Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Harold R. Holmyard III" <hholmyard AT ont.com>]

>If a man comes across a virgin who is not engaged and overpowers and rapes
>her and they are discovered,
>
>
>This is my first post. Sorry for this being in English, but I know
>absolutely no Hebrew!
>
>Could someone please give me the significant of this final clause?
>
>What does "discovered" mean in this context?
>
>I get the impression the idea is that this guy must be actually caught in
>the act, or close enough where there are "witnesses" to the fact that the
>woman did indeed not consent (i.e., she was raped).
>
>Am I close?
>
>Finally, if there were no "witnesses" to an actual rape, what recourse did
>the victim have?
>
That they are "discovered" would naturally suggest that they are seen or
heard. But it seems that the word could allow some later discovery as well,
through some other kinds of indirect evidence. The Hebrew word for
"discover" can mean to "detect," as in to detect a sin or crime.

I do not know what recourse she would have.

                                Yours,
                                Harold