Deuteronomy 22:22

KJV

If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, [both] the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.

KJV (with Strong's)

If a man {H376} be found {H4672} lying {H7901} with a woman {H802} married {H1166} to an husband {H1167}, then they shall both of them {H8147} die {H4191}, both the man {H376} that lay {H7901} with the woman {H802}, and the woman {H802}: so shalt thou put away {H1197} evil {H7451} from Israel {H3478}.

Complete Jewish Bible

"If a man is found sleeping with a woman who has a husband, both of them must die -the man who went to bed with the woman and the woman too. In this way you will expel such wickedness from Isra'el.

Berean Standard Bible

If a man is found lying with another man’s wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel.

American Standard Version

If a man be found lying with a woman married to a husband, then they shall both of them die, the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away the evil from Israel.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Deuteronomy 22:22 prescribes the death penalty for both a man and a woman found guilty of adultery, defining it as sexual intercourse between a man and a married woman. This severe legal consequence underscores the divine regard for the sanctity of marriage within ancient Israelite society, serving not only as a deterrent but also as a crucial mechanism to "put away evil from Israel," thereby maintaining the nation's moral and spiritual purity in its covenant relationship with God.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Deuteronomy 22 is part of a larger section (chapters 12-26) detailing specific laws and statutes that Moses delivers to the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land. This particular chapter focuses on various aspects of social and moral conduct, including laws concerning lost property, proper attire, agricultural practices, and sexual offenses. The immediate verses surrounding [Deuteronomy 22:22](/deuteronomy/22-22 "Deuteronomy 22:22 - Law on Adultery") deal with sexual purity and familial integrity, specifically addressing cases of rape (Deuteronomy 22:23-27), seduction of a virgin (Deuteronomy 22:28-29), and incest (Deuteronomy 22:30). These laws collectively establish clear boundaries for sexual behavior, emphasizing the importance of protecting women, maintaining family lines, and upholding the sanctity of marriage as foundational to the social and spiritual health of the covenant community. The placement of the adultery law within this broader legal framework highlights its gravity as a direct violation of God's moral order.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In the ancient Near East, laws concerning adultery were common, often aiming to protect a husband's property rights and ensure legitimate lineage. However, Israel's law transcended mere property considerations; it was rooted in the divine covenant and the nation's call to holiness as a theocracy. As God's chosen people, Israel's civil laws were inherently God's laws, and transgressions like adultery were considered sins against God Himself and profoundly destabilizing acts against the community. The severity of the punishment in [Deuteronomy 22:22](/deuteronomy/22-22 "Deuteronomy 22:22 - Law on Adultery") underscores the foundational importance of marriage within Israel's social and religious fabric, where it was essential for maintaining family integrity, property inheritance, and the purity of the covenant people. This law provided clear boundaries for sexual conduct, sharply differentiating Israel from surrounding cultures that often had more permissive or polytheistic sexual norms, which frequently involved cultic prostitution.
* **Key Themes:** The law in [Deuteronomy 22:22](/deuteronomy/22-22 "Deuteronomy 22:22 - Law on Adultery") powerfully articulates several core themes central to the book of Deuteronomy and Israel's covenant identity. Foremost is the **sanctity of marriage**, which is presented not merely as a social contract but as a sacred covenant reflecting divine order. Adultery is thus understood as a profound violation of this sacred bond, a public offense against God's established order, and a betrayal of trust. Secondly, the verse highlights the **consequences of sin**, particularly sexual immorality, by prescribing the death penalty, which serves as a stark reminder of sin's destructive nature and its capacity to corrupt individuals and the entire community. Thirdly, the imperative to "put away evil from Israel" emphasizes the theme of **communal purity and justice**. This phrase signifies that the punishment was not solely retributive but also purificatory, signifying the community's divine mandate to cleanse itself of grave moral corruption to maintain its covenant relationship with God. This theme of communal cleansing appears elsewhere in Deuteronomy, such as in the context of idolatry in [Deuteronomy 13:5](/deuteronomy/13-5 "Deuteronomy 13:5 - Putting Away Evil from Israel"). Finally, the passage reinforces the overarching theme of **divine law and order**, demonstrating how God's statutes for Israel were meticulously designed to establish justice, protect the vulnerable, and maintain a holy society, thereby upholding the seventh commandment: "[You shall not commit adultery](/exodus/20-14 "Exodus 20:14 - The Seventh Commandment")" ([Exodus 20:14](/exodus/20-14 "Exodus 20:14 - The Seventh Commandment")).

