scales of justice while showing undeserved kindness and forgiving sins.—Rom. 3:21-26.

RAPE

[Heb., sha·ghalʹ; to violate, to ravish].

Rape is defined as unlawful sexual intercourse without the woman’s consent, effected by force, duress, intimidation or deception as to the nature of the act.

Jehovah warned of the consequences that would come upon Israel if the people disobeyed his law. He foretold that, besides sicknesses and calamities, they would fall into the hands of their enemies, and said: “You will become engaged to a woman, but another man will rape her.” (Deut. 28:30) This took place when, due to their disobedience, Jehovah removed his protection from the nation, and the pagan enemies overran their cities. (Compare Zechariah 14:2.) Babylon was also foretold to suffer such treatment, which occurred when it fell to the Medes and Persians. (Isa. 13:1, 16) According to the Law, such would not happen to nations subjugated by Israel, for the soldiers were forbidden to have sexual relations during a military campaign.—1 Sam. 21:5; 2 Sam. 11:6-11.

A case of multiple rape in the city of Gibeah of Benjamin in the days of the Judges set off a chain of events that resulted in nearly wiping out the tribe of Benjamin in retribution. Good-for-nothing men in the city, perverted in sex desires, demanded to have sex relations with a Levite visitor. Instead of submitting, he gave them his concubine who had committed fornication against him. The men abused her all night until she died.—Judg. chaps. 19, 20.

King David’s son Amnon forcibly violated his half-sister Tamar, for which Tamar’s brother Absalom brought about his death. (2 Sam. 13:1-18) When the scheming Haman the Agagite was exposed before the Persian king Ahasuerus for his treachery against the Jews, and especially against Ahasuerus’ queen, Esther, the king was enraged. Knowing that he could expect no mercy from the king, Haman in desperation fell down upon the couch where Esther was lying, pleading with her. When the king reentered the room, he saw Haman there and cried out: “Is there also to be a raping of the queen, with me in the house?” Immediately he sentenced Haman to death. The sentence was carried out, and evidently afterward Haman was hanged on the stake that had been erected by Haman on which to hang Esther’s cousin Mordecai. (Esther 7:1-10) In the record of the king’s statement (7:8) the Hebrew word ka·vashʹ is used, which can mean “to rape,” “to force,” or “to tread down, press (sexually).”

Under the Law, if an engaged girl committed fornication with another man, both she and the man were to be put to death. But if the girl screamed for help, this was taken as proof of her innocence. The man was put to death for his sin in which he forced her, and the girl was exonerated.—Deut. 22:23-29.

RAPHA

(Raʹpha) [he (God) has healed].

A son of Benjamin, called his fifth at 1 Chronicles 8:1, 2. His name is absent from the list of those who went into Egypt (Gen. 46:21), and from the listing of Benjamin’s tribal families. (Num. 26:38-40) This may indicate that, regardless of where Rapha was born, he died soon with no descendants, or else they were absorbed into a different family.

RAPHAH

(Raʹphah).

A descendant of Benjamin through Saul; also called Rephaiah.—1 Chron. 8:33-37; 9:43.

RAPHU

(Raʹphu) [healed].

A Benjamite whose son Palti was one of the twelve to spy out the land of Canaan in 1512 B.C.E.—Num. 13:9, 16.

RAVEN

[Heb., ʽo·revʹ; Gr., koʹrax].

The first bird specifically named in the Bible is the raven. (Gen. 8:7) Lexicographers are divided as to whether the name is intended to describe the bird’s black color (perhaps thereby relating to the Hebrew ʽa·ravʹ, meaning to “become evening” and hence to become dark), or whether it imitates the hoarse croaking characteristic of the bird.

The largest of the passerine (perching) birds, the raven measures about two feet (.6 meter) in length and may have a wingspan of some three feet (.9 meter). Its glossy plumage is notable for its jet-black color (Song of Sol. 5:11) with iridescent steel-blue and purple hues, the underparts at times having a touch of green. It has an extremely wide range of diet, eating anything from nuts, berries and grains to rodents, reptiles, fish and young birds. Though it will attack the young and weak among small animals, it is primarily a scavenger. When eating carrion it has the habit of eating the eyes and other soft parts of the victim before tearing at the abdomen with its sturdy beak. (Prov. 30:17) It is a powerful flier, flapping its wings in strong, steady beats, or soaring effortlessly in wide circles while it scans the area below for food. Its continuous search for food takes it over an unusually large area.

By naturalists, the crafty raven is considered to be one of the most intelligent, adaptable and resourceful of all birds. In view of this and its flying strength and ability to survive on a wide variety of food, including carrion, the raven was an apt candidate for being the first creature to be sent outside the ark by Noah at the time the waters of the flood had begun to recede. The text indicates that the raven thereafter remained outside the ark, using it only as a resting-place.—Gen. 8:5-7.

The raven was declared unclean in the Law covenant (Lev. 11:13, 15; Deut. 14:12, 14), and the phrase “according to its kind” is understood to embrace other apparently related birds such as the crow, the rook, the jackdaw and the chough, all of which are to be found in Palestine.

The raven, unlike the crow, is usually a bird of the wilderness, often inhabiting mountainous regions and even deserts. It was among the creatures envisioned by Isaiah as inhabiting the “emptiness and the stones of wasteness” of ruined Edom. (Isa. 34:11) The raven also has the practice of storing surplus food in rock crevices or burying it beneath leaves. These birds were thus an apt selection when God used them miraculously to carry in bread and meat twice daily to Elijah while the prophet was concealed in the torrent valley of Cherith.—1 Ki. 17:2-6.

Ravens nest on cliffs or rocky headlands, as well as in tall trees; they mate for life and are devoted parents. Jehovah God, the true Provider for all his creatures, directed Job’s attention to Himself by the question: “Who prepares for the raven its food when its own young ones cry to God for help, when they keep wandering about because there is nothing to eat?” (Job 38:41) The psalmist also showed that the food brought by the wide-ranging parent birds to satisfy the raucous cries of their hungry young is owing to the Creator’s kindly provisions (Ps. 147:7-9), while Jesus referred to the ravens in a similar way to assure his followers that the One caring for such birds of the air would surely provide for the needs of his human servants.—Luke 12:24; compare Psalm 104:27, 28; Matthew 6:26.

Evidently due to its impressive size, somber colors, and its mournful croak, pagan peoples anciently viewed the raven as a bird of ill omen and a portent of death. Among the Greeks, the bold, often impudent, raven was viewed as a prophetic bird, perhaps due to its reputation for cunning and sagacity. It was held to be sacred to the god Apollo and to an oracular order of priests, some of whom dressed in black.

A prince of Midian in Judge Gideon’s day bore the name Oreb, meaning “raven.”—Judg. 7:25.

RAZOR

Specimens of this instrument found in Egypt are of bronze. A limestone handle for a razor blade of flint or obsidian was discovered near the site of ancient Nineveh. These finds harmonize with the