Deuteronomy 22:27
For he found her in the field, and the betrothed damsel cried, and there was none to save her.
Original Language Analysis
כִּ֥י
H3588
כִּ֥י
Strong's:
H3588
Word #:
1 of 9
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
מְצָאָ֑הּ
For he found
H4672
מְצָאָ֑הּ
For he found
Strong's:
H4672
Word #:
3 of 9
properly, to come forth to, i.e., appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e., find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present
צָֽעֲקָ֗ה
cried
H6817
צָֽעֲקָ֗ה
cried
Strong's:
H6817
Word #:
4 of 9
to shriek; (by implication) to proclaim (an assembly)
וְאֵ֥ין
H369
Historical Context
Israelite agricultural life meant women often worked in fields distant from population centers, making them vulnerable to attack. This law provided crucial protection by establishing evidential standards that recognized practical realities of rural life rather than demanding impossible proof of resistance.
Questions for Reflection
- How does God's presumption of innocence in ambiguous situations challenge you to extend grace rather than suspicion?
- What does this verse teach about God hearing the cries of those who suffer violence with no earthly deliverer?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
For he found her in the field, and the betrothed damsel cried, and there was none to save her—God presumes the woman resisted (tza'aqah, צָעֲקָה, she cried out) but no rescuer (moshia, מוֹשִׁיעַ, savior) was available. The legal presumption favors the victim when circumstances make resistance futile.
This principle reveals God's compassionate justice: the law accounts for human limitations and dangerous circumstances. The same verb moshia (savior) used throughout Scripture for God rescuing His people appears here for earthly rescue, reminding Israel that God identifies with the vulnerable who cry out for deliverance (Exodus 2:23-25, Psalm 34:17).