Leviticus 19:21

Key Reflection

In Leviticus 19:21, if a man engaged in sexual relations with a female slave who was already pledged to another and had not been ransomed or given her freedom, both the man and the woman were to be punished. The original audience would have understood that this law reflected the social and legal structures of ancient Israel, where slavery was prevalent. The punishment avoided capital punishment because the woman was considered a slave who did not hold full legal status as a free person, thus justifying less severe penalties.