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Deuteronomy 22 (Devarim) in Hebrew and English

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Tenakh Study · Deuteronomy 22:1–29

Deuteronomy, Chapter 22

דברים כב

Laws on returning a brother’s lost animals and goods, men’s and women’s garments, the mother bird, a parapet for the roof, diverse seeds, ox and donkey, wool and linen, and fringes; then the husband who slanders his wife, adultery, and the betrothed and unbetrothed young woman.

Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible. Verse 22:30 of most English Bibles is 23:1 here.

Lost animals and goods

22:1You shall not see your brother’s ox or his sheep go astray, and hide yourself from them; you shall surely bring them back unto your brother.

אלֹֽא־תִרְאֶה֩ אֶת־שׁ֨וֹר אָחִ֜יךָ א֤וֹ אֶת־שֵׂיוֹ֙ נִדָּחִ֔ים וְהִתְעַלַּמְתָּ֖ מֵהֶ֑ם הָשֵׁ֥ב תְּשִׁיבֵ֖ם לְאָחִֽיךָ׃

22:2And if your brother be not near unto you, or if you do not know him, then you shall bring it unto your own house, and it shall be with you until your brother seek after it, and you shall restore it to him again.

בוְאִם־לֹ֨א קָר֥וֹב אָחִ֛יךָ אֵלֶ֖יךָ וְלֹ֣א יְדַעְתּ֑וֹ וַאֲסַפְתּוֹ֙ אֶל־תּ֣וֹךְ בֵּיתֶ֔ךָ וְהָיָ֣ה עִמְּךָ֗ עַ֣ד דְּרֹ֤שׁ אָחִ֨יךָ֙ אֹת֔וֹ וַהֲשֵׁבֹת֖וֹ לֽוֹ׃

22:3In like manner shall you do with his donkey; and so shall you do with his garment; and with every lost thing of your brother’s, which he has lost, and you have found, shall you do likewise; you may not hide yourself.

גוְכֵ֧ן תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה לַחֲמֹר֗וֹ וְכֵ֣ן תַּעֲשֶׂה֮ לְשִׂמְלָתוֹ֒ וְכֵ֣ן תַּעֲשֶׂ֜ה לְכָל־אֲבֵדַ֥ת אָחִ֛יךָ אֲשֶׁר־תֹּאבַ֥ד מִמֶּ֖נּוּ וּמְצָאתָ֑הּ לֹ֥א תוּכַ֖ל לְהִתְעַלֵּֽם׃

22:4You shall not see your brother’s donkey or his ox fallen down by the way, and hide yourself from them; you shall surely help him to lift them up again.

דלֹא־תִרְאֶה֩ אֶת־חֲמ֨וֹר אָחִ֜יךָ א֤וֹ שׁוֹרוֹ֙ נֹפְלִ֣ים בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְהִתְעַלַּמְתָּ֖ מֵהֶ֑ם הָקֵ֥ם תָּקִ֖ים עִמּֽוֹ׃

Garments, nests and roofs

22:5A woman shall not wear that which pertains unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment; for all that do so are an abomination unto Hashem your God.

הלֹא־יִהְיֶ֤ה כְלִי־גֶ֨בֶר֙ עַל־אִשָּׁ֔ה וְלֹא־יִלְבַּ֥שׁ גֶּ֖בֶר שִׂמְלַ֣ת אִשָּׁ֑ה כִּ֧י תוֹעֲבַ֛ת יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ כָּל־עֹ֥שֵׂה אֵֽלֶּה׃

22:6If a bird’s nest chance to be before you in the way in any tree, or on the ground, whether they be young ones, or eggs, and the mother sitting upon the young, or upon the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young;

וכִּ֣י יִקָּרֵ֣א קַן־צִפּ֣וֹר ׀ לְפָנֶ֡יךָ בַּדֶּ֜רֶךְ בְּכָל־עֵ֣ץ ׀ א֣וֹ עַל־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֶפְרֹחִים֙ א֣וֹ בֵיצִ֔ים וְהָאֵ֤ם רֹבֶ֨צֶת֙ עַל־הָֽאֶפְרֹחִ֔ים א֖וֹ עַל־הַבֵּיצִ֑ים לֹא־תִקַּ֥ח הָאֵ֖ם עַל־הַבָּנִֽים׃

22:7but you shall surely let the mother go, and take the young for yourself; that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days.

זשַׁלֵּ֤חַ תְּשַׁלַּח֙ אֶת־הָאֵ֔ם וְאֶת־הַבָּנִ֖ים תִּֽקַּֽח־לָ֑ךְ לְמַ֨עַן֙ יִ֣יטַב לָ֔ךְ וְהַאֲרַכְתָּ֖ יָמִֽים׃

22:8When you build a new house, then you shall make a parapet for your roof, that you bring not blood upon your house, if any man fall from there.

