Chapter 34

This is a nasty passage.

1Now Dinah, the daughter Leah had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the women of the land. 2When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the ruler of that area, saw her, he took her and violated her. 3His heart was drawn to Dinah daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke tenderly to her. 4And Shechem said to his father Hamor, “Get me this girl as my wife.” 5When Jacob heard that his daughter Dinah had been defiled, his sons were in the fields with his livestock; so he kept quiet about it until they came home. 6Then Shechem’s father Hamor went out to talk with Jacob. 7Now Jacob’s sons had come in from the fields as soon as they heard what had happened. They were filled with grief and fury, because Shechem had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter—a thing that should not be done.

All Scripture text is NIV

8But Hamor said to them, “My son Shechem has his heart set on your daughter. Please give her to him as his wife. 9Intermarry with us; give us your daughters and take our daughters for yourselves. 10You can settle among us; the land is open to you. Live in it, trade in it, and acquire property in it.” 11Then Shechem said to Dinah’s father and brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and I will give you whatever you ask. 12Make the price for the bride and the gift I am to bring as great as you like, and I’ll pay whatever you ask me. Only give me the girl as my wife.”

13Because their sister Dinah had been defiled, Jacob’s sons replied deceitfully as they spoke to Shechem and his father Hamor. 14They said to them, “We can’t do such a thing; we can’t give our sister to a man who is not circumcised. That would be a disgrace to us. 15We will give our consent to you on one condition only: that you become like us by circumcising all your males. 16Then we will give you our daughters and take your daughters for ourselves.

We’ll settle among you and become one people with you. 17But if you will not agree to be circumcised, we’ll take our sister and go.”

18Their proposal seemed good to Hamor and his son Shechem. 19The young man, who was the most honored of all his father’s household, lost no time in doing what they said, because he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter. 20So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate of their city to speak to their fellow townsmen. 21“These men are friendly toward us,” they said. “Let them live in our land and trade in it; the land has plenty of room for them. We can marry their daughters and they can marry ours. 22But the men will consent to live with us as one people only on the condition that our males be circumcised, as they themselves are. 23Won’t their livestock, their property and all their other animals become ours? So let us give our consent to them, and they will settle among us.” 24All the men who went out of the city gate agreed with Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male in the city was circumcised.

25Three days later, while all of them were still in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took their swords and attacked the unsuspecting city, killing every male. 26They put Hamor and his son Shechem to the sword and took Dinah from Shechem’s house and left. 27The sons of Jacob came upon the dead bodies and looted the city where their sister had been defiled. 28They seized their flocks and herds and donkeys and everything else of theirs in the city and out in the fields. 29They carried off all their wealth and all their women and children, taking as plunder everything in the houses. 30Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me a stench to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people living in this land. We are few in number, and if they join forces against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed.” 31But they replied, “Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?”

This is a tough passage, with no moral commentary on the acts of Jacob’s sons.

Jacob’s daughter Dinah goes out to see the local women.

The local chieftain's son, Shechem, ends up having sex with her.It is not clear that this was rape, but it definitely not right.The idea that this was rape is diminished by Shechem’s affection for Dinah.



The local chieftain's son, Shechem, ends up having sex with her.

Hamor, Shechem’s father, wants Jacob to approve a marriage between Shechem and Dinah.

(He is looking to assimilate Jacob, Inc)

Dinah’s brothers set the bride price: all of the men need to be circumcised. After this, assimilation will occur.

Hamor, Inc., sees this as an opportunity to take over Jacob, Inc.

The Hamor group is murdered. While they are in too much pain to defend themselves, Jacob’s sons kill all of the men of the city in vengeance. They take all of their goods and the women and children as slaves.



The local chieftain's son, Shechem, ends up having sex with her.

Hamor, Shechem’s father, wants Jacob to approve a marriage between Shechem and Dinah.

(He is looking to assimilate Jacob, Inc)

Dinah’s brothers set the bride price: all of the men need to be circumcised. After this, assimilation will occur.

Hamor, Inc., sees this as an opportunity to take over Jacob, Inc.

The Hamor group is murdered.

Jacob is upset, thinking that other people groups will unite and attack them.

The characters:

Dinah: the curious little sister. Is she beginning to assimilate?

She ends up living in the home of Hamor and Shechem.

The characters:


Shechem: Lust that turns to affection. Source of her appeal?

Jacob: fearful and somewhat gutless

He takes no action on his own.Perhaps her full brothers can talk some sense into her.

A history of being afraid:Running from Esau ~ did he need to be afraid?Running from Laban ~ did he need to be afraid?Bribing Esau ~ did he need to be afraid?Lying to Esau ~ Shechem rather than Sier

~ did he need to be afraid?~ did he need to be afraid?

The plan and promise of God The plan and promise of God cannot be overruled by mere cannot be overruled by mere

mortals. (Et al.)mortals. (Et al.)Romans 8:38-39Romans 8:38-39

Genesis 31:13Genesis 31:13I am the God of Bethel, I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a where you anointed a pillar and where you made pillar and where you made a vow to me. Now leave a vow to me. Now leave this land at once and go this land at once and go back to your native land.’ back to your native land.’ ” ”

Genesis 28:20-22Genesis 28:20-22Then Jacob made a vow, Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking on this journey I am taking and will give me food to and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my that I return safely to my father’s house, then the father’s house, then the LORD will be my God and LORD will be my God and this stone that I have set this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you house, and of all that you give me I will give you a give me I will give you a tenth.tenth.

..

The characters:




Hamor: looking to assimilate Jacob, Inc. for profit.23Won’t their livestock, their property and all their other animals become ours? So let us give our consent to them, and they will settle among us.

The characters:




Hamor: looking to assimilate Jacob, Inc. for profit.

Simeon & Levi: deceitful, vengeful big brothers

The men of Shechem: co-opportunists

God: operating in the background.

It is as if everyone involved is working at the opposite of what God’s plan leads to . . .

Is seeking God on anyone’s mind at all?

Principles:Be where God wants you to be doing what he want you to do.

When you are not where God has told you to be, expect trouble, not blessing. (Literal and figurative applications.)


Rise up, O folks of God.

Be an example of spiritual conviction.Be the proof of grace, the city on a hill.Jacob’s example is not good here at all.An alter (El Elohe Israel) is built without spiritual distinction.Hamor thinks all that there is to Jacob is a little surgery.



Be an example of spiritual conviction.Be the proof of grace, the city on a hill.Jacob’s example is not good here at all.His children reflect him.Choose this day!



Beware assimilation

Dinah was probably assimilated.The sons of Jacob themselves have been assimilated.They became murderers and slave traders.

(far worse than Shechem being a “john”.)They felt quite righteous about it.



Beware assimilation

Be strong from the core / have a firm foundation.Define your purpose and motivation.Ignore dazzle and pizzazz.Stay close to the family.Understand that assimilation isn’t just about sex, drugs & music.General life philosophy: It’s about Me!“What’s in it for me?” must not make sense to us.

Romans 12Romans 12

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. your spiritual act of worship. 22Do not conform Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will iswhat God’s will is —his good, pleasing —his good, pleasing and and perfect will. perfect will.

Is this vile world a friend to grace, to help me on to God?

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Chapter 34