Leviticus 19:20
New International Version
“’If a man sleeps with a female slave who is promised to another man but who has not been ransomed or given her freedom, there must be due punishment. Yet they are not to be put to death, because she had not been freed.

New Living Translation
“If a man has sex with a slave girl whose freedom has never been purchased but who is committed to become another man’s wife, he must pay full compensation to her master. But since she is not a free woman, neither the man nor the woman will be put to death.

English Standard Version
“If a man lies sexually with a woman who is a slave, assigned to another man and not yet ransomed or given her freedom, a distinction shall be made. They shall not be put to death, because she was not free;

Berean Standard Bible
If 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.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
‘Whoever lies carnally with a woman who is betrothed to a man as a concubine, and who has not at all been redeemed nor given her freedom, for this there shall be scourging; but they shall not be put to death, because she was not free.

New American Standard Bible
‘Now if a man has sexual relations with a woman who is a slave acquired for another man, but who has in no way been redeemed nor given her freedom, there shall be punishment; they shall not, however, be put to death, because she was not free.

NASB 1995
Now if a man lies carnally with a woman who is a slave acquired for another man, but who has in no way been redeemed nor given her freedom, there shall be punishment; they shall not, however, be put to death, because she was not free.

NASB 1977
‘Now if a man lies carnally with a woman who is a slave acquired for another man, but who has in no way been redeemed, nor given her freedom, there shall be punishment; they shall not, however, be put to death, because she was not free.

Legacy Standard Bible
‘Now if a man lies sexually with a woman who is a slave assigned to another man, but who has in no way been redeemed nor given her freedom, there shall be punishment; they shall not, however, be put to death because she was not free.

Amplified Bible
‘Now if a man has intimate relations with a woman who is a slave acquired for [marriage to] another man, but who has not been redeemed nor given her freedom, there shall be punishment [after an investigation]; they shall not be put to death, because she was not free;

Christian Standard Bible
“If a man has sexual intercourse with a woman who is a slave designated for another man, but she has not been redeemed or given her freedom, there must be punishment. They are not to be put to death, because she had not been freed.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
If a man has sexual intercourse with a woman who is a slave designated for another man, but she has not been redeemed or given her freedom, there must be punishment. They are not to be put to death, because she had not been freed.

American Standard Version
And 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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And a man who will lie down with a woman copulating with seed, and she is a Maidservant purchased by the man and has not been redeemed, neither has liberty been given to her, they shall inquire about them and they shall not be killed, because she was not free.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And if any one lie carnally with a woman, and she should be a home-servant kept for a man, and she has not been ransomed, and her freedom has not been given to her, they shall be visited with punishment; but they shall not die, because she was not set at liberty.

Contemporary English Version
If a man has sex with a slave woman who is promised in marriage to someone else, he must pay a fine, but they are not to be put to death. After all, she was still a slave at the time.

Douay-Rheims Bible
If a man carnally lie with a woman that is a bondservant and marriageable, and yet not redeemed with a price, nor made free: they both shall be scourged, and they shall not be put to death, because she was not a free woman.

English Revised Version
And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid, betrothed to an 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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"If a man has sexual intercourse with a female slave who is engaged to another man and if her freedom was never bought or given to her, they should not be put to death. He will only pay a fine because she is a slave.

Good News Translation
"If a slave woman is the recognized concubine of a man and she has not been paid for and freed, then if another man has sexual relations with her, they will be punished, but not put to death, since she is a slave.

International Standard Version
"When a person has sexual relations with a woman servant who is engaged to another man, but she has not been completely redeemed nor has her freedom been granted to her, there is to be an inquiry, but they won't be put to death, since she has not been freed.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid, designated for a man, and not at all redeemed, nor was freedom given her; there shall be inquisition; they shall not be put to death, because she was not free.

Literal Standard Version
And when a man lies with a woman with seed [from] intercourse, and she [is] a maidservant, betrothed to a man, and not really ransomed, or freedom has not been given to her, there is an investigation; they are not put to death, for she [is] not free.

Majority Standard Bible
If 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.

New American Bible
If a man has sexual relations with a female slave who has been acquired by another man but has not yet been redeemed or given her freedom, an investigation shall be made. They shall not be put to death, because she has not been freed.

NET Bible
"'When a man has sexual intercourse with a woman, although she is a slave woman designated for another man and she has not yet been ransomed, or freedom has not been granted to her, there will be an obligation to pay compensation. They must not be put to death, because she was not free.

New Revised Standard Version
If a man has sexual relations with a woman who is a slave, designated for another man but not ransomed or given her freedom, an inquiry shall be held. They shall not be put to death, since she has not been freed;

New Heart English Bible
"'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.

