Seduction, as well as rape, instituted marriage: "If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife" (Ex. 22:16). One translation of the word yefateh (seduces) means that he speaks to her heart until she consents. Another translation is "to persuade." Another means "to deceive." The seduction of a virgin female who was not engaged to anyone determined that the male must marry the girl. Hypothetically, if a girl was induced to have intercourse by the male's promise to marry her, or without such promise she would not have consented to have permitted carnal knowledge with her; or not; is not relevant: the determining factor is that the virginity of the girl was violated through seduction (regardless of what the means of persuasion or enticement may have been).

Thus, according to particular circumstances (regardless of the fact whether there was enticement or not on the part of the female virgin), rape or seduction of a virgin was an act which instituted marriage. However, a girl was expected to scream or complain--to avoid the silence of passivity--to prove that she did not consent to any immoral sexual aggression.

If a man took (chose) a virgin for a wife and hated her afterward (with dissatisfaction), he was not able to divorce her (Dt. 22:13-19). On the other hand, if the girl was not a virgin (even though she pretended to be) and she did not have any proof of chastity, then the male was not obligated to remain married to her (Dt. 22:20, 21).

It is very important for people to understand what the Bible teaches concerning marriage. The Apostle Paul speaks about the subject in I Cor., ch. 7; and in many of the other Scriptures. This paper was written primarily for the instruction and admonition of young people, but the principles apply for everyone. There is a need to be thorough in strengthening and armoring souls by means of teaching, exhorting, encouraging, proclaiming and declaring God's written word to be true and authoritative.

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