Virgin bride

¹³ Suppose a man gets married and consummates the marriage but subsequently despises his wife. ¹⁴ He then spreads false claims about her to the point that she has a bad reputation, because he said such things as, “I married this woman, but when I went to have sex with her, I couldn’t find any proof that she was a virgin.”

¹⁵ At that point, the young woman’s father and mother will bring proof of her virginity to the city’s elders at the city gate. ¹⁶ The young woman’s father will say to the elders: “I gave my daughter to this man to be his wife, but he doesn’t like her anymore. ¹⁷ That’s why he has spread false claims about her, saying, ‘I couldn’t find any proof that your daughter was a virgin.’ But look! Here’s proof of my daughter’s virginity.” At that point they will spread out the blanket in front of the city’s elders. ¹⁸ The city’s elders must then take that husband and punish him. ¹⁹ They will fine him one hundred silver shekels, giving that to the young woman’s father, because that husband gave one of Israel’s virgin daughters a bad reputation. Moreover, she must remain his wife; he is never allowed to divorce her.