Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. 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. 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.”
At the end of the last chapter, we saw Jacob moved to Shechem, an ungodly city. This created some serious peril for Jacob that he did not anticipate. As his children grew into their teens & adulthood, the low moral environment of Shechem began to have a deadly effect. Young people need companionship with others of their own age and thus Jacob’s children, especially Dinah who was the only daughter became friends with Shechemite girls. Dinah soon came to be desired by young Shechem, the son of Hamor, the city’s chief. And, he ended up raping her. We must understand the environment and mentality of that time. Unattached girls were fair game in which promiscuity was not only common but, in fact, a part of the very religious system itself. However, for Shechem, it was not merely a case of routine conquest but he had fallen in love with Dinah and wanted to marry her. Shechem asked his father to take necessary steps to secure Dinah as his wife. It is interesting to note and learn, the father never said a word to his son about his actions ( Rape) and moral implication of what his son had done. He neither rebuked Shechem nor apologized to Jacob as we will see later in the chapter. Folks, keep this story in mind when you are making decisions as where you live. Oh, we look at the schools, the neighborhood, jobs in the area but so many times we fail to look at the effect of spiritual life. Do we look at which church we are attending? Do we just go to closest church or the one we have been going to? We research schools and make sure our kids get the best education and best of everything but do we do our due diligence when it comes to their spiritual walk? Do you even know what your children are learning in Sunday’s school? Not only for your children but for yourself as well, examine your spiritual surrounding, are you being lifted up by the company you keep? Are your friends helping you/ encourage you to get closer to God? Is your pastor challenging you? Are you being fed spiritual food at church? Are you growing closer in your walk with Christ? If your answer is NO, you might be residing in Shechem and you might need to consider the implication of danger.
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. 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. 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.”
Jacob was no doubt was self-stricken and angry but decided not to do anything until he talked to his sons. While Jacob was waiting for his sons, Hamor came to his home, asking for Dinah’s hand in marriage. No word of apology or sympathy was offered, nor any suggestions of punishment for his son, he simply came to propose marriage. Jacob’s sons came while Hamor was visiting and they were bitter and angry. Hamor was unfazed by their anger and instead, he proposed a broader proposition, that there should be general intermarrying between the people of Israel and those of Shechem.
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.”13 But the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father, and spoke deceitfully, because he had defiled Dinah their sister. 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. 15 But on this condition we will consent to you: If you will become as we are, if every male of you is circumcised, 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.”
Shechem, who was silent up to now eagerly offered to pay Jacob and his sons whatever they would require in exchange for Dinah’s hand. Although Hamor did not say so openly, he had an ulterior motive, since his people were far more numerous than those of Jacob, this would be an easy way to take over their possessions (Verse 23). Father and son had different motives for this proposal. Shechem really did love Dinah and was more interested in having her as a wife. Quite possibly it was this businesslike attitude of Hamor and Shechem’s attempt to buy Dinah with a dowry, infuriated Jacob’s sons beyond the limit. Jacob was too distressed that he left the room and Jacob’s sons did all the talking from this point on. ” We can not do as you suggest,” said the sons, you are not circumcised. But, if your men are circumcised, then we can accept your proposal. We do not know if ‘sons of Jacob” were only Simeon & Levi or whether Reuben and Judah were also involved, but what we do know is later, Simeon and Levi are the sons who took revenge. While Father and son were talking the “sons of Jacob” devised a plan of vengeance which involved both blasphemy and murder, as well as deception and cruelty. Such a shocking plan was justified in their eyes because they thought of it as an intolerable sin against their sister and their name. Simeon and Levi decided to play God. Not only did they pass judgment on Hamor & Shechem, but felt the whole city was guilty. They never stopped to seek God’s guidance. They sought out a solution in their own wisdom and it had disastrous results as we will learn in later chapters. Jacob too was silent when he should have spoken up and guided his sons. Parents let this be lessons to you. Maybe, many of you are saying this would never happen now. Let me remind you, how many times in our world, our son or daughter wants to marry someone of different faith? And, when they do our compromise is, let’s get him/her baptized or let’s make them a member of our church, then all will be alright. Just like Shechem, who was not going to change after Circumcision, baptism does not change anything. Our solutions are same as “sons of Jacob”. We too rely on our wisdom to deal with such issues. As parents, let us be diligent about how we are raising our kids.
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. 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.
Hamor and Shechem agreed to the terms. Shechem was making a deal he meant to honor. Now comes the tough part of selling this idea to rest of the men in the city. Hamor gathered the people at the city’s gate, and laid out the whole plan before them, stressing that they would eventually own all the property of Jacob. The men of Shechem were easily convinced by wealth and women. Please make a note, Bible is silent as to what Jacob thought of this arrangement. I like to believe, he would certainly not have approved of such devious plan.
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. 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. All their little ones and their wives they took captive; and they plundered even all that was in the houses.
Simeon and Levi knew that the painful and crippling effect of circumcision was greatest on the third day. They attacked that day and killed every male of the city. After the deed was done, they took all the animals, their other possessions as well women and children as spoils of war. They were a young man, not yet seasoned in judgment, and they certainly were provoked by Rape of Dinah and lack of remorse afterward by father and Shechem. Even then, their actions are not justified. It is clear that much of the blame must lie with Jacob. Not only had he, who once been so strong in the Lord, allowed conditions to develop in his household which leads to such things, but when the crisis came and serious decisions had to be made, he went off by himself and refused to face problem until it was too late. Parents, do not ignore the problem with your kids until it is too late. Do not explain away sinful behavior by children as something they will grow out of. In so many instances, we want out children to make Godly choices but we have never taught them how to. Suddenly, when they are teenagers and we expect them to go to church and follow God, marry someone Christian but we have never corrected them nor have we showed them by our life how to follow God. Oh we say, I am praying for my kids and there is nothing wrong with that but remember when you pray for rain, you still have to till the ground and plant a seed so when it does rain, you have a harvest.
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.”31 But they said, “Should he treat our sister like a harlot?”
When Jacob finally did make an appearance again, he was more worried about his safety then the sinful behavior of his sons. He had left the decision into their hands and now was appalled at what they had done. Jacob was showing his lack of faith again. God had delivered him from Laban and his men, Esau and his men did not touch him, yet once again Jacob was worried about being wiped out by tribes in the region. He still did not understand the divine protection he had. Jacob’s complaint was silenced in one question from Simeon and Levi. He was complaining about their actions but what had Jacob done? Jacob could say nothing in reply. He had indeed failed, now he was once again in need of a revival of his soul, as well as guidance from God. Although Bible does not mention it, Jacob probably cried out to God for help, forgiveness and direction.
Why is this very disturbing story in Bible? What lesson does God want us to learn? If God is teaching us then we better pay attention and learn the lesson. God always warns us ahead of time of pitfalls and dangers that are in our path. The problem is, we never listen and certainly are very slow to obey. This story serves as a warning to every mom and dad wise enough to listen. If you pitch your tent toward the world, don’t be surprised when( not if) your children act like the world. Parents, if you feel your kids behavior, dress style, living, is not to your liking then maybe you have allowed them to go to places and do things that Christian parents not ought to. For example, many of you who read this blog are Indian and how many times we allow our kids to celebrate pagan holidays such as Halloween, Diwali and NAVRATRI. We say, oh what is a big deal? It is just a costume and some candy, I am not worshipping the devil or how many time young girls and boys go to do “GARBA” dancing around an idol, sooner or later they meet someone there like Dinah did and you are left wondering what happened. By no means, I am not saying keep your kids in a bubble but we must not be afraid to say NO. Too many times, we make the deal that Hamor proposed and before we know it, we become part of the pagan tribe. We lose our most precious wealth: our children. Those of us who have immigrated to other countries look at it as progress and with pride but whether you are in America, Europe or India, Christian walk is the same. Sin is sin no matter which country you are in. Do not blame the country or the culture you live in for issues you face with your children, Like Jacob too many of us choose to stay silent until it is too late. Parents, learn from LOT (read chapter 19 for details.Genesis 19: Sodom & Gomorrah) and Jacob both pitched a tent facing the world and both paid high price. May God bless us all and give us the wisdom to raise our children that they may walk his in His path. Amen.
only savior jesus 