Genesis 34:1-4
Jacob had brought his family to Shechem. Remember, this was after he told Esau he would meet him at Seir. It was deceit and compromise that brought him to Shechem and it would cost Jacob and his family dearly. Dinah(means judged or justice) was Jacob and Leah's daughter and the only daughter mentioned. Her birth is announced in a single sentence (Gen 30:21) to set up her identity for this chapter. We don't know much about her, we don't hear from her and know her thoughts in any way. While she is the center of this chapter, it is Jacob and the tribes at the focal point.
Dinah arrived in this new place and went out to visit the women of the land. While this seems fairly normal to us, it wasn't so then. A young woman like this would not go out without a chaperone, particularly in a strange city. It was a youthful indiscretion, but also no one stopped her. When we consider grew up around 11 brothers, it's no wonder she wanted to see the daughters of the land. She wanted to see how other girls lived. With twelve brothers, she probably could hold her own. However, she wasn't equipped to deal with the likes of Shechem.
A young girl wandering around without protection was up for grabs in this culture. Shechem taking her this way wasn't anything out of the ordinary. He saw her, took her and raped her. This was a promiscuous society. The fact is, Jacob and his sons should never have left Dinah unprotected. The text says Shechem loved her and spoke tenderly to her; however, this is after the forcible rape. The young man had no one to teach him that love is not show by brutality, rape is not a precursor to tenderness and neither lead to a sound marriage. Shechem commanded his father to negotiate the marriage.
Genesis 34:5-10
Jacob heard his daughter had been 'defiled'. This word 'defiled' referred to religious impurity, making her unacceptable to her culture. Jacob remains silent. He deferred any action till they returned home. Hamor came to Jacob to negotiate the bride price and arrange the marriage. The sonse arrived from the field to find out the news. They quickly went from shock, which implies some grieving, to anger and fury. This young man had done a seriously disgraceful and outrageous thing. While it might not have been outrageous in their culture, it was to Jacob and his clan. The reference to 'in Israel' is interesting since there is no Israel.
Hamor's offer went beyond a single marriage, he suggested their tribes be allowed to marry each other. This was a dangerous proposition for Jacob in light of the covenant promises. God would not allow this. Hamor invited Jacob to settle down there, make it his home. He would pay anything to find favor in their eyes. He knew this prosperous tribe would make him prosperous.
Shechem is blinded by his lust. He thinks he can buy them off. The bride price referred to here seems to be as much a bribe as compensation for the father's loss of a daughter doing work for the family. There was also an expected compensation for the rape. There should have been an apology but instead there was no discussion of the sin. Shechem simply believes that he can give enough money and possessions for them to turn from their sister. Shechem essentially says he will do whatever it takes as long as he gets the woman.
Genesis 34:11-17
Jacob's sons grew up around deceit, it was normal to them, it was part of their family heritage. They plotted to take advantage of the blind lust to exact revenge. Their father has done nothing to show that he would avenge the honor of his daughter. This had to have fueled the fire of vengeance in them. The brothers stepped up to make things right.
Jacob shows a real lack of leadership here, as well as compassion. He may have claimed he was exercising grace, being forgiving. He may have said he was exorcising restraint and weighing options. Yet, swift judgment was what was called for. Jacob appears cold and uncaring.
The brothers convince Shechem and Hamor that if they, and all the men of the city, would just get circumcised like the men of Jacob's tribe, then they could intermarry between the tribes. They appeared to not care too much either way how things turned out. If they didn't want to do it, they would just take our sister and go home. Shechem was convinced, how bad could it be?
Genesis 34:18-23
This is a world class sales job. They told the mean of the city how the land is big enough for all of them and how peaceful these guys were. They extolled the benefits of such an arrangement; they would get to take their woman and they could give their women to these men (as in give your daughters to these rich ranchers). They were widening the gene pool and financial opportunities. Someone in the group had to have asked, "What is it they ask of us?" There was just this one little thing they had to do. While they considered this one little thing, Hamor and Shechem went on to appeal to their greed by imagining the livestock and property as being their own.
Genesis 34:24-29
The men of the city were circumcised. I see a few possibilities:
- They were loyal and understanding friends willing to do anything for their leaders.
- They were greedy, the prospect of owning their livestock blinded them.
- They didn't understand what they were agreeing to.
- They were afraid to say no.
If they understood what this entailed, I can think of no scenario that didn't involve a long conversation and thought. Yet, greed leads people into all kinds of trouble. The word 'agreed' means they conceded to their wish, not that they said, "Sure, no problem, anything else you need?" This would be an incredibly painful ordeal and there is no way they took it lightly.
The city was 'unsuspecting'. This word means they were secure. They anticipated nothing like this. There is no way they would all get circumcised at the same time if they suspected even a hint of trouble. What was the hurry to be circumcised? Why didn't wisdom prevail and keep some of the men healthy to protect the women, children and the city?
On the 3rd day when the men of the city were incapacitated, Simeon and Levi took actions. These two men were Dinah's full brothers and were likely the closest to her. At first glimpse, it's nice to see someone caring for Dinah and willing to do something. However, the crime was committed by one man. They unleashed their pent-up rage against an entire city that was unable to defend themselves. The defilement of their sister clouded their judgment. This seemed reasonable to them, a right response to stealing the purity of their sister. They went into the city with sword in hand and slaughtered all the males including Hamor and Shechem.
