Genesis 34.1-31

34 1 וַתֵּצֵ֤א דִינָה֙ בַּת ־ לֵאָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָלְדָ֖ה לְיַעֲקֹ֑ב לִרְא֖וֹת בִּבְנ֥וֹת הָאָֽרֶץ ׃ 2 וַיַּ֨רְא אֹתָ֜הּ שְׁכֶ֧ם בֶּן ־ חֲמ֛וֹר הַֽחִוִּ֖י נְשִׂ֣יא הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּקַּ֥ח אֹתָ֛הּ וַיִּשְׁכַּ֥ב אֹתָ֖הּ וַיְעַנֶּֽהָ ׃ 3 וַתִּדְבַּ֣ק נַפְשׁ֔וֹ בְּדִינָ֖ה בַּֽת ־ יַעֲקֹ֑ב וַיֶּֽאֱהַב֙ אֶת ־ הַֽנַּעֲרָ֔ וַיְדַבֵּ֖ר עַל ־ לֵ֥ב הַֽנַּעֲרָֽ ׃ 4 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁכֶ֔ם אֶל ־ חֲמ֥וֹר אָבִ֖יו לֵאמֹ֑ר קַֽח ־ לִ֛י אֶת ־ הַיַּלְדָּ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את לְאִשָּֽׁה ׃ 5 וְיַעֲקֹ֣ב שָׁמַ֗ע כִּ֤י טִמֵּא֙ אֶת ־ דִּינָ֣ה בִתּ֔וֹ וּבָנָ֛יו הָי֥וּ אֶת ־ מִקְנֵ֖הוּ בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה וְהֶחֱרִ֥שׁ יַעֲקֹ֖ב עַד ־ בֹּאָֽם ׃ 6 וַיֵּצֵ֛א חֲמ֥וֹר אֲבִֽי ־ שְׁכֶ֖ם אֶֽל ־ יַעֲקֹ֑ב לְדַבֵּ֖ר אִתּֽוֹ ׃ 7 וּבְנֵ֨י יַעֲקֹ֜ב בָּ֤אוּ מִן ־ הַשָּׂדֶה֙ כְּשָׁמְעָ֔ם וַיִּֽתְעַצְּבוּ֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים וַיִּ֥חַר לָהֶ֖ם מְאֹ֑ד כִּֽי ־ נְבָלָ֞ה עָשָׂ֣ה בְיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לִשְׁכַּב֙ אֶת ־ בַּֽת ־ יַעֲקֹ֔ב וְכֵ֖ן לֹ֥א יֵעָשֶֽׂה ׃ 8 וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר חֲמ֖וֹר אִתָּ֣ם לֵאמֹ֑ר שְׁכֶ֣ם בְּנִ֗י חָֽשְׁקָ֤ה נַפְשׁוֹ֙ בְּבִתְּכֶ֔ם תְּנ֨וּ נָ֥א אֹתָ֛הּ ל֖וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה ׃ 9 וְהִֽתְחַתְּנ֖וּ אֹתָ֑נוּ בְּנֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ תִּתְּנוּ ־ לָ֔נוּ וְאֶת ־ בְּנֹתֵ֖ינוּ תִּקְח֥וּ לָכֶֽם ׃ 10 וְאִתָּ֖נוּ תֵּשֵׁ֑בוּ וְהָאָ֙רֶץ֙ תִּהְיֶ֣ה לִפְנֵיכֶ֔ם שְׁבוּ֙ וּסְחָר֔וּהָ וְהֵֽאָחֲז֖וּ בָּֽהּ ׃ 11 וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁכֶם֙ אֶל ־ אָבִ֣יה 1 וְאֶל ־ אַחֶ֔יהָ אֶמְצָא ־ חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֵיכֶ֑ם וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר תֹּאמְר֛וּ אֵלַ֖י אֶתֵּֽן ׃ 12 הַרְבּ֨וּ עָלַ֤י מְאֹד֙ מֹ֣הַר וּמַתָּ֔ן וְאֶ֨תְּנָ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר תֹּאמְר֖וּ אֵלָ֑י וּתְנוּ ־ לִ֥י אֶת ־ הַֽנַּעֲרָ֖ לְאִשָּֽׁה ׃ 13 וַיַּעֲנ֨וּ בְנֵֽי ־ יַעֲקֹ֜ב אֶת ־ שְׁכֶ֨ם וְאֶת ־ חֲמ֥וֹר אָבִ֛יו בְּמִרְמָ֖ה וַיְדַבֵּ֑רוּ אֲשֶׁ֣ר טִמֵּ֔א אֵ֖ת דִּינָ֥ה אֲחֹתָֽם ׃ 14 וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם לֹ֤א נוּכַל֙ לַעֲשׂוֹת֙ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה לָתֵת֙ אֶת ־ אֲחֹתֵ֔נוּ לְאִ֖ישׁ אֲשֶׁר ־ ל֣וֹ עָרְלָ֑ה כִּֽי ־ חֶרְפָּ֥ה הִ֖וא לָֽנוּ ׃ 15 אַךְ ־ בְּזֹ֖את נֵא֣וֹת לָכֶ֑ם אִ֚ם תִּהְי֣וּ כָמֹ֔נוּ לְהִמֹּ֥ל לָכֶ֖ם כָּל ־ זָכָֽר ׃ 16 וְנָתַ֤נּוּ אֶת ־ בְּנֹתֵ֙ינוּ֙ לָכֶ֔ם וְאֶת ־ בְּנֹתֵיכֶ֖ם נִֽקַּֽח ־ לָ֑נוּ וְיָשַׁ֣בְנוּ אִתְּכֶ֔ם וְהָיִ֖ינוּ לְעַ֥ם אֶחָֽד ׃ 17 וְאִם ־ לֹ֧א תִשְׁמְע֛וּ אֵלֵ֖ינוּ לְהִמּ֑וֹל וְלָקַ֥חְנוּ אֶת ־ בִּתֵּ֖נוּ וְהָלָֽכְנוּ ׃ 18 וַיִּֽיטְב֥וּ דִבְרֵיהֶ֖ם בְּעֵינֵ֣י חֲמ֑וֹר וּבְעֵינֵ֖י שְׁכֶ֥ם בֶּן ־ חֲמֽוֹר ׃ 19 וְלֹֽא ־ אֵחַ֤ר הַנַּ֙עַר֙ לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת הַדָּבָ֔ר כִּ֥י חָפֵ֖ץ בְּבַֽת ־ יַעֲקֹ֑ב וְה֣וּא נִכְבָּ֔ד מִכֹּ֖ל בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽיו ׃ 20 וַיָּבֹ֥א חֲמ֛וֹר וּשְׁכֶ֥ם