Abstract
The laws of Deut. 22:20-24 arguably require the execution of women for consensual or forced sexual intercourse outside marriage. Interpreted within the theological and cultural contexts of Deuteronomy, these laws highlight both the significance of women within the covenant and the resulting control over women’s bodies and sexuality. Deuteronomy also includes laws that protect vulnerable women from abuse, and the biblical canon as a whole includes a number of stories in which women are not executed for sexual transgression. This canonical context provides readers with choices for interpretation.
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