What Does The Bible Say About Rape?
The Bible addresses the topic of rape. As one would expect, when the Bible speaks of the offense of rape, it is described as a blatant infraction to God’s intended treatment of the human body (Genesis 34).
Whenever it is mentioned, the Bible condemns rape. For example, under Joshua’s leadership, the nation of Israel has been given several special laws in the Law relating to it before entering the Promised Land.
These verses (Deuteronomy 22:13-29) specifically condemn having sexual relations with a woman against her wishes, which we refer to today as sexual rape. This order protected women and protected Israel’s nation from sinful activities.
According to the Mosaic Law, this punishment is specified in Deuteronomy 22:25–27, which provides punishment for a man who rapes a betrothed woman. The man should have been stoned, while the woman was presumed innocent. Although the Mosaic Law was only for the nation of Israel in Moses’ time, the theory is clear that rape is a sinful act in the eyes of God and that, under the Law, the most extreme punishment for a rapist is death.
There are also some difficult passages in the Old Testament regarding this subject. The first is found in Deuteronomy 22:28-29, “If a man finds a virgin girl who is not supposed to be married, and seizes her and commits adultery with her, and they are caught, then the man who has wronged her He should give fifty shekels of rupees to the father of that girl, and she should be his wife, he has outraged her modesty, so that he should not leave her for the rest of his life.” If the matchmaking of the rape victim did not take place, then the rapist had to face various consequences.
We should look at Deuteronomy 22:28-29 wearing the ancient culture on our eyes. In those days, women were treated badly in society. They could not buy property for themselves, and he could not get a job for his livelihood. If a woman did not have a father, husband, or son, she had no legal protection. Its alternatives were slavery or prostitution. If a woman who had never married was not a virgin, It was hard to get married. If she was not of marriageable age, she would not have been of much use to her father.
God’s punishment for virgins who raped – a financial penalty and a lifelong obligation was created to stop rape by holding the perpetrator accountable for their actions. He had destroyed her life; Now, it was his responsibility to help her for the rest of his life. This may not sound fair to modern-day people, but we do not live in the culture they lived in. In 2 Samuel 13, Prince Ammon raped his half-sister, Tamar. The rape was a matter of fear and shame. However, being unmarried, Tamar begged her (her half-brother) to marry her, but she refused his request. And his real brother, Absalom, was so shocked by the situation that he killed Ammon. At that time, virginity was of utmost importance in women.
The Bible critics also refer to the passage of Number 31 (and other similar chapters) where the Israelites were given the right to seize women from conquered nations. Critics say this is an example of the Bible omitting the rapist or promoting rape. However, this passage does not say anything about raping the captured women. It is wrong to assume that the captured women were to be raped. The soldiers were ordered to purify themselves and their prisoners (verse 19.). It would have violated the obligation (see Leviticus 15:16-18). Women who were taken captive have never been referred to as sex objects. Have the captive women mentioned the possibility of marriage with the Israelites? Yes, told. Is there any indication that the women were raped or forced into slavery for the sake of sexual pleasure? No way.
In the New Testament, rape is not directly mentioned, but within the Jewish culture of those days, rape was considered sexual immorality. Jesus and the apostles spoke out against sexual immorality, even presenting it as a valid ground for divorce (Matthew 5:32).
Additionally, the New Testament clarifies that Christians obey the authorities’ rules that govern them (Romans 13). Not only is rape morally wrong; This is also wrong in most places according to the country’s rules concerned. As such, whoever commits this offense should expect to be arrested and receive other consequences, including imprisonment.
For women who have been raped, we must offer a great deal of care and compassion. The Word of God often speaks of helping those in need and vulnerable situations. Christians should show the compassion and love of Christ by helping victims of sexual assault in every way.
People are liable to commit sin, which includes rape. But, nobody is out of the grace of God. Even those who have committed the greatest sin, God can forgive them if they repent and turn from their evil ways (1 John 1:9). According to the Law, this does not remove the need for punishment, but it can offer hope and a way to a new life.
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Does The Bible Command A Rape Victim To Marry Her Rapist?
It is clear from the passage of Deuteronomy 22:28, 29 that rape is not being debated here: “If a man finds a virgin who has not been agreed to be married, and he seizes her and commits adultery with her, and they If caught, then the man who has committed a misdemeanor with her should pay fifty shekels of rupees to the father of the girl, and she is his wife; Therefore he should not forsake it for the rest of his life” (Deuteronomy 22:28-29).
Here the Hebrew word grab (Chazak) means “to take hold” that does not involve violence or force. The context of verses 28-29 clarifies that both the parties are at fault in the act because the woman does not call for help.
Deuteronomy 22:28-29 does not speak of rape but should be done if two people are married by the alliance, and the girl is a virgin. In practice, a man has intercourse with a young woman who is not a fiancé, revealing his act to others. The man simply cannot leave her because no one would like to marry a woman who has lost her (cultural) virginity. In this case, God holds both parties accountable, instructing them to marry and live together.
On the other hand, in the verses preceding it in Deuteronomy 22:25-27, we see explicit references to sexual rape: “But if a man comes across a girl close to being raped, he should be married on the field, he misbehaves with her, then only that man should be put to death, who has committed misdeeds with him. and do nothing with that girl; That girl’s sin is not worthy of death, for as someone attacks his neighbor and kills him, so will it be; that the man found the girl in the field, and she cried out, but she did not find any savior.”
In verses 25–27, the context is explicitly referring to rape because the text uses the words “her force” in verse 25, and the woman “cries out” for help (verse 27), but she was in the country, and no one else. Also no. There to help him. In addition, the text says that the person who committed this crime of rape ought to be executed (verse 25); however, the woman is not required to do anything because “the Young woman is not worthy of death.” (verse 26).
The Bible says that two people who are not married should get married if they slept together, and in case of rape, the rapist should be put to death and the woman presumed innocent. Needed.
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