This small group Deuteronomy 22 Bible study guide contains commentary, discussion questions, cross-references, and application to encourage life change. Visit our library of inductive Bible studies for more in depth inductive studies on this and other books of the Bible you can use in your small group.
Deuteronomy 22 Bible Study Commentary And Discussion Questions
Outline
I. Miscellaneous laws (1-11)
II. Laws Concerning Sexual Immorality (12-30)
I. Miscellaneous laws (1-11)
Discussion Questions
• What principle can we learn from verses 1-4?
• What should a person have done if he didn’t know who the animals belonged to?
• How can this principle be applied today and in modern cities with few animals?
• What can we learn about how we are to treat our neighbors?
• How should Christians view the statement “finders keepers, losers weepers?”
• What should you do if you find a lost wallet or a mobile phone?
• What principle can be learned from verse 5?
• How does this verse relate to the trans movement today?
• Why is there a law regarding how to treat a bird’s nest?
• What important principle is taught in this law?
• What responsibilities should home or business owners have to maintain a safe environment?
• Why was it forbidden to mix two kinds of seed or two kinds of cloth? Are we still under these laws today?
Cross-References
Mark 12:31 – The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Romans 15:2 – Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.
Romans 13:10 – Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Genesis 1:28 – And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
1 Corinthians 6:9 – Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality.
Psalms 24:1 – The earth is the LORD’S and the fullness thereof,
the world and those who dwell therein.
Jeremiah 2:7 – And I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things. But when you came in, you defiled my land and made my heritage an abomination.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. Returning lost animals (1-4) – There is a popular English saying that children use, “Finder’s keepers, loser’s weepers.” This saying echoes the belief of that child that because he found something, it is his right to possess it and that the person who lost it forfeited that right of possession.
This Old Testament law teaches us the opposite. A person was prohibited from taking possession of something (in this case, animals) that did not belong to them, even if it was found unattended. Beyond this, the finder not only was not allowed to keep the things but he was also required to go out of his way to return them.
Neither could he use the excuse that “I don’t know who it belongs to.” He was required to take the animals and care for them so that when the owner came looking, he could return them in good health and condition. This courtesy was to be shown for any lost possession, animal or otherwise.
In addition, if a person saw his neighbor’s animal in distress, he was required to go out of his way to save that animal.
There is a wide gap between the agrarian society of the Old Testament and our modern metropolises. Some readers might dismiss this passage as being irrelevant. But we should consider the universal principle behind this law.
The main principle is that we should “love our neighbors as ourselves.” The specific application of that is to make every effort to return a lost item to its original owner.
Application – You likely won’t see your neighbor’s sheep wandering around, but you might find a phone, wallet, or driver’s license. Make every attempt to return it to the owner.
You likely won’t see your neighbor’s donkey in distress, but you might see your neighbor on the side of the road with a flat tire or notice that when they are away on a trip, their front door is ajar. If you are loving your neighbor as yourself, what should you do in these situations?
2. Cross-dressing forbidden (5) – These laws make it clear that God envisioned a clear distinction between male and female. He created two sexes, male and female. These are unique and special. The lines should not be blurred between the two. Cross-dressing was strictly prohibited. Proper attire is a way to acknowledge acceptance of one’s sex given by God at conception. It is a way to submit to His design. Doing so glorifies God and is a good testimony to those around. Clothing is the most visible outward symbol of a person’s heart attitude toward their God-given gender.
It is interesting to note that men’s and women’s garments in Old Testament times were actually more similar in appearance than in many cultures today. Loose-fitting robes were the norm for both. Here are a few differences.
• Men’s robes could be to the ankles or to just past the knees.
• Women’s robes were always to the ankles.
• Women’s garb was decorated differently. It often had a hood or head covering.
• Men almost always had facial hair (in Hebrew culture).
• Women’s garments included jewelry and other adornments.
Source – https://dividetheword.blog/2017/03/07/men-womens-apparel-in-ancient-days-and-today/
Women’s garments were to be feminine. Men were not to be effeminate (1 Corinthians 6:9). Men were often depicted as carrying weapons. Women were not. This prohibition also shows that women were not to go around wearing armor or weapons like a man. Neither should a man go around and wear a facial veil or scarf that was intended for women.
Men and women were to look differently.
Reflect – Is it wrong for a woman to wear jeans or shorts? Why or why not? Is it wrong for a man to wear earrings or a necklace? Why or why not?
