Unbiblical Sexual Ethics: Bride Price

Any discussion of "biblical marriage" should include the consideration of bride price. A bride price is money, property, or other form of wealth paid by a groom or his family to the family of the woman he will marry.

A few bible passages show how a bride price was part of marriage customs in biblical times.

Jacob paid for Leah with seven years work (Genesis 29:15-30)

David pays Saul two hundred foreskins as the bride price for Saul’s daughter Michal.
1 Samuel 18:27

when David, along with his men, went out and struck down two hundred Philistine men. David brought their foreskins and presented all of them to the king so he could become the king’s son-in-law. Saul then gave him his daughter Michal in marriage.

Exodus 22:16 - 17

"If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, and lies with her, he must pay the bride-price for her, and she will be his wife. If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the bride-price for virgins."

Deuteronomy 22:28-29 (NET Bible)

Suppose a man comes across a virgin who is not engaged and overpowers and rapes her and they are discovered. The man who has raped her must pay her father fifty shekels of silver and she must become his wife because he has violated her; he may never divorce her as long as he lives.

This practice has decreased as equal rights have increased and women are no longer viewed as property.