חכִּ֤י תִבְנֶה֙ בַּ֣יִת חָדָ֔שׁ וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ מַעֲקֶ֖ה לְגַגֶּ֑ךָ וְלֹֽא־תָשִׂ֤ים דָּמִים֙ בְּבֵיתֶ֔ךָ כִּֽי־יִפֹּ֥ל הַנֹּפֵ֖ל מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

Diverse kinds and fringes

22:9You shall not sow your vineyard with diverse seeds, lest the fullness of the seed which you have sown, and the fruit of your vineyard, be forfeited.

טלֹא־תִזְרַ֥ע כַּרְמְךָ֖ כִּלְאָ֑יִם פֶּן־תִּקְדַּ֗שׁ הַֽמְלֵאָ֤ה הַזֶּ֨רַע֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּזְרָ֔ע וּתְבוּאַ֖ת הַכָּֽרֶם׃

22:10You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together.

ילֹֽא־תַחֲרֹ֥שׁ בְּשׁוֹר־וּבַחֲמֹ֖ר יַחְדָּֽו׃

22:11You shall not wear a garment of diverse sorts, as of wool and linen together.

יאלֹ֤א תִלְבַּשׁ֙ שַֽׁעַטְנֵ֔ז צֶ֥מֶר וּפִשְׁתִּ֖ים יַחְדָּֽו׃

22:12You shall make yourself fringes upon the four corners of your covering, with which you cover yourself.

יבגְּדִלִ֖ים תַּעֲשֶׂה־לָּ֑ךְ עַל־אַרְבַּ֛ע כַּנְפ֥וֹת כְּסוּתְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תְּכַסֶּה־בָּֽהּ׃

The slandered bride

22:13If any man take a wife, and go in unto her, and hate her,

יגכִּֽי־יִקַּ֥ח אִ֖ישׁ אִשָּׁ֑ה וּבָ֥א אֵלֶ֖יהָ וּשְׂנֵאָֽהּ׃

22:14and lay shameful charges against her, and bring up an evil name upon her, and say, ‘I took this woman, and when I came near to her, I did not find her a virgin,’

ידוְשָׂ֥ם לָהּ֙ עֲלִילֹ֣ת דְּבָרִ֔ים וְהוֹצִ֥יא עָלֶ֖יהָ שֵׁ֣ם רָ֑ע וְאָמַ֗ר אֶת־הָאִשָּׁ֤ה הַזֹּאת֙ לָקַ֔חְתִּי וָאֶקְרַ֣ב אֵלֶ֔יהָ וְלֹא־מָצָ֥אתִי לָ֖הּ בְּתוּלִֽים׃

22:15then the father of the young woman, and her mother, shall take and bring forth the tokens of the young woman’s virginity unto the elders of the city in the gate;

טווְלָקַ֛ח אֲבִ֥י הנער (קרי הַֽנַּעֲרָ֖ה) וְאִמָּ֑הּ וְהוֹצִ֜יאוּ אֶת־בְּתוּלֵ֧י הנער (קרי הַֽנַּעֲרָ֛ה) אֶל־זִקְנֵ֥י הָעִ֖יר הַשָּֽׁעְרָה׃

Written and read. Written הנער, read הַֽנַּעֲרָ֖ה; written הנער, read הַֽנַּעֲרָ֛ה. The Hebrew shows the written form (ketiv); the English follows the reading (qere).

22:16and the young woman’s father shall say unto the elders, ‘I gave my daughter unto this man to wife, and he hates her;

טזוְאָמַ֛ר אֲבִ֥י הנער (קרי הַֽנַּעַרָ֖ה) אֶל־הַזְּקֵנִ֑ים אֶת־בִּתִּ֗י נָתַ֜תִּי לָאִ֥ישׁ הַזֶּ֛ה לְאִשָּׁ֖ה וַיִּשְׂנָאֶֽהָ׃

Written and read. Written הנער, read הַֽנַּעַרָ֖ה. The Hebrew shows the written form (ketiv); the English follows the reading (qere).

22:17and, lo, he has laid shameful charges against her, saying, “I did not find your daughter a virgin”; and yet these are the tokens of my daughter’s virginity.’ And they shall spread the cloth before the elders of the city.