We need to consider the principle behind this command. The principle is that we should acknowledge and accept how God has designed us in relationship to our gender. We should not rebel or experiment outside of this.
There is a cultural component to dress. What is a woman’s garments in one culture might be a man’s in another. One of my best friends is Scottish. In Scotland, men traditionally wear kilts. These look like skirts to men in many Western countries. Yet a Scottish person would never say that a man wearing a kilt was effeminate. However, if an American man walks around in a skirt, it would certainly set off some alarm bells.
Therefore the principle is that a man should look like a man and a woman should look like a woman. In the Western world, pants are no longer seen or understood to be only for men. A woman wearing pants is not identifying herself as masculine. It does not make her look like a man. But if she shaves her head and wears a man’s suit, she does not look much like a woman anymore. On the other hand, a man who wears a dress and puts on makeup is crossing the line.
Application – Men, dress and act like men. Women, dress and act like women. Be content and fulfilled in your God-given calling and design. Seek to live up to God’s high standards given to men and women in Scripture and don’t lower yourself to the world’s compromised standards.
In addition, parents should teach their children about their sex. Rather than causing confusion in their kids, they should help them understand their God-created identity and embrace it. Get boys’ clothing for your boys and girls’ clothing for your girls. It is good to let them see and understand there are differences between the two sexes.
3. Discretion in hunting and trapping (6-7) – The society at that time sustained itself on natural resources. It would be shortsighted to consume what could provide for you and your family in the future. If the young birds or eggs were left without a mother, they would die and be useless. Therefore, these could be harvested. However, the mother should be spared because she could raise more young in the future.
The underlying principle is that natural resources should be used in a wise and sustainable manner. People are created as stewards of God’s creation. We need to steward it both for our own generation and the future. Resources should not be consumed without regard to how it affects the future.
Some examples of foolish and shortsighted wildlife management are below.
• Dynamite fishing – This blows up the corral and destroys many animals’ natural habitat. Once gone, it is very difficult to restore or regrow these lost resources.
• Overhunting or fishing – The American bison was almost totally wiped out through greed. Carcasses were left to rot and the fur was sold. The population was reduced from millions to a low of 541.
This passage does not mean that people should love animals more than humans, that people are a plague, or that trillions should be spent to protect a bug. It does mean that people should be wise stewards and take care of the earth because God created the earth to sustain us.
4. Making your house safe (8) – Homeowners had a responsibility to maintain its safety. Specifically, they were required to build a parapet. This was a small wall around the sides of a flat roof. People could come up onto the top of a roof, which might be used as a garden, for storage, or a space to perform tasks. Without a wall around the sides of the roof, there was a risk that a person may fall and become injured. This risk was heightened for children.
Accidental deaths and injuries were to be prevented as much as possible, even at the cost of personal expense and time.
This simple command reminds us that God values human life. It also teaches us the importance of being cautious and exercising foresight to prevent potential accidents.
5. Illegal mixing (9-10) – The law here prohibited missing two different things in three areas: seeds, yoked animals, and cloth material. The practical reasons for these commands are not totally clear. Yoking an ox and a donkey together would exhaust the donkey because an ox is far stronger. That could have been to prevent animal cruelty. It is not readily clear what practical implications there were for these laws.
Perhaps they were primarily to remind the people of a deeper spiritual truth. The truth is that good and evil should not be mixed. God commanded them not to mix or intermarry with the Canaanites. They were to be holy and completely set apart for God. It may be these commands were to serve as a tangible, everyday reminder of that spiritual reality.
God creates clear lines and boundaries. We see this in the beginning of Genesis when He created each animal “according to its kind.” We see it in the sexes. We also see it in proper worship of God, which was not to be mixed with pagan practices.
Nowadays, almost all lines are being blurred. Scientists sometimes even breed chimeras, which are a cross between different types of animals.
6. Tassels (11) –
Numbers 15:37-40 – The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner. And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after. So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God.
The tassels were meant to serve as a visible reminder of God’s commands. There is nothing in a tassel itself that does this. It was rather that this was the symbol God chose to use to accomplish this purpose. He was telling the people, “When you see the tassel, remember the commands.” Because they were familiar with this, they did.
Eventually, the Pharisees took these as a mark of spiritual pride and were condemned by Jesus for it (Matthew 23:5).