בְּנ֖וֹ אֶל ־ שַׁ֣עַר עִירָ֑ם וַֽיְדַבְּר֛וּ אֶל ־ אַנְשֵׁ֥י עִירָ֖ם לֵאמֹֽר ׃ 21 הָאֲנָשִׁ֨ים הָאֵ֜לֶּה שְֽׁלֵמִ֧ים הֵ֣ם אִתָּ֗נוּ וְיֵשְׁב֤וּ בָאָ֙רֶץ֙ וְיִסְחֲר֣וּ אֹתָ֔הּ וְהָאָ֛רֶץ הִנֵּ֥ה רַֽחֲבַת ־ יָדַ֖יִם לִפְנֵיהֶ֑ם אֶת ־ בְּנֹתָם֙ נִקַּֽח ־ לָ֣נוּ לְנָשִׁ֔ים וְאֶת ־ בְּנֹתֵ֖ינוּ נִתֵּ֥ן לָהֶֽם ׃ 22 אַךְ ־ בְּ֠זֹאת יֵאֹ֨תוּ לָ֤נוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים֙ לָשֶׁ֣בֶת אִתָּ֔נוּ לִהְי֖וֹת לְעַ֣ם אֶחָ֑ד בְּהִמּ֥וֹל לָ֙נוּ֙ כָּל ־ זָכָ֔ר כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר הֵ֥ם נִמֹּלִֽים ׃ 23 מִקְנֵהֶ֤ם וְקִנְיָנָם֙ וְכָל ־ בְּהֶמְתָּ֔ם הֲל֥וֹא לָ֖נוּ הֵ֑ם אַ֚ךְ נֵא֣וֹתָה לָהֶ֔ם וְיֵשְׁב֖וּ אִתָּֽנוּ ׃ 24 וַיִּשְׁמְע֤וּ אֶל ־ חֲמוֹר֙ וְאֶל ־ שְׁכֶ֣ם בְּנ֔וֹ כָּל ־ יֹצְאֵ֖י שַׁ֣עַר עִיר֑וֹ וַיִּמֹּ֙לוּ֙ כָּל ־ זָכָ֔ר כָּל ־ יֹצְאֵ֖י שַׁ֥עַר עִירֽוֹ ׃ 25 וַיְהִי֩ בַיּ֨וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֜י בִּֽהְיוֹתָ֣ם כֹּֽאֲבִ֗ים וַיִּקְח֣וּ שְׁנֵֽי ־ בְנֵי ־ יַ֠עֲקֹב שִׁמְע֨וֹן וְלֵוִ֜י אֲחֵ֤י דִינָה֙ אִ֣ישׁ חַרְבּ֔וֹ וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ עַל ־ הָעִ֖יר בֶּ֑טַח וַיַּֽהַרְג֖וּ כָּל ־ זָכָֽר ׃ 26 וְאֶת ־ חֲמוֹר֙ וְאֶת ־ שְׁכֶ֣ם בְּנ֔וֹ הָרְג֖וּ לְפִי ־ חָ֑רֶב וַיִּקְח֧וּ אֶת ־ דִּינָ֛ה מִבֵּ֥ית שְׁכֶ֖ם וַיֵּצֵֽאוּ ׃ 27 בְּנֵ֣י יַעֲקֹ֗ב בָּ֚אוּ עַל ־ הַ֣חֲלָלִ֔ים וַיָּבֹ֖זּוּ הָעִ֑יר אֲשֶׁ֥ר טִמְּא֖וּ אֲחוֹתָֽם ׃ 28 אֶת ־ צֹאנָ֥ם וְאֶת ־ בְּקָרָ֖ם וְאֶת ־ חֲמֹרֵיהֶּ֑ם 1 וְאֵ֧ת אֲשֶׁר ־ בָּעִ֛יר וְאֶת ־ אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֖ה לָקָֽחוּ ׃ 29 וְאֶת ־ כָּל ־ חֵילָ֤ם וְאֶת ־ כָּל ־ טַפָּם֙ וְאֶת ־ נְשֵׁיהֶ֔ם שָׁב֖וּ וַיָּבֹ֑זּוּ וְאֵ֖ת כָּל ־ אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּבָּֽיִת ׃ 30 וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יַעֲקֹ֜ב אֶל ־ שִׁמְע֣וֹן וְאֶל ־ לֵוִי֮ עֲכַרְתֶּ֣ם אֹתִי֒ לְהַבְאִישֵׁ֙נִי֙ בְּיֹשֵׁ֣ב הָאָ֔רֶץ בַּֽכְּנַעֲנִ֖י וּבַפְּרִזִּ֑י וַאֲנִי֙ מְתֵ֣י מִסְפָּ֔ר וְנֶאֶסְפ֤וּ עָלַי֙ וְהִכּ֔וּנִי וְנִשְׁמַדְתִּ֖י אֲנִ֥י וּבֵיתִֽי ׃ 31 וַיֹּאמְר֑וּ הַכְזוֹנָ֕ה יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה אֶת ־ אֲחוֹתֵֽנוּ ׃ פ

Genesis 34:1-31

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The Defiling of Dinah 34 1 Now f Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the women of the land. 2 And when Shechem the son of g Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he seized her and lay with her and humiliated her. 3 And his soul was drawn to Dinah the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her. 4 So Shechem h spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this girl for my wife.” 5 Now Jacob heard that he had defiled his daughter Dinah. But his sons were with his livestock in the field, so Jacob held his peace until they came. 6 And Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him. 7 The sons of Jacob had come in from the field as soon as they heard of it, and the men were indignant and i very angry, because he j had done an outrageous thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, k for such a thing must not be done. 8 But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for your 