UNROLL
The small walled town of Shechem far off across green fields at dawn, low in the valley between two mountains, mist lying on the fields.

The Book of

Genesis 34

A wrong done to a daughter, a father who says nothing, and brothers who answer it with a lie and a sword.

31 verses≈ 5 min5 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1–11BeginningsCreation, fall, flood, Babel
  2. 12–24AbrahamThe call and the promise
  3. 25–36Isaac and JacobThe promise passed onChapter 34
  4. 37–50JosephGod meant it for good

The Defiling of Dinah

Now Dinah, the daughter Leah had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the daughters of the land. When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the region, saw her, he took her and lay with her by force.

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And his soul was drawn to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young girl and spoke to her tenderly. So Shechem told his father Hamor, “Get me this girl as a wife.”

Jacob heard that Shechem had defiled his daughter Dinah, but since his sons were with his livestock in the field, he remained silent about it until they returned. Meanwhile, Shechem’s father Hamor came to speak with Jacob.

When Jacob’s sons heard what had happened, they returned from the field. They were filled with grief and fury, because Shechem had committed an outrage in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter—a thing that should not be done.

a thing that should not be done

Genesis 34:7

Reflect

Silence or fury

When Jacob heard, “he remained silent about it.” His sons “were filled with grief and fury.” Neither the silence nor the fury will turn out well. Genesis gives Dinah herself no words at all. When someone you love is wronged, which pull is stronger in you: to say nothing, or to strike back? Write down what caring for them well might look like instead.

The Revenge of Dinah’s Brothers

But because Shechem had defiled their sister Dinah, Jacob’s sons answered him and his father Hamor deceitfully.

Jacob's sons

“We cannot do such a thing,” they said. “To give our sister to an uncircumcised man would be a disgrace to us. We will consent to this on one condition, that you become circumcised like us—every one of your males. Then we will give you our daughters and take your daughters for ourselves. We will dwell among you and become one people. But if you will not agree to be circumcised, then we will take our sister and go.”

Their offer seemed good to Hamor and his son Shechem. The young man, who was the most respected of all his father’s household, did not hesitate to fulfill this request, because he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter.

So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate of their city and addressed the men of their city: “These men are at peace with us. Let them live and trade in our land; indeed, it is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters in marriage and give our daughters to them. But only on this condition will the men agree to dwell with us and be one people: if all our men are circumcised as they are. Will not their livestock, their possessions, and all their animals become ours? Only let us consent to them, and they will dwell among us.”

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

Question

Quick question

Jacob’s sons answered Hamor and Shechem “deceitfully.”

What condition did Jacob’s sons set before they would agree?

Three days later, while they were still in pain, two of Jacob’s sons (Dinah’s brothers Simeon and Levi) took their swords, went into the unsuspecting city, and slaughtered every male. They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with their swords, took Dinah out of Shechem’s house, and went away.

Jacob’s other sons came upon the slaughter and looted the city, because their sister had been defiled. They took their flocks and herds and donkeys, and everything else in the city or in the field. They carried off all their possessions and women and children, and they plundered everything in their houses.

An old man seen from behind sits alone at the door of his tent at night, a single clay oil lamp burning beside him, looking toward the dark wall of a distant town.

Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble upon me by making me a stench to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people of this land. We are few in number; if they unite against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed.”

But they replied, “Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?”

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Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Pray

Justice belongs to God

This chapter ends with a wrong answered by a lie, a slaughter and a city plundered, and a father more worried about his own safety than his daughter. Bring it all to God. Pray for anyone you know who has been wronged as Dinah was: that they would be believed, protected and comforted. And ask God to guard your own heart from both cold silence and hot revenge, and to trust Him to set things right.

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Genesis 34

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A verse to carry with you

They were filled with grief and fury, because Shechem had committed an outrage in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter—a thing that should not be done.

Genesis 34:7

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