II. Laws Concerning Sexual Immorality (12-30)
Discussion Questions
• What protections were given to a woman falsely accused of immorality?
• What was the punishment against a man for a false accusation?
• What evidence could clear the young woman’s name? Who was in charge of this evidence?
• What do we learn from this passage about how God views purity and truthfulness?
• What do we learn about God’s view on adultery and fornication (22-24)?
• What was the punishment for rape of a betrothed woman (25-27)?
Cross-References
Exodus 22:16-17 – If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price for her and make her his wife. If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the bride-price for virgins.
1 Corinthians 6:18-20 – Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Hebrews 13:4 – Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. Responding to an accusation of immorality – Verses 13-22 contain the part of the Old Testament law on how to deal with accusations where the husband claims his newly wedded wife is not a virgin. This law protects the woman from being unfairly accused, requires evidence to be brought forth, enables the family of the accused woman to defend her in the investigation, and prescribes punishment for a false accuser or a convicted woman, helping to ensure a pure community.
Notice that this law was to protect a woman from an unfair charge brought by a husband who “hates” her. “The husband “dislikes” his bride and, being dissatisfied with her for some reason, uses the pretext of her supposed lack of virginity to slander her and have her punished. What the Law of Moses did was to extend protection to women who were falsely accused of infidelity. If there was evidence from the wedding night of her virginity, a woman could not be punished.”
Source – https://www.gotquestions.org/virginity-test-torn-hymen.html
At the same time, the husband would be publicly whipped for lying and have to pay a stiff fine. Moreover, if his claim was disproven, he would never be allowed to divorce the lady for any reason. Those possibilities alone would be a strong deterrent to making a false accusation. Note also that there is no record of this type of accusation ever being made. Most newly wedded husbands would have no motivation or cause to do so.
Deuteronomy 22:20 NASB – But if this charge is true, and they did not find the girl to have evidence of virginity.
The charge must be found to be true in order for the woman to be convicted. Part of the evidence to be considered was the wedding sheet, but presumably, other arguments could be made as well.
If a woman’s hymen was broken, the bleeding would prove her virginity and the evidence would be forthcoming.
Besides sexual activity, other things can cause a woman’s hymen to break, including horseback riding or vigorous sports. At that time, girls primarily performed household chores while men did the more strenuous outdoor activity. In addition, girls were married at a much younger age at that time. Therefore the test of virginity would have been much more accurate then than now.
The presence of this law would have encouraged young women to be pure while deterring false accusations. It would have also encouraged the two families involved in a marriage covenant to be clear about the status and history of the two sides and deterred deceit or false representation. It gave women a means, though not 100% foolproof, to defend themselves against unscrupulous allegations.
“This law must be seen in connection with the command in Exodus 22:16-17, which commands that a man who entices a virgin must surely pay the brid- price for her to be his wife. This law in Deuteronomy is directed against the truly wanton woman, who has given up her virginity yet not claimed her rights under Exodus 22:16-17. She did not value her virginity at the time she gave it up, yet she wanted to claim the benefits of it by deceiving her husband.”
Source – https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/deuteronomy-22/
Virginity was very highly valued in Israel. Sadly, in most countries, it is not very valued today.
God cares for the truth and He cares for sexual purity. Both of these are grossly lacking in modern-day society.
2. Adultery and fornication were to be punished by stoning 22-24 – Both the man and the woman were guilty of this and to be punished accordingly.
Deuteronomy 22:22 – So you shall purge the evil from Israel.
God wanted purity and holiness for His people.
Jesus raised the bar even higher, saying that lustful thoughts make us guilty of adultery in God’s sight.
Matthew 5:28-29 – But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.
God’s standard is high.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 – For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God.
It is helpful to take a step back and see the big picture. The big picture is that we are all guilty under the law. We all deserve the wages of sin, which is death (Romans 6:23). Only Christ can set us free.
3. Rape of a betrothed woman was punished by putting the man to death (25-27) – This case discusses the rape of a betrothed woman in the countryside. No one is around to hear her yell. 100% of the responsibility is put onto the man. He is to be put to death.
A distinction is clearly made in these laws between a rape victim and consensual sex. In the case of immoral consensual sex (outside of marriage), both were to be punished. In the case of rape, only the attacker was punished.
In both cases, women were afforded more rights and protections in Israel under the Old Testament law than they would have received almost anywhere else.
