Is the father of the raped woman in Deuteronomy 22:28-29 able to refuse marriage?
Deuteronomy 22:28-29 (NIV)
28 "If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married
and rapes her and they are discovered, 29 he shall pay her father
fifty shekels[a] of silver. He must marry the young woman, for he has
violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives."
Deuteronomy 22:28-29 (NASB)
28 “If a man finds a girl who is a virgin, who is not engaged, and
seizes her and lies with her and they are discovered, 29 then the
man who lay with her shall give to the girl’s father fifty shekels of
silver, and she shall become his wife because he has violated her; he
cannot divorce her all his days."
In short to your question , the answer is "NO"
When a virgin was raped by an immoral person ,it is obvious that victim is the big loser, for the following reasons
1/ She may have an illegitimate child.
2/ Most Israelites would not want to marry her as she is no longer a virgin , because her value as a bride diminished.
3/ Humiliation of the victim.
The Mosaic law allowed a man to divorce his wife for certain reasons, however for rape Deuteronomy 22:28-29 shows that such an option was no longer applicable.
To deter the occurrence of fornication by either party, man or woman , God decreed that:
1/Deuteronomy 23:2
" No one of illegitimate birth shall enter the assembly of the Lord;
none of his descendants, even to the tenth generation, shall enter the
assembly of the Lord.
So, since the man who sexually assaulted a virgin had to marry her, the child would not be considerate "of illegitimate birth."
2/ The fact that the Law did not allow for divorce after an act of seduction, would make either person think twice of the long term consequences ,of having to stay with the other party for the rest of his life.
3/ The man who lay with her shall give to the girl’s father fifty shekels of silver.