SCRIPTURE: GENESIS 34
BIBLE VERSES:
“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 young woman as my wife.” (Genesis 34:11-12)
“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 enter into an agreement with 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.” (Genesis 34:13-17)
“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” (Genesis 34:24-26)
DINAH AND THE SHECHEMITES (vs. 1-31)
When Shechem, son of Hamor the Hivite, the ruler of the area saw Dinah, daughter of Leah and Jacob, he took her and violated her. When the brothers of Dinah knew about it, they were filled with grief and fury. Shechem’s father Hamore went to talk with Jacob asking him to give his daughter Dinah to his son. He said: “Make the price for the bride and the gift I am to bring as great as you like, and I will pay whatever you asked me. Only give me the girl as my wife” (v. 12). Because their sister Dinah had been defiled, Jacob’s sons replied deceitfully by demanding that al their males to be circumcised. The proposal seemed good to Hamon and his son Shechem. So, they spoke to the fellow townsmen. All the men were convinced and agreed to be circumcised. Three days later, while all of them were still in pain, two of Jacob’s son, Simeon and Levi took their swords and attacked the unsuspected city killing every male. They killed Hamon and took Dinah from Shechem’s house and left. The sons of Jacob seized the flocks, herds, donkeys and carried off their wealth and all their women and children taking as plunder everything in the house. This was the revenge of Jacob’s son because they had treated their sister like a prostitute. Later, Reuben slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah with his father’s knowledge.
THOUGHTS:
Jacob’s sons were like him. They used the sacred rite of circumcision to accomplish their wicked scheme. Christians today also fail to live up to heavenly positions in Christ because they use scheme to commit sin.
Shechem became the victim of “love as first sight”. He raped her because of his impulsive desire. The consequence of his deed was severe. Dinah’s brothers were outraged and took revenge. Pain, deceit and murder followed. Sexual sin is so devastating because its consequences are so far reaching. Learn to control passion.
The desire for justice was right. But using deceiving ways to achieve their purpose was wrong. In seeking for revenge, Simeon and Levi lied, stole and murdered. Because of their sins, Jacob cursed them and generations later, their descendants lost the part of the Promised land allotted to them. When we are tempted to return evil for evil, leave vengeance to God and spare yourself from its dreadful consequences.
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