Reading ‘Rape’ in the Hebrew Bible: A Consideration of Language

Abstract

This article surveys the range of Hebrew words and phrases employed in a selection of narrative, legal and poetic texts to describe forcible, non-consensual sexual intercourse—what we would today label ‘rape’. While no legal or technical term for rape exists in Biblical Hebrew, the article maintains that such a translation is appropriate in certain cases. Each rendering of ‘rape’, however, depends on a thorough analysis of the vocabulary utilized, word order and other textual clues, as well as on a careful balancing of the social and cultural world of the text with the need to communicate content effectively in English.

Interpreting the David–Bathsheba narrative (2 Sm 11:2–4) as a response by the church in Nigeria to masculine abuse of power for sexual assault

“…The expression ‫עּמּה‬ ‫ויׁשּכב‬ ‫ויּקחה‬ in the context of sexual relation is better understood when compared with similar instances of 'taking and lying with' in the HB or OT. Gravett (2004) has examined extensively how forceful, 'non-consensual sexual intercourse, what we call "rape," is described in biblical narratives, images and laws' (cited in Andruska 2017:105). Gravett (2004) notes that whilst there is no Hebrew equivalent for the English word 'rape', there are typical verbs used to depict sexual violence in a way that it connotes rape.…”

“…Gravett (2004) has examined extensively how forceful, 'non-consensual sexual intercourse, what we call "rape," is described in biblical narratives, images and laws' (cited in Andruska 2017:105). Gravett (2004) notes that whilst there is no Hebrew equivalent for the English word 'rape', there are typical verbs used to depict sexual violence in a way that it connotes rape. She calls attention particularly to the use of ‫לקח‬ in the Shechem-Dinah encounter in Genesis 34:2, arguing that ‫לקח‬ 'indicates force and violence in a number of biblical texts, just as it conveys violence on the part of Shechem' (Gravett 2004, cited in Andruska 2017.…”

“…Gravett (2004) notes that whilst there is no Hebrew equivalent for the English word 'rape', there are typical verbs used to depict sexual violence in a way that it connotes rape. She calls attention particularly to the use of ‫לקח‬ in the Shechem-Dinah encounter in Genesis 34:2, arguing that ‫לקח‬ 'indicates force and violence in a number of biblical texts, just as it conveys violence on the part of Shechem' (Gravett 2004, cited in Andruska 2017. Some English translations recognise the idea of 'force' as being suggested by Gravett (2004) when they render ‫לקח‬ in Genesis 34:2 as 'seized' instead of 'took' (e.g.…”

Culture du viol et poil castrateur : Tamar, fille de David, dans le traité Sanhédrin 21a du Talmud de Babylone

“…En effet, au verset 14, trois verbes – ‘nh, ḥzq et š k b – sont employés pour dire l’agression sexuelle dont Tamar est victime (Blyth, 2010 : 78 ; Létourneau, 2020 : 5, note 11). Aucun de ces termes ne correspond évidemment à l’idée moderne (et judiciaire) de viol (Gravett, 2004 : 280, 296). Plusieurs autrices insistent d’emblée sur le fait que les violences sexuelles se disent en dehors de la notion de consentement dans la Bible 7 .…”

Beyond the rhetoric of Genesis 34:1–28: Understanding the rape epidemic during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Throughout much of the Old Testament, women were always in the pipeline of being abused during crisis (Ademiluka 2018;Gravett 2004;Kroeger & Beck 2019;Lapsley 2005). Some of these women include Dinah (Gn 34), Hagar and Tamar (Gn 38:1-30).…”