[Wowfunhappy]

So, uh, can or can't the wife's husband choose to spare her?

[magicsmoke]

If the wife's husband spares his wife, then the king would spare the person that committed adultery with her. Otherwise they would both die.

[Wowfunhappy]

Thank you, that makes sense now. The "king's servant" was throwing me off—I guess the idea is that everyone is a servant of the king.

[oldgradstudent]

I wonder if subject would have been a better translation than servant.