Genesis 34:24-31

One last look at this most difficult chapter! The violent rape of Dinah begets more violence. It was bad enough that Shechem defiled Dinah, but he then refused to acknowledge any wrongdoing. That was compounded when he turned the marriage proposal into a business deal to benefit his family! So we can certainly understand the fury of Dinah’s brothers. However, the course of vengeance that Simeon and Levi chose was over the top!

All the men who went out of the city gate agreed with Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male in the city was circumcised.


Three 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. They put Hamor and his son Shechem to the sword and took Dinah from Shechem’s house and left. The sons of Jacob came upon the dead bodies and looted the city where their sister had been defiled. They seized their flocks and herds and donkeys and everything else of theirs in the city and out in the fields. They carried off all their wealth and all their women and children, taking as plunder everything in the houses. (Gen 34:24-29)

This was a wholesale slaughter! Simeon and Levi slew the men in a bloodbath. Their brothers caught up with them, and, seeing what Simeon and Levi had done, they, too, went on a rampage, plundering the city and taking all of the possessions and family members of Hamor’s tribe. Here’s the thing that stands out to me: today, when we hear of tribal killings in the Middle East, it’s generally by means of explosions. There is no personal involvement with the killing (although the end result is the same). In these murders, Simeon and Levi had to get face to face with all of these men. Imagine the rage and, frankly, the mess! I’m focusing on that, because somehow the words “killing every male,” don’t convey the horror of what they did in taking out vengeance themselves.

When they arrived home, Jacob could immediately see what they had done. Here’s The Message translation of Jacob’s response:

Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You've made my name stink to high heaven among the people here, these Canaanites and Perizzites. If they decided to gang up on us and attack, as few as we are we wouldn't stand a chance; they'd wipe me and my people right off the map."


They said, "Nobody is going to treat our sister like a whore and get by with it." (vs.30-31)

The need for justice is something we can all relate to. All us at some time in our life have cried out for justice. Whether it was a desire for personal justice because of a something unfair done to us, or the collective need for justice in cases like the O.J. Simpson or Casey Anthony trials. That need for justice is universal, because it’s a value that comes from our Just God. And here’s where the brothers blew it big time: they did not trust God for the justice. Now, many times God uses men to carry out His justice, but it really bothers me (am I alone?) that there was no seeking of God here. God did not tell them to go slaughter the Shechemites. They acted out of their own rage. We’ll see in chapter 49, when the dying Jacob blesses his sons, that Simeon and Levi suffered consequences for these actions.

This was a brutal chapter. Why did God want us to read it? Well, it does lead up to some of the history of Israel, which we’ll see later. But I think there is another reason God wanted us to have this chapter in scripture: it’s surely a warning to parents about being a “hands-on” parent. Jacob should have made sure that Dinah never went anywhere alone. It was his job to protect her – or to have her brothers watch over her, since she was coming of age. Doe this mean Jacob was to blame for Dinah’s rape? Certainly NOT! That falls completely on Shechem only! Even the most vigilant of parents cannot prevent the effects of a fallen world impacting the lives of their children. 

I’ll never forget the time I let my eight year old daughter go off in a car for the entire day with a new friend and her nanny (20-ish), whom I had just met, to go to the Orange County Fair!!! What was I thinking??? Immediately after they left it struck me, and I spent the entire day worrying and praying (do those go together?) for Emmy’s safety (this was before cell phones, so there was no way to contact them throughout the day and evening)! We ALL do these stupid things occasionally. But parents can and should take preventative steps of protection for their children that may lessen the likelihood of danger.

It’s not good enough to be reactive – parents must intentionally think through their parenting and have a PLAN. From the time your baby girl is born, you should have in place a plan for every eventuality you can reasonably think through – at what age she can start dating (and HOLD to it), your expectations for her while she is living under your authority (church attendance, college, chastity, no alcohol, etc.). Too many parents take the attitude, “Oh, they are all drinking and having sex!” REALLY??? I’ve actually had parents tell me that if their teenage son is going to drink, they want them doing it at home, so their intention is to provide it!!! Hello, people, it’s ILLEGAL!