יזוְהִנֵּה־ה֡וּא שָׂם֩ עֲלִילֹ֨ת דְּבָרִ֜ים לֵאמֹ֗ר לֹֽא־מָצָ֤אתִי לְבִתְּךָ֙ בְּתוּלִ֔ים וְאֵ֖לֶּה בְּתוּלֵ֣י בִתִּ֑י וּפָֽרְשׂוּ֙ הַשִּׂמְלָ֔ה לִפְנֵ֖י זִקְנֵ֥י הָעִֽיר׃

22:18And the elders of that city shall take that man and chastise him;

יחוְלָֽקְח֛וּ זִקְנֵ֥י הָֽעִיר־הַהִ֖וא אֶת־הָאִ֑ישׁ וְיִסְּר֖וּ אֹתֽוֹ׃

22:19and they shall fine him a hundred shekels of silver, and give them unto the father of the young woman, because he has brought up an evil name upon a virgin of Yisrael (Israel); and she shall be his wife; he may not put her away all his days.

יטוְעָנְשׁ֨וּ אֹת֜וֹ מֵ֣אָה כֶ֗סֶף וְנָתְנוּ֙ לַאֲבִ֣י הַֽנַּעֲרָ֔ה כִּ֤י הוֹצִיא֙ שֵׁ֣ם רָ֔ע עַ֖ל בְּתוּלַ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֽוֹ־תִהְיֶ֣ה לְאִשָּׁ֔ה לֹא־יוּכַ֥ל לְשַּׁלְּחָ֖הּ כָּל־יָמָֽיו׃

22:20But if this thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not found for the young woman,

כוְאִם־אֱמֶ֣ת הָיָ֔ה הַדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּ֑ה לֹא־נִמְצְא֥וּ בְתוּלִ֖ים לנער (קרי לַֽנַּעֲרָֽה)׃

Written and read. Written לנער, read לַֽנַּעֲרָֽה. The Hebrew shows the written form (ketiv); the English follows the reading (qere).

22:21then they shall bring out the young woman to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die; because she has done folly in Yisrael, to play the harlot in her father’s house; so shall you put away the evil from among you.

כאוְהוֹצִ֨יאוּ אֶת־הנער (קרי הַֽנַּעֲרָ֜ה) אֶל־פֶּ֣תַח בֵּית־אָבִ֗יהָ וּסְקָלוּהָ֩ אַנְשֵׁ֨י עִירָ֤הּ בָּאֲבָנִים֙ וָמֵ֔תָה כִּֽי־עָשְׂתָ֤ה נְבָלָה֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לִזְנ֖וֹת בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑יהָ וּבִֽעַרְתָּ֥ הָרָ֖ע מִקִּרְבֶּֽךָ׃

Written and read. Written הנער, read הַֽנַּעֲרָ֜ה. The Hebrew shows the written form (ketiv); the English follows the reading (qere).
Adultery and the betrothed young woman

22:22If a man be found lying with a woman married to a husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman; so shall you put away the evil from Yisrael.

כבכִּֽי־יִמָּצֵ֨א אִ֜ישׁ שֹׁכֵ֣ב ׀ עִם־אִשָּׁ֣ה בְעֻֽלַת־בַּ֗עַל וּמֵ֨תוּ֙ גַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם הָאִ֛ישׁ הַשֹּׁכֵ֥ב עִם־הָאִשָּׁ֖ה וְהָאִשָּׁ֑ה וּבִֽעַרְתָּ֥ הָרָ֖ע מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

22:23If a young woman who is a virgin be betrothed unto a husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her,

כגכִּ֤י יִהְיֶה֙ נער (קרי נַעֲרָ֣ה) בְתוּלָ֔ה מְאֹרָשָׂ֖ה לְאִ֑ישׁ וּמְצָאָ֥הּ אִ֛ישׁ בָּעִ֖יר וְשָׁכַ֥ב עִמָּֽהּ׃

Written and read. Written נער, read נַעֲרָ֣ה. The Hebrew shows the written form (ketiv); the English follows the reading (qere).

22:24then you shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and you shall stone them with stones that they die: the young woman, because she did not cry out, being in the city; and the man, because he has humbled his neighbor’s wife; so you shall put away the evil from among you.

כדוְהוֹצֵאתֶ֨ם אֶת־שְׁנֵיהֶ֜ם אֶל־שַׁ֣עַר ׀ הָעִ֣יר הַהִ֗וא וּסְקַלְתֶּ֨ם אֹתָ֥ם בָּאֲבָנִים֮ וָמֵתוּ֒ אֶת־הנער (קרי הַֽנַּעֲרָ֗ה) עַל־דְּבַר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־צָעֲקָ֣ה בָעִ֔יר וְאֶ֨ת־הָאִ֔ישׁ עַל־דְּבַ֥ר אֲשֶׁר־עִנָּ֖ה אֶת־אֵ֣שֶׁת רֵעֵ֑הוּ וּבִֽעַרְתָּ֥ הָרָ֖ע מִקִּרְבֶּֽךָ׃

Written and read. Written הנער, read הַֽנַּעֲרָ֗ה. The Hebrew shows the written form (ketiv); the English follows the reading (qere).

