נֶחֱרֶ֣פֶתne.che.Re.fetintendedH2778
לְאִ֔ישׁle.'Ishfor a manH376
וְהָפְדֵּה֙ve.ha.fe.Dehand certainly <to be released>H6299
לֹ֣אlo'notH3808
נִפְדָּ֔תָהnif.Da.tahshe had been releasedH6299
א֥וֹ'oorH176
חֻפְשָׁ֖הchuf.ShahfreedomH2668
לֹ֣אlo'notH3808
נִתַּן\־ni.tan-it had been givenH5414
לָ֑הּLahto <the> her
בִּקֹּ֧רֶתbi.Ko.retcompensationH1244
תִּהְיֶ֛הtih.Yehit will beH1961
לֹ֥אlo'notH3808
יוּמְת֖וּyu.me.Tuthey will be put to deathH4191
כִּי\־ki-forH3588
לֹ֥אlo'notH3808
חֻפָּֽשָׁה\׃chu.Pa.shahshe had been given freedomH2666

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Leviticus 19:20

  • Deuteronomy 22:23-24

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

  • Exodus 21:20-21

    And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished. Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
betrothed to an husband. or, abused by any. Heb. reproachedby, or, for man. she shall be scourged. or, they. Heb. there shall be a scourging. they shall.
Ex 21:20,21; De 22:23,24

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Leviticus 19:19

    Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee.

  • Leviticus 19:20

    And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid, betrothed to an husband, and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her; she shall be scourged; they shall not be put to death, because she was not free.

  • Leviticus 19:21

    And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the Lord, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, even a ram for a trespass offering.

Read all of Leviticus 19

Leviticus 19:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y cuando un hombre tuviere cópula con mujer, y ella fuere sierva desposada con alguno, y no estuviere rescatada, ni le hubiere sido dada libertad, ambos serán azotados: no morirán, por cuanto ella no es libre.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et si un homme couche et a commerce avec une femme, et qu’elle soit servante, fiancée à un homme, et qu’elle n’ait aucunement été rachetée ni mise en liberté, ils seront châtiés; on ne les mettra pas à mort, car elle n’avait pas été mise en liberté.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und wenn ein Mann bei einem Weibe liegt zur Begattung, und sie ist eine Magd, einem Manne verlobt, und sie ist keineswegs losgekauft, noch ist ihr die Freiheit geschenkt, so soll Züchtigung stattfinden; sie sollen nicht getötet werden, denn sie ist nicht frei gewesen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Homo, si dormierit cum muliere coitu seminis, quæ sit ancilla etiam nubilis, et tamen pretio non redempta, nec libertate donata: vapulabunt ambo, et non morientur, quia non fuit libera.