Last time, we concluded with these verses as Jacob settles in the Land of Canaan.
(Gen 33:17) And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, built himself a house, and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.
In other words, he settles here for a time.
(Gen 33:18) Then Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan Aram; and he pitched his tent before the city. {19} And he bought the parcel of land, where he had pitched his tent, from the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for one hundred pieces of money.
“pieces of money” is a little vague. Some have suggested that these pieces of money may have been equal to the value of a lamb.
(Gen 33:20) Then he erected an altar there and called it El Elohe Israel.
(Gen 33:20 NCV) He built an altar there and named it after God, the God of Israel.
It appears that Jacob made good on his vow.
(Gen 34 NKJV) Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.
It is estimated that Dinah was between the ages of 12 or 13 and 15 or 16. Some state that this was an age at which many married in that time.
“. went out to see the daughters of the land.” Details are scarce on the reason, or intent. Apparently, just to get acquainted with her neighbors.
(Gen 34:2) And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her and lay with her, and violated her.
(Gen 34:2 NASB) And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he took her and lay with her by force.
Apparently what we have here is a case of rape.
(Gen 34:3) His soul was strongly attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young woman and spoke kindly to the young woman. {4} So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, "Get me this young woman as a wife."
All of this we can understand.
Verses 3 & 4 are not the problem.
The problem is in verse 2: The rape of Dinah.
(Gen 34:5) And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter. Now his sons were with his livestock in the field; so Jacob held his peace until they came.
Jacob views this as a family matter and wants to include his sons in the decision as to what they should do.
Then the two fathers have a meeting that apparently lasts until the sons come in from the field.
(Gen 34:6) Then Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him. {7} And the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it; and the men were grieved and very angry, because he had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by lying with Jacob's daughter, a thing which ought not to be done.
So Hamor begins his side of the negotiations:
(Gen 34:8) But Hamor spoke with them, saying, "The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him as a wife. {9} "And make marriages with us; give your daughters to us, and take our daughters to yourselves. {10} "So you shall dwell with us, and the land shall be before you. Dwell and trade in it, and acquire possessions for yourselves in it."
This is indeed a far reaching proposal.
It involves complete intermarriage, and a merger of property. In effect, they are to become one people. The written prohibition comes later. We don’t know what verbal laws God had already given, but consider what follows:
(Exo 34:12-17 NKJV) "Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be a snare in your midst. {13} "But you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden images {14} '(for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God),
(Exo 34:15) "lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they play the harlot with their gods and make sacrifice to their gods, and one of them invites you and you eat of his sacrifice, {16} "and you take of his daughters for your sons, and his daughters play the harlot with their gods and make your sons play the harlot with their gods. {17} "You shall make no molded gods for yourselves.
Back to our Study in Genesis:
Now Shechem makes his appeal.
(Gen 34:11) Then Shechem said to her father and her brothers, "Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give. {12} "Ask me ever so much dowry and gift, and I will give according to what you say to me; but give me the young woman as a wife."
There are two very real problems here:
1. Nothing now fully covers the crime of rape which has already taken place.
2. Even under ideal circumstances, it still involves the problem of intermarriage which we have discussed.
But Jacob’s sons do not handle matters correctly.
§ They are angry.
§ They act hastily.
§ They don’t think things through.
§ There is no record of any prayer for guidance.
§ There is no consulting with their father on what they should do.
(Gen 34:13) But the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father, and spoke deceitfully, because he had defiled Dinah their sister.
“spoke deceitfully” is where everything goes wrong. They are out for revenge, and in a deceitful manner.
(Gen 34:14) And they said to them, "We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a reproach to us.
This seems to indicate that there was an understanding of what we have written out in Exodus 34:12-17, as we read earlier. Now for the deceit:
(Gen 34:15) "But on this condition we will consent to you: If you will become as we are, if every male of you is circumcised,
One must wonder if Jacob’s sons really intended to do the following:
(Gen 34:16) "then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to us; and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people. {17} "But if you will not heed us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and be gone."
Hamor and Shechem agree to the deal.
(Gen 34:18) And their words pleased Hamor and Shechem, Hamor's son. {19} So the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacob's daughter. He was more honorable than all the household of his father. {20} And Hamor and Shechem his son came to the gate of their city, and spoke with the men of their city, saying: {21} "These men are at peace with us. Therefore let them dwell in the land and trade in it. For indeed the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters to us as wives, and let us give them our daughters. {22} "Only on this condition will the men consent to dwell with us, to be one people: if every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised.
Is there greed or dishonesty involved on the part of
Hamor and Shechem his son?
(Gen 34:23) "Will not their livestock, their property, and every animal of theirs be ours? Only let us consent to them, and they will dwell with us." {24} And all who went out of the gate of his city heeded Hamor and Shechem his son; every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city. {25} Now it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, each took his sword and came boldly upon the city and killed all the males. {26} And they killed Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem's house, and went out.
Shechem was apparently living with Dinah as wife. As the story continues, Jacob’s other sons become involved in plundering the city:
(Gen 34:27) The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and plundered the city, because their sister had been defiled. {28} They took their sheep, their oxen, and their donkeys, what was in the city and what was in the field, {29} and all their wealth.
(Gen 34:29b) All their little ones and their wives they took captive; and they plundered even all that was in the houses.
Jacob is not pleased with what his sons have done:
(Gen 34:30) Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You have troubled me by making me obnoxious among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and since I am few in number, they will gather themselves together against me and kill me. I shall be destroyed, my household and I."
Their response is Simple:
(Gen 34:31) But they said, "Should he treat our sister like a harlot?"
But Jacob didn’t soon forget what they had done.
(Gen 49:5-7 NKJV) "Simeon and Levi are brothers; [full brothers of Dinah] Instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place.
(Gen 49:6) Let not my soul enter their council; Let not my honor be united to their assembly; For in their anger they slew a man, And in their self-will they hamstrung an ox. {7} Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; And their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob And scatter them in Israel.
Of course, Levi was scattered among the tribes. The Levites had no assigned portion of land to themselves, but lived among the children of Israel. It’s time to get back to God!
(Gen 35:1 NKJV) Then God said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother."
My Sunday Evening Lessons Bible Study with Harley