⁷ What man is there who has pledged to be married a wife, and has not taken her? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.

⁵ When a man takes a new wife, he shall not go out in the host, neither shall he be charged with any business: he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer his wife whom he has taken.

³⁰ You shall betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: you shall build a house, and you shall not dwell therein: you shall plant a vineyard, and shall not use the fruit of it.

²³ If there be a young lady who is a virgin pledged to be married to a husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her;

²⁴ then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with stones; the lady, because she didn't cry, being in the city; and the man, because he has humbled his neighbor's wife: so you shall put away the evil from the midst of you.

²⁵ But if the man find the lady who is pledged to be married in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her; then the man only who lay with her shall die:

¹⁸ Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this; for after his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸ They all as one began to make excuses. "The first said to him, 'I have bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please have me excused.'

¹⁹ "Another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I must go try them out. Please have me excused.'

²⁰ "Another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I can't come.'

⁴ No soldier on service entangles himself in the affairs of life, that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier.