Could "going after strange flesh" mean the rape of strangers to the city? The Sodomites engaged in the practice of raping their enemies. It would be surprising if it was not mentioned in the Bible as being a sin.
Jude 7 - just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, having indulged in sexual immorality and having gone after strange flesh, in like manner with them are set forth as an example, undergoing the penalty of eternal fire.
More directly to the point
“For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish.” 1 Corinthians 15:39
Jude 7 is definitely referring to the practice of sodomy with non humans
Sodomy is defined as it always has been whether officially documented, though often times not explained but it is/was known inherently as follows
sodomy (n.) c. 1300, sodomie, "unnatural sexual relations," such as those customs imputed to the inhabitants of Biblical Sodom, especially between men but also with beasts, from Old French sodomie. Compare Late Latin peccatum Sodomiticum "anal sex, and/or fellatio" literally "the sin of Sodom," from Latin Sodoma. In Middle English also synne Sodomyke (early 14c.). also from c. 1300
As such to address you question
Could "going after strange flesh" mean the rape of strangers to the city?
The verse in question specifically referencing “strange flesh” means non human flesh. They went after doesn’t say they also succeeded.
“just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural flesh, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.” Jude 1:7
First it mentions sexual immorality, that is clearly sinful/immoral human copulation but also the attempted copulation with non humans, and this is not surprising given their deliberate practices of dark arts to enhance the genome/seed and select from the seed of those creatures killed off in the world flood during Noah’s day. Seeking to mix genetics through the dark arts was a practice forbidden by God.
There are also other (σωματα/soma)/bodies and the same word used in Jude 7 to speak of strange/ετερα/hetera is used to describe the bodies of earthly and heavenly beings
“There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind ετερα, and the glory of the earthly is of another ετερα.” 1 Corinthians 15:40
And indeed the stars in Biblical understanding are sentient beings with bodies, called watchers, consider Rev8:10-11 and Dan4:17 but indeed the inhabitants that night were attempting to sodomize the two angels that were sent by God to extract Lot and his family before God poured down fire and brimstone on the cities, they were non humans hence strange flesh
“And they called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.”” Genesis 19:5
They didn’t sodomize these angels but they wanted to. It wouldn’t be far fetched to find out that they learned this behavior from other fallen heavenly beings as was the case for a lot of pre-flood knowledge that came from the watchers/angels/gods/benei ha’Elohim who abandoned their proper dwelling which is what Jude mentioned one verse earlier .
“And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day—” Jude 1:6
This dark knowledge and dark arts led ultimately to the flood
Enoch 9:5.Thou hast seen what Azazyel has done, how he as taught every species of iniquity upon earth, and has disclosed to the world all the secret things which are done in the heavens.6. Samyaza also has taught sorcery, to whom thou hast given authority over those who are associated with him. They have gone together to the daughters of men; have lain with them; have become polluted;7. And have discovered crimes to them.8. The women likewise have brought forth giants.9. Thus has the whole earth been filled with blood and with iniquity.
The earth being polluted had to be reset given they even mixed their genetics with humans and with animals, corrupting the earth. But they were tied up in chains awaiting judgement which is what Jude and Peter is also speaking about.
Emoch10:11 All the sons of men shall not perish in consequence of every secret, by which the Watchers have destroyed, and which they have taught, their offspring.12. All the earth has been corrupted by the effects of the teaching of Azazyel. To him therefore ascribe the whole crime.13. To Gabriel also the Lord said, Go to the biters, to the reprobates, to the children of fornication; and destroy the children of fornication, the offspring of the Watchers, from among men; bring them forth, and excite them one against another. Let them perish by mutual slaughter; for length of days shall not be theirs.14. They shall all entreat thee, but their fathers shall not obtain their wishes respecting them; for they shall hope for eternal life, and that they may live, each of them, five hundred years.15. To Michael likewise the Lord said, Go and announce his crime to Samyaza, and to the others who are with him, who have been associated with women, that they might be polluted with all their impurity. And when all their sons shall be slain, when they shall see the perdition of their beloved, bind them for seventy generations underneath the earth, even to the day of judgment, and of consummation, until the judgment, the effect of which will last for ever, be completed.16. Then shall they be taken away into the lowest depths of the fire in torments; and in confinement shall they be shut up for ever.17. Immediately after this shall he, together with them, burn and perish; they shall be bound until the consummation of many generations.18. Destroy all the souls addicted to dalliance, and the offspring of the Watchers, for they have tyrannized over mankind.19. Let every oppressor perish from the face of the earth;20. Let every evil work be destroyed;
Given the Canaanites were actively selecting for this genetics, it’s not beyond reason that they started to practice the dark arts taught by the sons of God the angels that abandoned their post and engaged in sodomy anal and/or oral sex a practiced not of human origin in my estimation, intended to spite God, a corruption of His natural order.