While Jacob did nothing; while waiting for the sons to return from the field; while waiting for a city full of men to get circumcised; and while waiting three more days; Dinah was imprisoned in the home of Hamor and Shechem. The brothers rescued her after killing the males of the city. It's as if they had declared a war of vengeance against this city. They plundered the city of all the livestock and valuables. They took the women and children also. The city was an empty shell full of male carcasses.
The brothers went way beyond a normal response to a crime like this. Their reaction wasn't a valid response to the action took against Dinah. Even in the "eye for an eye" culture this was way out of bounds. Circumcision was the most sacred of Symbols for a son of Abraham, the sign of covenant relationship. They desecrated this covenant sign by using it as a means to revenge and pre-meditate murder. They used the pain caused by Shechem's sin to justify their sin which was far worse.
Genesis 34:30-31
Jacob finally spoke up. His concern was that his sons made him look bad. But what he didn't say is more important than what he said.
- He didn't show any concern for the innocent lives of the people of town.
- He didn't scold them for violating the law of retaliation.
- He didn't express any joy or relief that Dinah had been delivered.
- He said nothing of the abuse of circumcision.
- He said nothing about them violating their contract with Shechem. They had given their word. Yet, what could this deceiver say?
This is most assuredly a Jacob moment, because Israel, the man who wrestled with God is missing! Suddenly, once again, the man who possessed the promises from God feared man and was concerned about man's opinion of him. Things might have been different had Jacob responded in some kind of anger towards the men or some sympathy for his daughter. Things would have been different had he went and rescued her from these men.
Simeon and Levi claimed some moral high ground, having acted to defend their sister's honor, where Jacob had done nothing. Jacob was silenced, they felt justified in what they had done. There is no doubt this wasn't Godly action and they probably came to realize it after the fact. They started down a road filled with hatred and found it hard to stop. We've all been there is some form or fashion. Our anger many times gets the best of us and we say and do things we shouldn't do and know we will regret later.
Much later, as Jacob neared death, he gathered his children to prophesy and offer a blessing. But to Simeon and Levi he offered no blessing but only an anti-blessing for what they had done.
5 "Simeon and Levi are brothers—
their swords are weapons of violence.
6 Let me not enter their council,
let me not join their assembly,
for they have killed men in their anger
and hamstrung oxen as they pleased.
7 Cursed be their anger, so fierce,
and their fury, so cruel!
I will scatter them in Jacob
and disperse them in Israel. (Genesis 49:5-7)
17 Those who are kind benefit themselves,
but the cruel bring ruin on themselves. (Proverbs 11:17)
25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare,
but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. (Proverbs 29:25)
***
Jacob had just overcome the fear of Esau. He'd seen angels in his camp and the fear that overwhelmed him had no real basis. There was reconciliation. How then did this happen so quickly? How did he move from that to all this pain and sorrow? How did his sons become murderers? Did Jacob look back and wonder if he'd made a wrong turn in life?
The grace of God was so visible in Jacob's life when Esau hugged him. Jacob responded to Esau with deceit, he lied about coming behind him. He let Esau go south and he went west. It was deceit on the heels of grace. Then Jacob moved on from Succoth and entered the promised Land, but it appears he only went half way when he settled in Shechem. It was compromise on the heels of deceit that led him to settle in this place. He stopped 20 miles short of Bethel where it appears he was supposed to go and settle.
Jacob deceived himself, settling there. He camped in sight of the city, which has the same feel about it as Lot pitching his tent toward Sodom. Jacob bought land there. He built an alter there, declaring the land as the promise to him, Israel. God had been true to his promises. Jacob's response is half-hearted. Was Jacob hiding behind the pious act of building an alter to ignore his own disobedience?
Had Jacob went on to Bethel, none of this would have happened. This devastation of the city and his family was the cost of his half-heartedness. Trouble lies in the settlements along the way to obedience where we fool ourselves into thinking this is obedient enough!! 'Good enough' remains the mortal enemy of 'the best'. Divine grace will triumph despite human sin—fierce, fiery, gritty, raw, amazing grace; somehow gleaned from the midst of murder and mayhem, lies, defilement, pain and sorrow. Only God can do that.
****
If you step back and look at this chapter, you might wonder why in the world would this be included. It's the ugly side of God's people. He just called Jacob Israel, giving him a new name and reconfirming the promises on his life. Now this!! There is so much sin in Jacob's life. Yet we remember:
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God p may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16–17)
And it shows us, the extent of God's love for us. God's not done with Jacob. He still has a promise, a name and a calling. We can know this even left a scar on Jacob's life, deep and raw. He was looking for answers as God was calling to provide them. Ultimately, Jacob was left asking himself the same question we should ask our self:
"Is this where the Lord wants me? Is this where I can best serve him?"
Have I been justifying my own disobedience as I see the effects of it all around my life? No one mentioned in this chapter prospered. No one reflected God in their life. No one is seen in a favorable light. It is our own deception if we think we can continue in disobedience and avoid the inevitable failings and hard lessons that come with it.
It's a great day to turn from that bad decision. To yield completely to the Lord and ask where he wants you to be. It's a great day to repent and trust in the Lord.
©2019 Doug Ford
Facebook