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **"lying with" (Hebrew, שֹׁכֵב, _shokhev'_):** This is a common biblical euphemism for sexual intercourse, used to describe intimate physical union. Its use here, rather than a more explicit term, maintains a certain decorum while clearly indicating the act of cohabitation. In legal contexts, it implies the consummation of the sexual act.
* **"married to a husband" (Hebrew, בַּעֲלַת בַּעַל, _ba'alat ba'al'_):** This phrase literally translates to "owner of a husband" or "possessed by a husband," highlighting the legal and social status of the woman. It unequivocally defines the woman as being under the marital covenant, making any sexual act with another man an act of adultery, as opposed to fornication (sexual activity with an unmarried person). The emphasis on her marital status is crucial for the legal definition of the crime.
* **"put away evil" (Hebrew, וּבִעַרְתָּ הָרָע, _u'vi'arta hara'_):** This imperative verb phrase is extremely strong. The verb בָּעַר (ba'ar) means "to burn," "to consume," "to purge," or "to utterly remove." It implies a thorough and decisive eradication of something harmful. In this context, "evil" (הָרָע, hara') refers not just to the act of adultery but to the moral corruption it introduces into the community. The command signifies that the community itself has a responsibility to actively and decisively remove such defilement to preserve its holiness and covenant standing before God.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"If a man be found lying with a woman married to a husband":** This clause sets the condition for the transgression. It specifies the act ("lying with" – sexual intercourse) and the marital status of the woman ("married to a husband"), which is the defining characteristic of adultery in this context. The phrase "be found" implies discovery and legal proof, not just suspicion.
* **"then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman":** This is the prescribed legal consequence. The penalty is capital punishment, applied equally to both parties involved in the adulterous act. This equal application underscores the shared culpability in violating the sacred marital covenant and the divine law. The repetition of "both the man... and the woman" emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the judgment.
* **"so shalt thou put away evil from Israel":** This concluding clause states the ultimate purpose and theological rationale for the severe punishment. It is not merely retribution but a necessary act of communal purification. The "thou" refers to the community or its judicial authorities, emphasizing their responsibility to actively purge moral corruption. By removing the offenders, the community symbolically and literally cleanses itself of the "evil" that threatens its covenant relationship with God and its collective holiness.

#### Literary Devices
Deuteronomy 22:22 employs several significant literary devices to convey its powerful message. The use of **Euphemism** is evident in the phrase "lying with," which is a common and respectful biblical idiom for sexual intercourse, avoiding explicit language while clearly denoting the act. The verse is structured as a **Legal Formulation**, typical of covenant law, presenting a conditional clause ("If a man be found...") followed by a prescribed consequence ("then they shall both of them die..."). This precise, declarative style leaves no ambiguity regarding the offense or its penalty. **Repetition** is also utilized, specifically in "both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman," which serves to emphasize the equal culpability and shared fate of both parties involved in the transgression. Finally, the verse concludes with a strong **Imperative** ("so shalt thou put away evil from Israel"), which functions as a divine command and highlights the communal responsibility to actively enforce justice and maintain holiness, underscoring the purificatory nature of the law.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Deuteronomy 22:22 profoundly underscores God's unwavering commitment to the sanctity of the marital covenant and the purity of His people. Adultery, in this context, is not merely a private transgression but a public affront to God's moral order, a violation of the seventh commandment, and a corrosive force that threatens the very fabric of the covenant community. The severity of the prescribed punishment reflects the gravity with which God views the defilement of the marriage bed, recognizing it as an act that undermines family integrity, lineage, and the spiritual health of the nation. The imperative to "put away evil" reveals a theological principle that God's people are called to be holy as He is holy, actively purging sin from their midst to maintain their distinct identity and blessed relationship with Him. This principle extends beyond individual punishment to encompass the communal responsibility for righteousness.

