Some [people] claim that the following passage from the Holy Bible condones rape:
“If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, he shall pay the girl’s father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the girl, for he has violated [anah] her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives.” Deuteronomy 22:28-29 NIV
There are two points to note here. First, even though the verse may seem to be instructing the rapist to marry the victim the passage nowhere sanctions, condones or even approves of rape. This is simply a gross misreading of the text. The injunction is intended to instruct the Israelites on how to deal with and address a rape situation if and when it occurs.
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Author: Sam Shamoun
Keywords: Rape, Raper, Rapist, Victim of rape, Forced sex, Violent sex, Forced intercourse, Violent intercourse, Seducer, Seduced, Seducing a girl
Bible reference(s): Exodus 22:16-17, Deuteronomy 22:28-29
Source: “The Old Testament and Rape,” Answering Islam.
Page indexed by: inWORD Bible Software.