[Missionary in Sweden]

I have a friend who has committed a horrible and unmentionable immoral act and I'm wondering... for his sake... how much is 50 shekels of silver is in today's value?

I'm actually not sure this even applies since this lady is clearly not a virgin. So marrying her feels like it doesn't really apply? I'm a bit confused here, because even though she's not a virgin I still suspect my friend has committed a sin and should make some sort of penance.

...any help would be much appreciated.

[WilliamJenningsBryan]

A shekel is a unit of weight equal to about 11 grams, so 50 shekels is about 550 grams or 19.4 ounces.

The spot price of silver has been dropping for the last year or so, but as of yesterday it was around $21.70 per ounce. That would place 50 shekels as being worth about $420.98

[Alphonse Alban]

Originally Posted by WilliamJenningsBryan

That would place 50 shekels as being worth about $420.98

That's really steep. After all, unmarried woman that is not a virgin is practically a prostitute. You can buy services of many prostitutes with 420 dollars. At least that's what I've heard.

[Billy Bob Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Alphonse Alban

That's really steep. After all, unmarried woman that is not a virgin is practically a prostitute. You can buy services of many prostitutes with 420 dollars. At least that's what I've heard.

Well it is a punishment, brother. You can't even divorce her if she commits adultery -you have to stone your own wife! Stoning your ex-wife isn't nearly as bad, I hear.

Moreover, women who get raped once are more likely to get raped again (they obviously enjoy it), making this situation highly likely to occur.

[James Hutchins]

When I was a young Christian (before being anointed as a True Christian™) I bought silver futures.
I knew I was not perfect and therefore accepted the cold, stark reality that God was going to force some females on my family to teach me humility (which I really did not need as I have always been a easy-going, humble man) upon me.
My cost have been under $3.00 an ounce or less than $60/daughter-in-law. The moral here is to plan ahead.

[Jack Rankan]

Originally Posted by Alphonse Alban

That's really steep. After all, unmarried woman that is not a virgin is practically a prostitute. You can buy services of many prostitutes with 420 dollars. At least that's what I've heard.

If you are not ready to get married and pay the fine, then don't rape a virgin. Simple as that. God in all of His wisdom gave this commandment for a reason, you know.

[twinshapes3835]

HI. I have a question? Info: My girlfriend and I had pre-marrital sex many years ago. During a "fight", she left me, married another man, had two girls and divorce around the 7,8 year mark. She had been divorced or about 20 years now. We both were virgins when we slept together. Now, 33 years later, do i still need to pay the "bride-price" to clear my conscience or consider it "done" because she left me without my paying the bride-price first?

[Roland]

Originally Posted by twinshapes3835

HI. I have a question? [...]

Hi Twinshapes,

How would people be able to tell if they don´t know you? Please be so kind to introduce yourself here. Tell us what church you go to and what your favorite Bible verse is and how you came to find Jesus.

[WWJDnow]

Originally Posted by twinshapes3835

HI. I have a question? Info: My girlfriend and I had pre-marrital sex many years ago. During a "fight", she left me, married another man, had two girls and divorce around the 7,8 year mark. She had been divorced or about 20 years now. We both were virgins when we slept together. Now, 33 years later, do i still need to pay the "bride-price" to clear my conscience or consider it "done" because she left me without my paying the bride-price first?

The bride price is paid to compensate the bride's father for the loss of his property, the daughter. If she refused to marry you, then you took no property from him and you do not need to pay the bride price. Her husband must pay. So that's the good news. The bad news? You need to be stoned to death for fornication.

[Dennis Lukes]

Originally Posted by WWJDnow

So that's the good news. The bad news? You need to be stoned to death for fornication.

No, the good news is that we can't stone him to death in this country (Titus 3:1). The bad news is that he's going to Hell for eternity when he dies even though that won't be happening at our hands.

[Roland]

Originally Posted by Dennis Lukes

No, the good news is that we can't stone him to death in this country (Titus 3:1). The bad news is that he's going to Hell for eternity when he dies even though that won't be happening at our hands.

Why would he burn forever? He could just repent right? (2 Chronicles 7:14)
It is not like he insulted some holy spirit as in Matthew 12:31 or Absinthe.

[WWJDnow]

Originally Posted by Dennis Lukes

No, the good news is that we can't stone him to death in this country (Titus 3:1). The bad news is that he's going to Hell for eternity when he dies even though that won't be happening at our hands.

I'm pretty sure we can stone him if he's in Texas at the time.

[Pim Pendergast]

Why on earth would anyone want to rape a woman who wasn't a virgin?

But since the woman's not a virgin, can we assume she's married/ widowed? If she's married, your friend has committed a serious property crime and of course should be punished in accordance with secular laws (Rom 13:1-7).

Anyway, I believe you're referring to Deuteronomy 22:28-29 -- it's always a good idea to include the passage you're referring to in your post.

If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found; then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.

