Deuteronomy 22

Deuteronomy 22 is the twenty-second chapter of the Book of Deuteronomy in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. The book is one of the Books of the Torah. This chapter contains regulations concerning theft of property, protection of life, manners, and violence in sexual relations.[1]

Deuteronomy 22
← chapter 21 chapter 23 →
Book of Deuteronomy in the Damascus Torah Codex (Keter Dammeseq) from 10th century
Book	Book of Deuteronomy
Hebrew Bible part	Torah
Order in the Hebrew part	5
Category	Torah
Christian Bible part	Old Testament
Order in the Christian part	5

Text

The original text of this chapter is written in the Hebrew language. This chapter is divided into 30 verses in English Bibles, but 29 verses in the Masoretic Text with the verse 30 in English Bibles numbered as 23:1.[2]

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Aleppo Codex (10th century) and Codex Leningradensis (1008).[3] Some fragments containing parts of this chapter were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, including: 4Q36 (4QDeutⁱ; 100–75 BCE) with extant verses 1–9;[4][5][6] 4Q45 (4QpaleoDeut^r; 100–25 BCE) with extant verses 3–6;[4][6][7] and 4Q33 (4QDeut^f; 75–50 BCE) with extant verses 12–19.[5][6][8]

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BC. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^B; 4th century), and Codex Alexandrinus (A; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^A; 5th century).[9]

Parashot

The parashah sections listed here are based on the Aleppo Codex.[10] Deuteronomy 22 is a part of the Parashat Ki Tetzei (Deuteronomy 21:10–25:19). {P}: open parashah; {S}: closed parashah.

{S} 22:1–3 {S} 22:4 {S} 22:5 {P} 22:6–7 {S} 22:8–9 {S} 22:10–11 {S} 22:12 {S} 22:13–19 {S} 22:20–21 {S} 22:22 {S} 22:23–24 {S} 22:25–27 {S} 22:28–29 {S} 23:1 {S}

Fairness and Co-operation (22:1–4)

This part of the law distinguishes 'lost property' from 'theft', forbids 'ignoring (Hebrew: hit'allem) obvious cases for mutual help', with the aim to overcome 'indifference and irresponsibility' (cf. Exodus 23:4–5).[2]

Ordinances Protecting Life and Manners (22:5–12)

Blue and white tzitzit knotted in the Sephardi style, the all white is Ashkenazi.

Man walking with Tzizit in Nachlaot, Jerusalem

Notably in verses 5 and 9–12, this section of the law focuses on certain actions that are 'abominable' to Yahweh, in particular also to restrict 'human greed and power over animal life' (verses 6–7).[2]

Verse 12

You shall make yourself tassels on the four corners of your garment with which you cover yourself.[11]

Hebrew Bible

גדלים תעשה לך על ארבע כנפות כסותך אשר תכסה בה׃[12]

The tassels or fringes worn in antiquity by Israelites and today by observant Jews and Samaritans are called Tzitzit, to be attached to the four corners of the tallit gadol, (prayer shawl) usually referred to simply as a tallit or tallis; and tallit katan (everyday undergarment). This command repeats the previously stated law in Numbers 15:37–41.[13] The Talmud equates observance of tzitzit with that of all the mitzvot.[14]

Family and Sex Laws (22:13-30)

A portion of the more elaborate collection of sex laws, this part looks into the 'dishonesty and violence in the sexual relations'.[15]

Deuteronomy 22:13–21 deals with situations in which a woman is accused by her husband of having been a non-virginal bride. No witnesses or positive evidence of wrongdoing are required for her to be stoned to death as a consequence of this; rather, it is up to her parents to prove that she was a virgin by presenting the tokens of her virginity.

The location of the stoning differs from what is specified in 17:5 (for offering blemished sacrifices), 21:21 (for being a stubborn and rebellious son), and 22:24 (for being raped in the city and not crying out), in that the woman is to be stoned at the door of her father's house, associating her family with her transgression.[16]

Verse 30 specifically forbids a son to marry any of his father's former wives.[17]

See also

• Marry-your-rapist law
• Rape in the Bible

References

1. Bultmann 2007, pp. 149–150.
2. Bultmann 2007, p. 149.
3. Würthwein 1995, pp. 36-37.
4. Ulrich 2010, p. 220.
5. Fitzmyer 2008, p. 33.
6. Dead sea scrolls - Deuteronomy
7. Fitzmyer 2008, p. 34.
8. Ulrich 2010, p. 221.
9. Würthwein 1995, pp. 73-74.
10. As reflected in the Jewish Publication Society's 1917 edition of the Hebrew Bible in English.
11. Deuteronomy 22:12 NASB
12. Deuteronomy 22:12 Mechon-mamre.
13. "Numbers 15". www.sefaria.org. Retrieved 2019-05-05.
14. Talmud Menachot 43b, based on the fact that the tzitzit command is immediately followed by the reason "You will see it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and perform them" (Numbers 15:39)
15. Bultmann 2007, pp. 149-150.
16. Reeder, Caryn A (March 2013). "Sex and Execution: Deuteronomy 22:20-24". The Expository Times. 124 (6): 272–281.
17. Bultmann 2007, p. 150.

Sources

• Bultmann, Christoph (2007). "8. Deuteronomy". In Barton, John; Muddiman, John (eds.). The Oxford Bible Commentary (first (paperback) ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. 135–158. ISBN 978-0199277186. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
• Fitzmyer, Joseph A. (2008). A Guide to the Dead Sea Scrolls and Related Literature. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. ISBN 9780802862419. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
• Ulrich, Eugene, ed. (2010). The Biblical Qumran Scrolls: Transcriptions and Textual Variants. Brill. ISBN 9789004181830. Retrieved May 15, 2017.
• Würthwein, Ernst (1995). The Text of the Old Testament. Translated by Rhodes, Erroll F. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans. ISBN 978-0-8028-0788-5. Retrieved January 26, 2019.

External links

Jewish

• Deuteronomy 22 Hebrew with Parallel English

Christian

• Deuteronomy 22 English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate