9181. Verses 16-17 When a man persuades a virgin who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife. If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay silver according to the dowry of virgins. 'When a man persuades a virgin who is not betrothed' means good that has not been joined to truth. 'And lies with her' means a wrongful joining together. 'He shall surely endow her to be his wife' means a token of consent on his side to a rightful joining together. 'If the father utterly refuses to give her to him' means if interior good does not allow the joining together. 'He shall pay silver according to the dowry of virgins' means another kind of truth which consents instead.

9151. 'If the thief is caught' means recollection. This is clear from the meaning of 'being caught', when said of truths and factual knowledge taken away out of the memory, as recollection; and from the meaning of 'the thief' as that which has been taken away, for 'thief' has the same meaning as 'theft', 9125, 9126.