Then, I’m wondering if things would have been different if Jacob had taken control of the situation after the rape – it seems to me that he should have held a family meeting to discuss and pray about what they should do. I realize I’m guilty here of judging Jacob – not my place!!! I have NO idea how I would have reacted. The reality is that in the heat of such a horrific event, we all might react exactly as these boys did. We have it in us!

What can we do to instill in our children an absolute faith in our Father to take care of vengeance? We need to believe it ourselves and model it. Had they sought Him, God may have actually sent the boys out to take vengeance in His name – I don’t know. He certainly directed the Israelites to do that at times. This chapter leaves me with more questions than answers. But one thing I know: I’m so glad that GOD is the One who metes out justice! Because He is holy and righteous, I know I can trust Him to make all things right. In fact, I’m sure I’ll be part of the great multitude in heaven shouting, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments.” (Rev 19:1-2)
 

Genesis 34:13-24

Now 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. . .


Because their sister Dinah had been defiled, Jacob’s sons replied deceitfully as they spoke to Shechem and his father Hamor. They 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. We will give our consent to you on one condition only: that you become like us by circumcising all your males. Then we will give you our daughters and take your daughters for ourselves. We’ll settle among you and become one people with you. But if you will not agree to be circumcised, we’ll take our sister and go.” (Gen 34:7,13-17)

In today’s lesson, we’ll look at the aftermath of the rape of Dinah: the emotional responses and the reactions. Jacob’s sons, Dinah’s brothers, are shocked when they hear about what Shechem had done to Dinah. Their emotions seem to start with great grief for their precious sister and then turn to fury. That is a strong word! The Message version translates it this way: They were outraged, explosive with anger. However, they do nothing at first - instead they devise a plot to take vengeance. They appear to agree with the business proposal to give Dinah to Shechem in return for intermarriage and consolidation of the two groups of people, including their possessions, if Hamor, Shechem, and all of their men will submit to circumcision as a sign of unity.

Note that they say nothing of the importance of circumcision as a sign of the covenant with God. God is certainly not brought into this bargain. It would seem that Jacob’s sons have not personalized their faith in God, for their reaction contains no prayer, no seeking of God’s help or wisdom. They don’t even ask God to bless their plans. This makes me wonder about exactly why the boys are outraged here. Is it their concern for Dinah herself? Is it that the rape is an offense against God? Or is it a personal offense - having something of theirs taken by force?? Nowhere in this chapter do we see the brothers show a love and concern for Dinah. When they take her back (vs.26), there is no mention of care, compassion, or comfort given to Dinah. In fact, in the verses above they say, “. . . [giving our sister to an uncircumcised man] would be a disgrace to us.”

Now, I’m wondering what could possibly convince a bunch of pagan men to line up for circumcision!! Apparently greed is a strong motivator - and so is Shechem, for verses 23-24 tell us what he says and how they respond:

“. . . Won’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.”


All the men who went out of the city gate agreed with Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male in the city was circumcised.


At this point, I’m wanting to shout, “Men are pigs!” But, then God seems to be pointing out to me my own problem with motivation. I have to ask myself, when I am hurt or angry what is the reason? If someone offends or hurts me, am I upset because of the offense to God - or to my pride? My reaction will probably answer that question. If I respond with fury that leaves no place for God to work, only my flesh, then I would have to assume that my fury is not righteous indignation - but stung pride! If I am looking for my own vengeance, watch out! And then, what motivates me to do the hard things (obviously something other than circumcision...) ? What makes me get out of my comfort zone? Is it a heart that is obedient to God’s call or a heart that craves the praise of men? Is it a desire to see God’s work go forth or is it a yearning for material gain? We are not really so different from these men are we? YIKES!

Still so much more to learn - and, unfortunately, the carnage is about to begin! We will view that next time. This is a difficult chapter!!!

Genesis 34:1-12

Today we begin a chapter that is filled with violence! As my friend, Marin, put it, this is one of those stories that you will never see on a flannel board in Sunday School! But God has included in His Word stories that are true, real, and cover every human experience. This one is ugly!

