were broader. The groom made the accusation of lack of virginity; the question was whether it was properly or falsely raised. The bride was
not seen as in position to defend herself, so the father undertook this effort.
And the damsel’s father shall say to the elders:“I gave my daughter to this man to wife, and he hates her: and, he has laid wanton charges, saying: I did not find the tokens of virginity in your daughter; and yet these are the tokens of my daughter’s virginity.” And they shall spread the garment before the elders of the city. And the elders of that city shall take the man and flog him. And they shall fine him a hundred shekels of silver, and give them unto the father of the damsel, because he has brought up an evil name upon a virgin of Israel : and she shall be his wife; he may not put her away all his days. But if the charge proves true, the girl is found not to have been a virgin, then the girl shall be brought to the entrance of her father’s house, and the men of her town shall stone her to death; for she did a shameful thing in Israel , committing fornication while under her father’s authority(Deut. 22: 16-19).
The young woman in this case remained a bystander although her life was at stake. The father brought out the sheets to prove the husband’s claim false. The text then stated that the groom was flogged and fined and the young wife remained his responsibility for life. The biblical text only considered the simplest, least complicated case in which virginity could easily be proved. There was no further discussion of this matter in the Bible . I
The following verses dealt with adultery and demanded the death penalty for the woman and her paramour(Deut. 22:23f). In