On of the miscellaneous laws in the Old Testament states:

Deu 25:11  “If two men fight together, and the wife of one draws near to rescue her husband from the hand of the one attacking him, and puts out her hand and seizes him by the genitals,
Deu 25:12  then you shall cut off her hand; your eye shall not pity her.

What does this mean?  Let’s investigate.

Reading it Literally

There are at first reading a number of things which appear strange about this law.

The penalty (cutting off a hand) seems completely disproportionate to the offense (seizing the genitals).  In fact it goes against the “eye for an eye” principle, that the punishment should match the crime.  Why is her punishment not being “seized by her genitals”?

Another strange thing is that a wife getting involved in her husband’s fight in such a way is quite unusual.  It’s unlikely to happen, so why have a law for it.  A more likely scenario is kicking the genitals.  Where is the law governing this?

This just shows that a literal reading of this law does not make much sense. 

Reading it Figuratively

If we read this figuratively then it can be readily understood.

Firstly, are there other laws which are better understood figuratively?  Yes.  There is a law about not muzzling an ox while it treads grain.

Deu 25:4  “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.

The apostle Paul explains that this law means that workers should be compensated.

1Co 9:9  For it is written in the law of Moses, “YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE AN OX WHILE IT TREADS OUT THE GRAIN.” Is it oxen God is concerned about?
1Co 9:10  Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.

Jesus taught, “if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off”.  It’s a vivid picture portraying the need to take drastic action to remove sin from our lives.

Mat 5:27  “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.’
Mat 5:28  But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Mat 5:29  If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
Mat 5:30  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

This is not meant to be taken literally, but rather, if looking at a woman causes you to commit adultery—to lust after her—then you need to make a conscious effort to stop thinking lustful thoughts.  Cast the lustful thoughts away from you as if you had plucked out an eye.

So, yes, there are other laws which are better understood figuratively.  So what could Deuteronomy 25:11-12 really be talking about.  The context gives the answer.  The verses following Deuteronomy 25:11-12 are:

Deu 25:13  “You shall not have in your bag differing weights, a heavy and a light.
Deu 25:14  You shall not have in your house differing measures, a large and a small.
Deu 25:15  You shall have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure, that your days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD your God is giving you.
Deu 25:16  For all who do such things, all who behave unrighteously, are an abomination to the LORD your God.

The context is how God hates the unjustness of using of different weights.  We are now in a position to understand Deuteronomy 25:11-12 figuratively.

The vivid scenario of a woman intervening in her husband’s fight with another man in such a vulgar and unfair way provides a mental picture of how God sees using different weights.  The punishment of her hand being cut off preventing her from doing it again provides another vivid picture showing how God wants the practice of using different weights to be cast out forever.

There is some additional imagery worth mentioning which adds to the vividness. Weights were no doubt carried in leather pouches which is an obvious symbol of male genitalia.  As someone pulled out his weights from his leather pouch, he would perhaps be reminded of this law.