The value of the shekel is, as Brother WJB pointed out, variable. Our all-knowing God saw fit not to index for inflation or allow for fluctuations in commodity prices. But don't forget that marriage was part of the punishment. We may not know how much the shekel was worth, but the rapist had to support his wife for the rest of his life. He could not put her away all his days. To get an idea of the punitive nature of such a marriage, remember the words of Matthew 19:10-11.

10 His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.
11 But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.

I don't know how much fifty shekels was worth, but the financial and emotional cost of supporting and living with a woman you may not even like would be incalculable. It would make a man think twice before raping someone again. It would say to other rapists, "Let this be a lesson to you!"

And sometimes the rape victim wants to marry her rapist, anyway. Tamar wanted to marry Amnon when she thought he was going to rape her (2 Sam 13:13). Amnon ended up raping her anyway and after that he hated her (2 Sam 13:14-15). If he had been forced to marry her, it would have been punishment enough. Imagine being married to a woman you hated till death do you part. In the case of Tamar and Amnon, Biblical law wasn't followed, and it was Tamar who suffered.

2 Sam 13:20 So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house.

[Mary Etheldreda]

Originally Posted by Missionary in Sweden

I have a friend who has committed a horrible and unmentionable immoral act and I'm wondering... for his sake... how much is 50 shekels of silver is in today's value?

I'm actually not sure this even applies since this lady is clearly not a virgin. So marrying her feels like it doesn't really apply? I'm a bit confused here, because even though she's not a virgin I still suspect my friend has committed a sin and should make some sort of penance.

...any help would be much appreciated.

Well I'm no expert, but in my opinion, any women who is not a virgin but not married is a "loose woman" and likely is trying to trap your friend. I would be highly cautious with a gal like that. The fact that they operate without morals has already been established, if you know what I mean.

[Alphonse Alban]

Originally Posted by Mary Etheldreda

Well I'm no expert, but in my opinion, any women who is not a virgin but not married is a "loose woman" and likely is trying to trap your friend. I would be highly cautious with a gal like that. The fact that they operate without morals has already been established, if you know what I mean.

Amen, Sister!

That is why I have been taking my daughters to a bimonthly hymen-intactomy ever since they turned two. I always take written certificate that my property is still undamaged from the pastor who performs the operation.

That way no one can make claims that it was already damaged goods in case of rape and that way trying to avoid paying my due.

As my father always said, better safe than sorry.

[Missionary in Sweden]

Originally Posted by Mary Etheldreda

Well I'm no expert, but in my opinion, any women who is not a virgin but not married is a "loose woman" and likely is trying to trap your friend. I would be highly cautious with a gal like that. The fact that they operate without morals has already been established, if you know what I mean.

That's a good point. Of course he couldn't help himself. Makes perfect sense. Thank you. Now... my friend... will be able to sleep much more soundly.

But should he still pay? I mean... a sin has been conducted even if it wasn't his fault.

[Bjorn Jensen]

By using this currency converter, I found out that 50 shekels is approximately $14 today.

[Jedediah]

I will pray for Jesus to enter your heart and, while He keeps you free from sin, teach you the finer points of theomathematics, Ex-Viking.

1 shekel = 0.4 oz.
1 oz. silver = $20.70 (as of 11/12/2013)

50 silver shekels = 20 oz. silver = $414.

[Billy Bob Jenkins]

Originally Posted by WilliamJenningsBryan

A shekel is a unit of weight equal to about 11 grams, so 50 shekels is about 550 grams or 19.4 ounces.

The spot price of silver has been dropping for the last year or so, but as of yesterday it was around $21.70 per ounce. That would place 50 shekels as being worth about $420.98

Originally Posted by Jedediah

I will pray for Jesus to enter your heart and, while He keeps you free from sin, teach you the finer points of theomathematics, Ex-Viking.

1 shekel = 0.4 oz.
1 oz. silver = $20.70 (as of 11/12/2013)

50 silver shekels = 20 oz. silver = $414.

Scrounging together the meager resources of the entire internet I was able to confirm and reaffirm that a "shekel" had never been anything but a unit of weight in all places the term was used, until 1980. A clump of common silver the size of your hand will more than cover the rape fee. God did not say that we must find the most expensive silver possible. He did not specify what form the fifty shekels of silver must be in.

After all, it would be far too punitive to charge a man of modest means 50 million dollars for what could amount to a case of mistaken identity. What if the woman was adopted? She might have Shilohan features and even still be speaking their gobbledy-gook.

We should not spread misconceptions, lest rapists become entitled to vast reparations from their in-laws. This could sow discord among the brethren.

If God had told us to compensate the father by giving him a slave, would it then a requirement to go find him Bill "Bojangles" Robinson?

[A Follower]

Originally Posted by Ex-Viking

By using this currency converter, I found out that 50 shekels is approximately $14 today.

My brother, I'm afraid you have been had by the greedy jews: as is typical for them, they are selling you fake shekels; instead of the shekels that you know from the Bible, these Jews have falsified fake shekels that are practically worthless, they aren't even made from silver.