4. Protections for a non-betrothed woman –
Deuteronomy 22:28-29 – If a man meets a virgin who is not betrothed, and seizes her and lies with her, and they are found, then the man who lay with her shall give to the father of the young woman fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he has violated her. He may not divorce her all his days.
This is a hotly debated passage. Some question whether it demands that a rape victim marry her attacker.
Many scholars argue that this refers to consensual intercourse. The word that ESV translates as “seizes” in verse 28 is different than the word used for “seizes” in verse 25. In verse 25, the word is “chazaq,” while in verse 28 the word is “taphas.” The word taphas is sometimes used in a lighter sense, such as in the way one handles a flute or harp. Chazaq has more of a sense of force. The fact that the author changes the word he uses in such close proximity may indicate that a different type of situation is being considered.
In this context, chazaq clearly means rape. Verse 26 says that the man doing this is like “a man attacking and murdering his neighbor.” Verses 28-29 do not contain a similar description of assault. In addition, verse 28 says, “And they are found.” Some translations render this, “and they are discovered.” The use of the word “they” combined with the fact that others find them out (rather than the woman reporting the incident) strengthens the argument that this refers to a consensual act and not rape.
However, we must admit that the passage is not totally clear as to whether this is rape or a consensual act.
If it refers to rape, we can also consider the following points.
A. A non-virgin woman would have extreme difficulty in finding a partner and family. Many men at that time would not consent to marry a woman who was no longer a virgin. This is also seen in the life of Joseph, who planned to secretly divorce Mary when he found out she was with child (Matthew 1:19). She would have little ability to provide for herself.
Our modern society is different in that women are far better equipped to provide for themselves. Also, singlehood and childlessness does not come with nearly the cultural stigma that it did then.
B. This was a warning to men. They could not just do what they wanted and then walk away. They were required to marry the girl and permanently care for her. This would strongly discourage a man from raping a victim. Men who commit rape care only for themselves and want the pleasure of sex without taking any responsibility. Here, it puts all the responsibility on the man. He would not only have to take care of her but also the potential child his sinful act created.
This law was akin to requiring him to pay damages and lifelong support to the woman.
Old Testament scholar Sandra Richter said, “‘Walk-away Joes’ were required to ‘man up’ as regards the woman they had compromised and the potential children they had created.”
C. The father still had veto power over the relationship. If he deemed the man unsuitable, he could refuse to allow him to marry his daughter and the man would still have to pay the dowry.
We can see that from the following verse in Exodus.
Exodus 22:16-17 – If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price for her and make her his wife. If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the bride-price for virgins.
If the father’s veto power applied to consensual sex, then it would certainly apply to non-consensual sex.
Presumably, the father would also take into account his daughter’s wishes. If she refused to go with the man, then the father could likewise refuse to give her to him.
Therefore this law forced men to “man up” and be responsible while still allowing the victim and her family the choice of whether she wanted to go forward with the arrangement.
D. The historical example of Amnon’s rape of Tamar provides useful background. Amnon raped his half-sister. Note that she called this act an “outrageous” and shameful thing (2 Samuel 13:12). It is clear that rape was not accepted but viewed as an abomination.
After being raped, Tamar wanted Amnon to marry her. She said that the sin of sending her away was “greater” than the sin of raping her (2 Samuel 13:16). Meanwhile, Amnon refused to take responsibility and callously disregarded her pleas.
While a modern woman in most cultures would find it unthinkable to consent to a married life with the one who assaulted her, it was clearly a different culture and situation back then. Rape had already destroyed the woman’s life. After that, it was often a question of lifelong singleness, humiliation, and poverty on the one hand or consenting to marry the attacker and be provided for and raise up children on the other.
It was a dilemma with two bad choices. This law was given so that there was a choice. From the example of Tamar, it is clear that at least some of the women in the Old Testament would have desired to claim this law and choose marriage.
E. We should remember that these are not laws for heaven; they are laws for earth. The problem was the human heart. Only a heart transplant could fix the problem. That would come one day (Ezekiel 36:26). In the meantime, these laws could make better out of a bad situation.
5. A man shall not take his father’s wife – Purity was taken very seriously. All types of sexual immorality were forbidden.
Deuteronomy 22 Application – Based on the passage today, what application can you make to your life? How important is purity? How can you pursue purity in your life?
