Deuteronomy 22:21
Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father's house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you.
Original Language Analysis
וְהוֹצִ֨יאוּ
Then they shall bring out
H3318
וְהוֹצִ֨יאוּ
Then they shall bring out
Strong's:
H3318
Word #:
1 of 22
to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim
אֶת
H853
אֶת
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
2 of 22
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
פֶּ֣תַח
to the door
H6607
פֶּ֣תַח
to the door
Strong's:
H6607
Word #:
5 of 22
an opening (literally), i.e., door (gate) or entrance way
בֵּ֣ית
house
H1004
בֵּ֣ית
house
Strong's:
H1004
Word #:
6 of 22
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
אָבִ֑יהָ
in her father's
H1
אָבִ֑יהָ
in her father's
Strong's:
H1
Word #:
7 of 22
father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application
וּסְקָלוּהָ֩
shall stone
H5619
וּסְקָלוּהָ֩
shall stone
Strong's:
H5619
Word #:
8 of 22
properly, to be weighty; but used only in the sense of lapidation or its contrary (as if a delapidation)
אַנְשֵׁ֨י
H376
אַנְשֵׁ֨י
Strong's:
H376
Word #:
9 of 22
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
עִירָ֤הּ
of her city
H5892
עִירָ֤הּ
of her city
Strong's:
H5892
Word #:
10 of 22
a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)
וָמֵ֔תָה
that she die
H4191
וָמֵ֔תָה
that she die
Strong's:
H4191
Word #:
12 of 22
to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill
כִּֽי
H3588
כִּֽי
Strong's:
H3588
Word #:
13 of 22
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
עָשְׂתָ֤ה
because she hath wrought
H6213
עָשְׂתָ֤ה
because she hath wrought
Strong's:
H6213
Word #:
14 of 22
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
נְבָלָה֙
folly
H5039
נְבָלָה֙
folly
Strong's:
H5039
Word #:
15 of 22
foolishness, i.e., (morally) wickedness; concretely, a crime; by extension, punishment
בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל
in Israel
H3478
בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל
in Israel
Strong's:
H3478
Word #:
16 of 22
he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
לִזְנ֖וֹת
to play the whore
H2181
לִזְנ֖וֹת
to play the whore
Strong's:
H2181
Word #:
17 of 22
to commit adultery (usually of the female, and less often of simple fornication, rarely of involuntary ravishment); figuratively, to commit idolatry (
בֵּ֣ית
house
H1004
בֵּ֣ית
house
Strong's:
H1004
Word #:
18 of 22
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
אָבִ֑יהָ
in her father's
H1
אָבִ֑יהָ
in her father's
Strong's:
H1
Word #:
19 of 22
father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application
Cross References
Genesis 34:7And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob's daughter; which thing ought not to be done.Deuteronomy 13:5And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.Judges 20:6And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel: for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel.Deuteronomy 17:7The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away from among you.Deuteronomy 21:21And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.Deuteronomy 19:19Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you.Leviticus 21:9And the daughter of any priest, if she profane herself by playing the whore, she profaneth her father: she shall be burnt with fire.Judges 20:10And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victual for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel.
Historical Context
This severe penalty reflects several realities:
- premarital sex violated covenant standards of sexual purity symbolizing Israel's exclusive relationship with Yahweh
- the deception entering marriage under false pretenses broke covenant faith
- the father's household bore responsibility for the daughter's conduct
- communal holiness required removing persistent covenant-breakers.
The New Testament's mercy toward the adulterous woman (John 8:1-11) doesn't nullify God's hatred of sin but reveals Christ bearing the penalty sinners deserve, fulfilling the law's demands through substitutionary atonement. Modern Christians rightly emphasize redemption over execution while affirming the law's testimony to sin's seriousness.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the severity of this punishment reveal the seriousness of sexual sin as covenant-breaking rather than mere private behavior?
- How does Christ's mercy toward sexual sinners (John 8:1-11) fulfill rather than contradict the law's demand for holiness?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die—the death penalty for proven premarital unchastity, executed at the father's house to symbolize familial shame. Saqal ba-'avanim (סָקַל בָּאֲבָנִים, "stone with stones") was Israel's standard capital punishment method, requiring community participation and public witness.
Because she hath wrought folly in Israel—nevalah (נְבָלָה, "folly") denotes morally outrageous conduct, covenant-breaking wickedness that threatens community integrity (Genesis 34:7; Joshua 7:15). To play the whore in her father's house—liznot (לִזְנוֹת, "to play the whore") emphasizes the sin occurred while under parental authority, compounding the offense. So shalt thou put evil away from among you—bi'arta ha-ra' (בִעַרְתָּ הָרָע, "purge the evil") is Deuteronomy's repeated formula for capital punishment, emphasizing communal holiness through removing covenant-breakers.