Leviticus 19:20-22

 Leviticus 19:20-22 MKJV  And whoever lies with a woman with semen, and she is a slave-girl, betrothed to a husband and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her, there shall be an inquest. They shall not be put to death, because she was not free.  21  And he shall bring his trespass offering to Jehovah, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, even a ram for a trespass offering.  22  And the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before Jehovah for his sin which he has done. And the sin which he has done shall be forgiven him.

This kind of goes along with the verse before, verse 19, about the mixtures. Notice the verse starts with "And". A free man with a slave woman. An afianced woman (who is not free to marry anyone other than her fiance) with another man (not her fiance).

Adultery was punishable by death, Leviticus 20:10, Deuteronomy 22:22-24. If they were married to others and she was a free woman, not a slave. But in this case, the slave woman was not in a position to resist. Sexual harassment of a woman in a vulnerable position. She does not have a father or husband to protect her. She's in the inbetween stage of being affianced but still not completely paid for by her fiance so she's still a slave. Once she's been redeemed, paid for by her fiance, she can marry him and she has his protection. God realizes that a woman can be in a vulnerable position and may not be able to resist a man in a position of authority over her and he is not her husband or father. She is guilty of sin but not of a capital sin. A punishment but not death. God also realizes that her fiance loses something too when the woman he was to marry is violated. She could be exposed to STDs or pregnant, psychologically damaged at the least. Would her fiance be taking on these responsibilities caused by another man? We would say she's coming to the marriage with baggage. It takes a good man to take on someone else's problems. It takes a good woman to take on someone else's problems. In today's society, most men and women come to a marriage with baggage. Single parents either through abandonment, divorce, death, out of wedlock sex, etc can bring children by different men and women into a marriage. Promiscuous sex can bring a host of physical and psychological damage into a marriage. I mean, let's say two virgins get married young and they both come from good families and have a lot in common, especially their religion... you still are trying to become one in a lifelong relationship with a different person and their family. It's not easy. But add to that mix the modern lack of values and it's resulting consequences and you have a whole heck of a lot to work through. It can be overwhelming and sometimes it ends in just another divorce which adds more baggage to the parties involved. More psychological damage to ex-husbands, ex-wives and the children involved.

The man who caused this problem and who added sexual aggression to sexual immorality has greatly sinned. He was to be punished and to take a guilt offering to the Lord. A ram was an expensive offering. It had to be a male without blemish. Sheep were valuable and considered part of a man's wealth. Losing your best by having to give it as an offering meant you got none of the meat, wool, or reproduction (increase in your herds) from that ram. You had expended labor and, perhaps, money on it by feeding it, caring for it, maybe shepherding or paying a shepherd, to take care of it. But due to your own wickedness, you have to sacrifice it to the Lord for your sins. It cost the man something. Having to bring it to the Tabernacle and having to slaughter it yourself, cost him something. The punishment (scourging) cost him something. The publicity cost him something. It should deter men from doing the sin. Unfortunately, instead of amending the behavior and actions, it drives people to more secrecy and deceit when it comes to sin. You practice your sin and try to cover it up with the sin of lying and deceit, threats and violence. Whatever it takes to "get away with it." Somehow not equating the fact you haven't fooled God at all with your coverups. We are so selfish.

"Had she been free, the law required that she should be put to death; (see Deuteronomy 22:24); but as she was a slave, she is supposed to have less self-command, and therefore less guilt: but as it is taken for granted she did not make resistance, or did consent, she is to be scourged, and the man is to bring a ram for a trespass-offering." - Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

"This is the situation described: A slave girl is engaged to marry a free man, and then a different man has sex with her. Normally, the penalty was death; but because the woman was a slave, and was presumed to be not free to resist (or guarded by a father), the penalty was not death. Yet, she was not marriable to her fiancée, so he must be reimbursed (the punishment mentioned). Then the moral guilt would be settled by sacrifice, and presumably, the man who had sex with her would be obliged to marry her." - David Guzik's Enduring Word Commentary