Now Dinah, the daughter Leah had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the women of the land. When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the ruler of that area, saw her, he took her and violated her. His heart was drawn to Dinah daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke tenderly to her. And Shechem said to his father Hamor, “Get me this girl as my wife.” (Gen 34:1-4)

This is a story right out of today’s headlines! A young girl, who goes out to visit some girlfriends, ends up raped and basically kidnapped. Not only did Shechem force himself on her, but he took her and kept her. [ Note that in verse 5 we are told that Jacob did not SEE that his daughter had been defiled - he HEARD it. ] Dinah remained with Shechem, who for some perverse reason, then fell for her. We know that most rapes are motivated by a need for power and control over the victim, not by a need for sexual pleasure, so Shechem’s change of emotions does not mitigate the violence done to Dinah.

Amazingly, there is no recording of Dinah’s reaction, so we are left to speculate. Obviously, this would have been a horrifying experience for Dinah. The text uses the words “violated” and “defiled.” At the end of the chapter, Dinah’s brothers ask, “Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?” (vs. 31) So, the innocence of Dinah was completely shattered, as with all victims of rape. Beth Moore, in analyzing this passage, asks what would Dinah need most once she returned home. My guess is that she would have desperately needed the comfort and love of her mother, Leah, and her aunts. More importantly, even prior to returning home, when she was alone among the people of Shechem, she surely needed assurance from God that she was still His and worthy of His love. Beth refers to two verses from the Psalms that speak of God’s care for all who need this assurance:

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18)

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3)

My assumption is that God would have been ministering to her immediately!

We will see in the rest of the chapter that women were considered as mere chattel, the property of their men, to be traded and used for political and economic gain when possible. In such an atmosphere we can see how Shechem felt no shame in just grabbing Dinah. He surely was a young man who had been completely enabled by his father to just take what he wanted when he wanted it, without concern for consequences, because he apparently had never known any. And, truly, his father gives him none here. Instead Hamor goes to Jacob’s family, without apology, to negotiate for Dinah to become Shechem’s wife:

Then Shechem’s father Hamor went out to talk with Jacob. Now 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.


But Hamor said to them, “My son Shechem has his heart set on your daughter. Please give her to him as his wife. Intermarry with us; give us your daughters and take our daughters for yourselves. You can settle among us; the land is open to you. Live in it, trade in it, and acquire property in it.”


Then Shechem said to Dinah’s father and brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and I will give you whatever you ask. Make 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.” (vs. 6-12)

Dinah’s brothers have an appropriate reaction of grief and anger, although they will take inappropriate actions later. However, Hamor, Shechem’s father, takes a “boys will be boys” attitude and wants to not only sweep the whole thing under the rug, but strike a deal that will economically enrich his family! We had a famous case in our area several years ago in which three boys gang-raped a girl in the home of one of the boys, whose father happened to be high up in the County Sheriff’s office. The father immediately hired the best attorney who tried to get the boys off with that whole “boys will be boys” defense, placing the blame on the victim, who was not known for her purity. Thankfully, the boys (adult men now) are in jail in spite of the attorney’s efforts to press the point that “she asked for it!”

Beth Moore asks, “Could some have said Dinah never should have left the family encampment? That she should never have put herself in such a position? . . . In Dinah’s culture, her decision to visit the women of the land without male protection was probably considered as risky as a woman in our culture going out alone to a club. . . This point needs pressing because many victims of rape are vastly impeded in their healing by the suggestion - however carefully implied - that they were partially to blame. After all, they placed themselves in a vulnerable position. Certainly we can all stand to be wiser about high-risk environments, but to suggest a victim asked to be raped by being in a certain place is not only devastatingly ignorant but also shifts the criminal’s blame to the victim.” (The Patriarchs, P.156).

We will continue with this horrifying story, which only gets worse, and look for lessons for our lives. Nothing is in God’s Word by accident! He did not clean up the circumstances or just give us a lovely book of poetry to contemplate. Real lives contain real danger, violence, and SIN! We see it all here!