1 daughter. Please give her to him to be his wife. 9 Make marriages with us. Give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves. 10 You shall dwell with us, and l the land shall be open to you. Dwell and m trade in it, and n get property in it.” 11 Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, o “Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give. 12 Ask me for as great a p bride price 1 and gift as you will, and I will give whatever you say to me. Only give me the young woman to be my wife.” 13 The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully, because he had defiled their sister Dinah. 14 They said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for q that would be a disgrace to us. 15 Only on this condition will we agree with you—that you will become as we are by every male among you being circumcised. 16 Then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to ourselves, and we will dwell with you and become one people. 17 But if you will not listen to us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter, and we will be gone.” 18 Their words pleased Hamor and Hamor’s son Shechem. 19 And the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacob’s daughter. Now r he was the most honored of all his father’s house. 20 So Hamor and his son Shechem s came to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, saying, 21 “These men are at peace with us; let them dwell in the land and t trade in it, for behold, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters as wives, and let us give them our daughters. 22 Only on this condition will the men agree to dwell with us to become one people—when every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised. 23 Will not their livestock, their property and all their beasts be ours? Only let us agree with them, and they will dwell with us.” 24 And all who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male was circumcised, all who u went out of the gate of his city. 25 On the third day, when they were sore, two of the sons of Jacob, v Simeon and Levi, w Dinah’s brothers, took their swords and came against the city while it felt secure and killed all the males. 26 They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the sword and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house and went away. 27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain and plundered the city, because they had defiled their sister. 28 They took their flocks and their herds, their donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field. 29 All their wealth, all their little ones and their wives, all that was in the houses, they captured and plundered. 30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, x “You have brought trouble on me y by making me stink to the inhabitants of the land, z the Canaanites and the Perizzites. a My numbers are few, and if they gather themselves against me and attack me, I shall be destroyed, both I and my household.” 31 But they said, “Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?”