22:25But if a man find a betrothed young woman in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her, then the man only that lay with her shall die;

כהוְֽאִם־בַּשָּׂדֶ֞ה יִמְצָ֣א הָאִ֗ישׁ אֶת־הנער (קרי הַֽנַּעֲרָה֙) הַמְאֹ֣רָשָׂ֔ה וְהֶחֱזִֽיק־בָּ֥הּ הָאִ֖ישׁ וְשָׁכַ֣ב עִמָּ֑הּ וּמֵ֗ת הָאִ֛ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־שָׁכַ֥ב עִמָּ֖הּ לְבַדּֽוֹ׃

Written and read. Written הנער, read הַֽנַּעֲרָה֙. The Hebrew shows the written form (ketiv); the English follows the reading (qere).

22:26but unto the young woman you shall do nothing; there is in the young woman no sin worthy of death; for as when a man rises against his neighbor, and slays him, even so is this matter;

כוולנער (קרי וְלַֽנַּעֲרָה֙) לֹא־תַעֲשֶׂ֣ה דָבָ֔ר אֵ֥ין לנער (קרי לַֽנַּעֲרָ֖ה) חֵ֣טְא מָ֑וֶת כִּ֡י כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ יָק֨וּם אִ֤ישׁ עַל־רֵעֵ֨הוּ֙ וּרְצָח֣וֹ נֶ֔פֶשׁ כֵּ֖ן הַדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃

Written and read. Written ולנער, read וְלַֽנַּעֲרָה֙; written לנער, read לַֽנַּעֲרָ֖ה. The Hebrew shows the written form (ketiv); the English follows the reading (qere).

22:27for he found her in the field, and the betrothed young woman cried out, and there was none to save her.

כזכִּ֥י בַשָּׂדֶ֖ה מְצָאָ֑הּ צָעֲקָ֗ה הנער (קרי הַֽנַּעֲרָה֙) הַמְאֹ֣רָשָׂ֔ה וְאֵ֥ין מוֹשִׁ֖יעַ לָֽהּ׃

Written and read. Written הנער, read הַֽנַּעֲרָה֙. The Hebrew shows the written form (ketiv); the English follows the reading (qere).

22:28If a man find a young woman who is a virgin, who is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found,

כחכִּֽי־יִמְצָ֣א אִ֗ישׁ נער (קרי נַעֲרָ֤ה) בְתוּלָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־אֹרָ֔שָׂה וּתְפָשָׂ֖הּ וְשָׁכַ֣ב עִמָּ֑הּ וְנִמְצָֽאוּ׃

Written and read. Written נער, read נַעֲרָ֤ה. The Hebrew shows the written form (ketiv); the English follows the reading (qere).

22:29then the man that lay with her shall give unto the young woman’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he has humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.

כטוְ֠נָתַן הָאִ֨ישׁ הַשֹּׁכֵ֥ב עִמָּ֛הּ לַאֲבִ֥י הנער (קרי הַֽנַּעֲרָ֖ה) חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים כָּ֑סֶף וְלֽוֹ־תִהְיֶ֣ה לְאִשָּׁ֗ה תַּ֚חַת אֲשֶׁ֣ר עִנָּ֔הּ לֹא־יוּכַ֥ל שַׁלְּחָ֖ה כָּל־יָמָֽיו׃

Written and read. Written הנער, read הַֽנַּעֲרָ֖ה. The Hebrew shows the written form (ketiv); the English follows the reading (qere).

Sources & method

Hebrew text
The Masoretic text with vowels (nikkud) and cantillation marks (ta’amim), from the Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain) as published by the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (CC BY 4.0). Where the written text (ketiv) differs from the reading (qere), the Hebrew shows the written form, the reading follows in small type, and a note under the verse gives both. The English follows the reading. A paragraph mark (ס or פ) inside a verse is shown in small type.
English translation
The King James Version (public domain), lightly modernized by Benei Avraham: “thee/thou/ye” become “you,” older verb forms are updated (“hath” to “has”), and archaic words are replaced only where the meaning would otherwise be unclear. People and places carry their Hebrew names, with the King James spelling in parentheses the first time on each page (e.g., Yehudah (Judah)). The Divine Name (יהוה, “the LORD” in the KJV) is written “Hashem”; “God” (Elohim) is unchanged, and “law” is “Torah” where the Hebrew is תּוֹרָה.
Verse numbers
Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible. In Deuteronomy they differ from most English Bibles, or a verse is divided differently, in chapters 5, 12, 13, 22, 23, 28 and 29; a note under the summary on those pages explains how.
Hebrew font
SBL Hebrew, by the Society of Biblical Literature.