The Hebrew word 'anah translated in the NIV in this passage as "raped" and KJV as "defiled" is used 80 times in the Old Testament and translated a variety of ways. In Genesis it is used 4 other times and translated "afflict" (15:13) "dealt harshly with" (16:6) "submit" (16:9) and "afflict" (31:50) (all from KJV); none in a sexual context. It is true that it is used to refer to rape in II Samuel 13:12, 14, 22, 32 (Tamar and Amnon) and Judges 19:24; 20:5 (the Levite's concubine and the Benjaminites), as well as of the women of a conquered Jerusalem in Lamentation 5:11 (ironically a situation more akin to the Shechemite women taken by the Israelites at the end of this story - Genesis 34:29). It is also used to refer to sexual sin that may or may not be consensual in Ezekiel 22:10-11. The example you site in Deuteronomy, however, is problematic. In the situation described in Deuteronomy 22:24, the woman is specifically determined not to have been raped as she did not cry out and is judged equally culpable and deserving of death. In other words, this is an example of the word being used to describe consensual sex (as you challenged J. Hoffman above to find). Contrast that with the next example (Deuteronomy 22:25-27) where the women is blameless because she did cry out and did not consent. This is an example of true rape as defined by Hebrew law, and a separate Hebrew word is used: "chazaq" (translated "force" in the KJV). In other words, the term "defiled," or "humbled" as 'anah appears in the KJV in this context may simply refer to the taking of a woman's viginity (irrespective of consent). Therefore either interpretation (rape or consensual fornication) in Genesis 34 may be valid.
In reply to <p>One slight point of by J. C. Salomon
The Hebrew word 'anah translated in the NIV in this passage as "raped" and KJV as "defiled" is used 80 times in the Old Testament and translated a variety of ways. In Genesis it is used 4 other times and translated "afflict" (15:13) "dealt harshly with" (16:6) "submit" (16:9) and "afflict" (31:50) (all from KJV); none in a sexual context. It is true that it is used to refer to rape in II Samuel 13:12, 14, 22, 32 (Tamar and Amnon) and Judges 19:24; 20:5 (the Levite's concubine and the Benjaminites), as well as of the women of a conquered Jerusalem in Lamentation 5:11 (ironically a situation more akin to the Shechemite women taken by the Israelites at the end of this story - Genesis 34:29). It is also used to refer to sexual sin that may or may not be consensual in Ezekiel 22:10-11. The example you site in Deuteronomy, however, is problematic. In the situation described in Deuteronomy 22:24, the woman is specifically determined not to have been raped as she did not cry out and is judged equally culpable and deserving of death. In other words, this is an example of the word being used to describe consensual sex (as you challenged J. Hoffman above to find). Contrast that with the next example (Deuteronomy 22:25-27) where the women is blameless because she did cry out and did not consent. This is an example of true rape as defined by Hebrew law, and a separate Hebrew word is used: "chazaq" (translated "force" in the KJV). In other words, the term "defiled," or "humbled" as 'anah appears in the KJV in this context may simply refer to the taking of a woman's viginity (irrespective of consent). Therefore either interpretation (rape or consensual fornication) in Genesis 34 may be valid.