Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

ADULTERY

In the ancient Near East and the OT (Lev. 18:20; 20:10; Deut. 22:22) adultery meant consensual sexual intercourse by a married woman with a man other than her husband. However, intercourse between a married man and another woman was not considered adultery unless she was married. The betrothed woman is also bound to fidelity, but leniency is shown to a married or betrothed man (Exod. 22:16-17[MT 15-16]; Deut. 22:28-29; Prov. 5:15-20; Mal. 2:14-15).

Some scholars distinguish between the ancient Near Eastern laws, where adultery was a private wrong against the husband, who could prosecute an offender, and the biblical laws, where adultery was an offense against God, with mandatory prosecution and a sentence of death, or, in some cases, atonement through a sin offering (Lev. 19:20-21). Others argue that biblical and ancient Near Eastern laws agree that adultery was an offense against the husband, with prosecution at his discretion (Prov. 6:32-35).

Mistaken paternity and its effect on family inheritance, as well as protection of the husband’s economic interest, were the primary reasons why adultery was a sin and included in the Decalogue (Exod. 20:14; Deut. 5:18). Adultery was also used as a metaphor for Israel’s idolatrous and immoral behavior (e.g., Jer. 3:6-13; 23:9-15; Ezek. 16:30-43; Isa. 57:3-13).

Bibliography. H. McKeating, “Sanctions against Adultery in Ancient Israelite Society,” JSOT 11 (1979): 57-72; R. Westbrook, “Adultery in Ancient Near Eastern Law,” RB 97 (1990): 542-80.

Hendrik L. Bosman

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

ADULTERY

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)