There is certainly a variety of translation of the Greek phrase σαρκὸς ἑτέρας (unique here in all the NT) in Jude 1:7 including:
All of these except one above are interpretive translations simply because, σαρκὸς ἑτέρας literally means "other/different flesh". Now, it is open to interpretation whether "other/different" means:
It is also possible that all of the above are intended, in which case "general sexual perversion" would be appropriate. The known history of Sodom and Gomorrah would be consistent with this latter understanding. (See Rom 1:22-27) However, this would simply mean it repeats the previous meaning of ἐκπορνεύω = "guilty of sexual perversion" (also unique in the NT), ie, by perusing other flesh. This would certainly include the raping of strangers as recorded in Gen 19:1-10.
Barnes notes the following in commenting on Jude 1:7 -
Going after strange flesh - Margin: "other." The reference seems to be to the unusual sin which, from the name Sodom, has been called "sodomy." Compare Romans 1:27. The meaning of the phrase "going after" is, that they were greatly addicted to this vice. The word "strange, or other," refers to that which is contrary to nature. Doddridge, however, explains it, "going after strange and detestable gratifications of their pampered and indulged flesh."
The Pulpit commentary is more helpful:
given themselves over to fornication, and gone after strange flesh. The verbs are selected to bring out the intense sinfulness of the sin - the one being a strong compound form expressing unreserved surrender, the other an equally strong compound form denoting a departure from the law of nature in the impurities practiced. The sin has taken its name from the city with which the Book of Genesis so fearfully connects its indulgence. It forms one of the darkest strokes in the terrible picture which Paul has given us of the state of the ancient heathen world (Romans 1:27).
We should begin nearer to the beginning of the letter. Jude is warning against a false teaching of sexual license:
There have been some intruders... godless persons, who pervert the grace of our God into licentiousness.
The following verses include specific examples of the licentiousness he speaks of.
The angels too, who did not keep to their own domain but deserted their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains, in gloom, for the judgment of the great day.7 Likewise, Sodom, Gomorrah, and the surrounding towns, which, in the same manner as they, indulged in sexual promiscuity and practiced unnatural vice, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
Given this context (Sodom's sin being like the sin of the angels) one more possibility ought to be added to or specified in the list provided by @Dottard: namely sex between humans and angels.
Indeed, this seems to be a likely explanation. The men of Sodom wanted to have carnal knowledge of Lot's guests, who were, in fact, angels. This meaning of the text is also supported by Gen. 6:4 in which the bene-elohim (often translated as "angels" or "heavenly beings") have intimate relations with human females.
So the most likely reference of Jude 7 is sex between humans and angels (whether forced or not). However, in context the author uses the example of Sodom as a warning against a doctrine of grace that allows more general sexual license.
The Authorised Version translates a variety of both Hebrew and Greek words as "strange" or "strangers". The meanings range from 'another', 'a sojourner', 'son of a foreigner', 'an alien', 'foreign gods', 'a foreigner', 'a settler', 'belonging to another race', 'without/outside', 'not the same'. Therefore, when the Authorised Version speaks about 'strange gods' it means foreign gods. And 'strange children' means the offspring of foreigners.
So, what is the meaning used by Jude in verse 7? Young's Analytical Concordance (from where those meanings above were taken) has the Greek word 'heteros', which means 'other - not the same'. 'Strange flesh' follows in that vein, meaning foreign flesh but not restricted to going after sex with foreigners. There's a bit more to it the way Jude references the Genesis account of Sodom and Gomorrah.
In the preceding, and linked verse, Jude speaks of angels that forsook their place, leaving their own habitation. "Even as"... links their judgement of eternal fire with that passed upon the people of Sodom and Gomorrah who gave themselves over to fornication and went after strange flesh.
The phrase "giving themselves over to strange flesh" uses the Greek word 'ekporneuo' and according to Bagster's notes, this word is used "only here; an intensive form of porneuo, which occurs in 1 Corinthians 6:18 etc." (p.1881). That is the meaning of "going after strange flesh" in Jude 7, an extremely pornographic form of sexual perversity that should be foreign to God's people. To go after strange flesh in that way (no matter who with, or who is desired in that perverse way) as Bagster's notes add:
"The sin of Sodom and Gomorrah, like that of the angels of Gen. 6, was an unnatural one, breaking through the bounds which God had set."
Those bounds are contained when Christians dwell on whatever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy - Philippians 4:8 - everything that people and events in Sodom and Gomorrah were not. Given that we now live in an era when there is no regard for decency in public amusements, there can be unhealthy interest in the pornographic events the Bible only hints at. It says very little about them for very good reasons. That is why it is wise to take Jude's words just as he wrote them, understanding the meaning of the words he used back then, in their context, and to leave it at that.
