Deuteronomy 22:25 - Clarke's commentary and critical notes on the Bible

But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then the man only that lay with her shall die: And the man force her - A rape also, by these ancient institutions, was punished with death, because a woman's honor was considered equally as precious as her life; therefore the same punishment was inflicted on the ravisher as upon the murderer. This offense is considered in the same point of view in the British laws, and by them also it is punished with death.