Rape & Sex Slavery
Rape of the Virgins of Jabesh-Gilead
Capturing women in war and then making them your wives is rape. How could God possibly allow this? (Dt 21:10-14)
How come the rapist’s punishment depends on whether the woman he raped was betrothed or not? What if the woman was a widow? (See widows not under authority) If the woman was betrothed, the rapist got the death penalty, but if she was not betrothed, then he had to marry her and couldn’t divorce her. Why wouldn’t he be killed instead? (Dt 22:25-29)
What woman would want to marry her rapist? (Ex 22:16)
Why would accusing a woman of not being a virgin when she was married be more costly than raping a woman? (Dt 22:19, 29)
Why would God allow sex slavery? (Ex 21:7-11) Didn’t God say not to prostitute your daughter? (Lev 19:29)
It's really twisted that the sexual relationship between a man and woman should be seen as that between a master and slave. Besides that, how can a person's purpose be designated for them, to function only as a sex slave/baby-making machine at that? There can be nothing more degrading. (Ex 21:7-8)
"Let her be redeemed"? Why not just let her go the way he lets the males go free? (Ex 21:8)
If it was pollution to the Jews to intermarry, why were they allowed to marry captive women who were foreigners? (Ezr 9:2, Dt 21:10-14)
I really don't like God's behavior here -- humiliating his "wife" and then taking her back tenderly. Sexual sin doesn't warrant sexual humiliation. Sexuality should never be used as punishment. See esp ESV note to 2:3 -- "Public humiliation of an unfaithful wife was not exceptional during this time." (Hos 2:3, 10, 14-16, 19-20)
How come the rapist’s punishment depends on whether the woman he raped was betrothed or not? What if the woman was a widow? (See widows not under authority) If the woman was betrothed, the rapist got the death penalty, but if she was not betrothed, then he had to marry her and couldn’t divorce her. Why wouldn’t he be killed instead? (Dt 22:25-29)
What woman would want to marry her rapist? (Ex 22:16)
Why would accusing a woman of not being a virgin when she was married be more costly than raping a woman? (Dt 22:19, 29)
Why would God allow sex slavery? (Ex 21:7-11) Didn’t God say not to prostitute your daughter? (Lev 19:29)
It's really twisted that the sexual relationship between a man and woman should be seen as that between a master and slave. Besides that, how can a person's purpose be designated for them, to function only as a sex slave/baby-making machine at that? There can be nothing more degrading. (Ex 21:7-8)
"Let her be redeemed"? Why not just let her go the way he lets the males go free? (Ex 21:8)
If it was pollution to the Jews to intermarry, why were they allowed to marry captive women who were foreigners? (Ezr 9:2, Dt 21:10-14)
I really don't like God's behavior here -- humiliating his "wife" and then taking her back tenderly. Sexual sin doesn't warrant sexual humiliation. Sexuality should never be used as punishment. See esp ESV note to 2:3 -- "Public humiliation of an unfaithful wife was not exceptional during this time." (Hos 2:3, 10, 14-16, 19-20)