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Notes

Jacob's children don't act like God's children Intro Another 'fall' - cf last week's glimpse of Eden. Nothing in this chapter is commendable. There are no heroes in this. Tells it like it is. An unhappy domino series of events. Once again, the promises are in peril; just look at the next generation. But glory be to God for his grace and faithfulness! Grace alone will keep the promises alive. 'went out' v1, 6, 24, 26 1. Dinah is attacked (v1-4) Hamor has just been mentioned in 33. 'went out' v1. Went out to see the women of the land; what does this mean really? Was she in an unwise situation? Leaves the protection of her father's household? Or was this part and parcel of normal activity; ambiguity. Dinah doesn't say a word in the whole chapter. W e should be as feminist as the Bible tells us to be. Is she a victim? Yes, absolutely. cf Tamar in 2 Samuel. The Bible tells things honestly. Allusions to Gen 6 ; where the sons of God 'saw' and 'took'. Literally, Dinah 'saw' the other women; Shechem 'saw' Dinah. Incident with Dinah is the first of several instances of treachery involving this people group, the Hivites - Judges 9.30-49 ; Jeremiah 41.4-8 ; Hosea 6.9. Hivites one of the 7 people groups in Canaan . 2. Jacob's sons trick the men of the city (v5-24) v5 ambiguous - is he being passive, coward. Or wise and slow to act. The brothers are angry v7 but it's more to do, it appears, with the principle, the shame and disgrace on their reputation v13-17 doesn't condone the trickery, just reports it Deception and vengeance. Contrast to Abraham and Jacob in their honourable agreements earlier in Genesis when dealing with the people of the land. No prayer, no reference to God. Apart from the deceptive use of the sign of his covenant, circumcision. 'went out' v6, 24 How did Jacob hear? We don't know. Public gossip and disgrace. The whole family bears the shame and disgrace - hence the sons' reaction. They kill out of honour. Likely they hear, and so come back from the field. Hatching the plan. Hivites are deceived by their desire to access a 'new market'. 3. Jacob's sons kill the men of the city (v25-31) Simeon and Levi - they're her blood brothers - assassinate them all . Dinah is Leah's daughter. Do Leah's children already feel shamed? 'went out' v26 All brothers join in the looting - can't resist easy free wealth Is this justice? No, it's a spiralling. We need the proportionality of God's law. v30-31 the unresolved problem. Jacob concerned for safety and reputation? And they respond, then why let them get away with this? By offering money for Dinah's hand, the brothers interpret this as prostitution. Jacob still struggles with fear of man (what if they do this against me); the brothers carry the shame and anger of their mum not being loved, and now this extra great dishonour. Prompts the onward move to Bethel. God's glory: He is faithful to himself, to keep his word to bless and show grace - even when his people utterly disqualify themselves! God is great, his people are undeserving. FCF : Yet another 'fall' after the mountain top glimpse of Eden restored last week. Reaching out and grasping at what we want. Repetition of 'went out'. -Does Dinah go out out of curiosity, naievete, boredom? -Shechem wants her and takes her -The brothers reach out at their version of justice and payback (honour) -And then they plunder -And Jacob, like Adam, is passive. Which is grasping for the easy life. There is a kind of tango of sinful humanity; the movers and manipulators, and then those who simply don't really resist. All are culpable. Anger and dishonour. People who have been dishonoured are angry. Background anger among Leah's children. Insist on getting honour. cf right wing anger is about lines being crossed (the honour of something or someone I identify with). Left wing anger is decoyed onto the 'plight' of the little guy (the honour of the person or cause I represent). Both Hamor and Jacob are fathers who have not addressed their sons' behaviour. cf Eli, Samuel, David. Are we raising our sons to 'see something, want something, and take it'? God's children don't act like God's children - what can be done? The true Son must come, and must give himself for the children of God, so that they can be remade like him. Person of Jesus: Firstly, in contrast, he's the blameless Son. Who is tempted yet without sin. Who is abused but does not abuse in return. Who in every way is a giver not a grasper. He shows honour, rather than insisting on being shown it. Work of Jesus: He becomes the abused one. He is like Dinah in that, he is humiliated and made desolate. He is like the whole city of Shechem; destroyed, put to death, plundered as even his garments are shared out. But whereas this even of injustice created a stench of fear and worse, Jesus' death created peace. Opened the way for us to share in the inner life of God as sons. Out of his utter dishonour we have received honour. Union with Jesus: What he is from eternity past, I have the privilege of being by adoption. I can now share in his blameless way of being human. Repaying injustice with forgiveness, meekness gentleness, patience. Now I repay dishonour with honour, again and again. Wrap-up: Once again, the promises are in peril; just look at the next generation. But glory be to God for his grace and faithfulness! His grace goes deeper still - into the next chapter and on unto the Cross and the New Creation.

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