Betrothed to an husband; or, reproached or despised, and therefore forsaken, of her husband. For as his continuance with her in his and her master's family and service is mentioned as an evidence that he loved her, Exodus 21:5,6 so on the contrary, his forsaking of her was a reproach to her, and a sign of contempt. She shall be scourged, Heb. there shall be a scourging, which may belong, either,
1. To her alone, as the Jews understand it, for the man's punishment follows, Leviticus 19:21,22. Or,
2. To both of them; for,
1. Both were guilty.
2. It follows, they shall not be punished with death, which may seem to imply that they were to be punished by some other common and considerable punishment, which scourging indeed was, but the paying of a ram was a small penalty, and very unsuitable to the greatness of the offence. And the offering of the ram as a trespass-offering for the sin against God, is not inconsistent with making satisfaction other ways for the injury done to men, as we may see Leviticus 6:4-6, but only added here as a further punishment to the man; either because he only could do this, and not the woman, who being a bond-woman had nothing of her own to offer; or because his sex and his freedom aggravated his sin. They shall not be put to death, which they should have been, had she been free, Deuteronomy 22:23,24. Because she was not free: the reason of this difference is not from any respect which God gives to persons, for bond and free are alike to him, but because bond-women were scarce wives, and their marriages were scarce true marriages, being neither made by their choice, but by their master's authority, nor continued beyond the year of release, but at her master's or husband's pleasure; of which see Exodus 21:4, &c.