Webster's Bible Translation
And 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.

World English Bible
“‘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.

Young's Literal Translation
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.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Keep My Decrees
19You are to keep My statutes. You shall not crossbreed two different kinds of livestock; you shall not sow your fields with two kinds of seed; and you shall not wear clothing made of two kinds of material. 20If 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. 21The man, however, must bring a ram to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting as his guilt offering to the LORD.…

Cross References
Galatians 4:22
For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.

Deuteronomy 22:23
If there is a virgin pledged in marriage to a man, and another man encounters her in the city and sleeps with her,


Treasury of Scripture

And whoever lies carnally with a woman, that is a female slave, 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.

betrothed to an husband.

she shall be scourged.

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…

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; …

Jump to Previous
Betrothed Bondmaid Bond-Maid Carnally Copulation Death Designated Due Free Freedom Girl Held However Husband Inquiry Lies Married Pledged Price Promised Punished Punishment Ransomed Redeemed Relations Scourged Servant-Woman Sex Slave Sleeps Way Word
Jump to Next
Betrothed Bondmaid Bond-Maid Carnally Copulation Death Designated Due Free Freedom Girl Held However Husband Inquiry Lies Married Pledged Price Promised Punished Punishment Ransomed Redeemed Relations Scourged Servant-Woman Sex Slave Sleeps Way Word
Leviticus 19
1. A repetition of various laws














(20) And whosoever lieth.--Better, If a man lie, as the same phrase is translated in the Authorised Version, Leviticus 22:14; Leviticus 24:19; Leviticus 25:29; Leviticus 27:14.

Betrothed to an husband.--Better, betrothed to a man. From the law about the mixed seeds the Lawgiver passes to heterogeneous alliances. The case here legislated for is that of seducing a bondwoman who is espoused to another man. This bondwoman might be either one of an intermediate kind, that is, one whose redemption money had been partially paid, or belong to that class who had no prospect of a free discharge. According to the administrators of the law during the second Temple, the case before us is that of a Canaanitish maid, partly free and partly servile, whom her master had espoused to a Hebrew slave. (See Exodus 21:4.) . . .

Verses 20-22. - A distinction is drawn between adultery with a free woman, or a betrothed free virgin, which was punishable with death (Leviticus 20:20; Deuteronomy 22:23), and with a slave betrothed to another man (probably a slave also). In the latter ease a lesser punishment, no doubt that of scourging (according to the Mishna to the extent of forty stripes), was to be inflicted on one or both, according to the circumstances of the case. The words, she shall he scourged, should be translated, there shall be investigation, followed, presumably, by the punishment of scourging, for both parties if both were guilty, for one if the woman was unwilling. The man is afterwards to offer a trespass offering. As the offense has been a wrong as well as a sin, his offering is to be a trespass offering (see on Leviticus 5:14). In this case the fine of one-fifth could not be inflicted, as the wrong done could not be estimated by money, and the cost of the ram seems to be regarded as the required satisfaction. No mention is made of damages to be paid to the man to whom the slave-girl was betrothed, probably because he was himself a slave, and had not juridical rights against a freeman.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
If
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

a man
וְ֠אִישׁ (wə·’îš)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

has sexual relations with
יִשְׁכַּ֨ב (yiš·kaḇ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7901: To lie down

a slave girl
שִׁפְחָה֙ (šip̄·ḥāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8198: Maid, maidservant

promised
נֶחֱרֶ֣פֶת (ne·ḥĕ·re·p̄eṯ)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 2778: To pull off, to expose, to betroth, to carp at, defame, to spend the winter

to another man
לְאִ֔ישׁ (lə·’îš)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

but who has not
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

been redeemed
וְהָפְדֵּה֙ (wə·hā·p̄ə·dêh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hofal - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 6299: To sever, ransom, gener, to release, preserve

or
א֥וֹ (’ōw)
Conjunction
Strong's 176: Desire, if

given
נִתַּן־ (nit·tan-)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

her freedom,
חֻפְשָׁ֖ה (ḥup̄·šāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2668: Liberty

there must be
תִּהְיֶ֛ה (tih·yeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

due punishment.
בִּקֹּ֧רֶת (biq·qō·reṯ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1244: Examination, punishment

[But] they are not
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

to be put to death,
יוּמְת֖וּ (yū·mə·ṯū)
Verb - Hofal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

because
כִּי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

she had not
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

been freed.
חֻפָּֽשָׁה׃ (ḥup·pā·šāh)
Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 2666: To spread loose, to manumit


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OT Law: Leviticus 19:20 If a man lies carnally (Le Lv Lev.)
Leviticus 19:19
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