* [Leviticus 20:10](/leviticus/20-10 "Leviticus 20:10 - Adultery Punishment")
* [Proverbs 6:32-35](/proverbs/6-32 "Proverbs 6:32-35 - Consequences of Adultery")
* [Hebrews 13:4](/hebrews/13-4 "Hebrews 13:4 - Honor Marriage")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
While the specific legal penalty of Deuteronomy 22:22 is not applied in modern civil law, nor is it the method of church discipline today, the underlying spiritual principles remain profoundly relevant for believers. This verse serves as a powerful reminder of God's unchanging standard for sexual purity and the sacredness of the marriage covenant. It calls us to recognize that marriage is a divine institution, a reflection of Christ and the Church, and thus worthy of the highest honor and protection. Adultery, in God's eyes, is a grave sin that deeply wounds individuals, families, and communities, and it grieves the heart of God. Our call is to uphold purity in thought, word, and deed, fleeing from all forms of sexual immorality and cultivating faithfulness within our relationships. Furthermore, the principle of "putting away evil" challenges us to address sin seriously within our Christian communities, promoting holiness and protecting the church's witness to a watching world, always with a spirit of grace and restoration where possible, but never compromising on God's truth.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does the severity of the law in Deuteronomy 22:22 challenge my contemporary understanding of sexual sin and the sanctity of marriage?**
* **In what ways can I personally uphold the sacredness of marriage, whether I am single, married, or divorced?**
* **What does "putting away evil" look like in a New Testament context for the church today, regarding moral purity and accountability?**
* **How can I cultivate a greater reverence for God's design for sexuality in my own life and conversations?**

### FAQ
**Why was the punishment for adultery so severe in ancient Israel?**

Answer: The severity of the punishment (death for both parties) for adultery in ancient Israel, as outlined in [Deuteronomy 22:22](/deuteronomy/22-22 "Deuteronomy 22:22 - Law on Adultery"), stemmed from several critical factors unique to the covenant community. Firstly, marriage was considered a sacred covenant, a foundational institution divinely ordained and essential for the stability and purity of the Israelite society. Adultery was not merely a private affair but a direct violation of God's law (the Seventh Commandment, [Exodus 20:14](/exodus/20-14 "Exodus 20:14 - The Seventh Commandment")), a breach of covenant, and an act that defiled the community. Secondly, it threatened the integrity of family lines and inheritance, which were crucial in an agrarian society structured around tribal and familial land ownership. Illegitimate offspring could complicate these arrangements. Thirdly, and most importantly, Israel was a theocracy, a nation whose civil laws were directly given by God. Sin, especially grave moral sins like adultery, was seen as a direct affront to God's holiness and could bring divine judgment upon the entire nation. The command to "put away evil from Israel" ([Deuteronomy 22:22](/deuteronomy/22-22 "Deuteronomy 22:22 - Law on Adultery")) emphasized the purificatory nature of the punishment, ensuring the nation maintained its covenant relationship and distinct identity as God's holy people.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Deuteronomy 22:22 details a severe legal consequence under the Old Covenant, its ultimate fulfillment and spiritual significance are profoundly revealed in Christ. Jesus, in His Sermon on the Mount, elevated the law beyond mere external compliance, stating that "everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart" ([Matthew 5:28](/matthew/5-28 "Matthew 5:28 - Adultery of the Heart")). This teaching does not abolish the seriousness of the Old Testament law but intensifies it, demonstrating that God's standard of purity extends to the deepest intentions of the heart, revealing the pervasive nature of sin and humanity's utter inability to perfectly fulfill the law. Christ, as the [Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), bore the full penalty for all sin, including adultery, on the cross, thereby "putting away evil" in a redemptive, not merely punitive, sense. Through His sacrifice, believers are cleansed and made new, receiving forgiveness and the power of the Holy Spirit to live in purity ([1 Corinthians 6:11](/1_corinthians/6-11 "1 Corinthians 6:11 - Washed, Sanctified, Justified")). The church, as the [Bride of Christ](/ephesians/5-25 "Ephesians 5:25 - Christ and the Church"), is called to be presented to Him "without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless" ([Ephesians 5:27](/ephesians/5-27 "Ephesians 5:27 - Christ's Bride, the Church")), reflecting the spiritual purity that the Old Testament laws foreshadowed. Thus, Christ fulfills the law's demand for perfect righteousness and provides the means for true holiness, transforming hearts and enabling His followers to honor the sanctity of marriage and live lives pleasing to God, not by fear of death, but by the power of His indwelling Spirit.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.