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¹ And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto 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 defiled her.
³ And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel.
⁴ And Shechem spake unto his father Hamor, saying, Get me this damsel to wife.
⁵ And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter: now his sons were with his cattle in the field: and Jacob held his peace until they were come.
⁶ And Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto Jacob to commune with him.
⁷ And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob’s daughter; which thing ought not to be done.
⁸ And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife.
⁹ And make ye marriages with us, and give your daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto you.
¹⁰ And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein.
¹¹ And Shechem said unto her father and unto her brethren, Let me find grace in your eyes, and what ye shall say unto me I will give.
¹² Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife.
¹³ And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister:
¹⁴ And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us:
¹⁵ But in this will we consent unto you: If ye will be as we be, that every male of you be circumcised;
¹⁶ Then will we give our daughters unto you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people.
¹⁷ But if ye will not hearken unto us, to be circumcised; then will we take our daughter, and we will be gone.
¹⁸ And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor’s son.
¹⁹ And the young man deferred not to do the thing, because he had delight in Jacob’s daughter: and he was more honourable than all the house of his father.
²⁰ And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city, and communed with the men of their city, saying,
²¹ These men are peaceable with us; therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade therein; for the land, behold, it is large enough for them; let us take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our daughters.
²² Only herein will the men consent unto us for to dwell with us, to be one people, if every male among us be circumcised, as they are circumcised.
²³ Shall not their cattle and their substance and every beast of theirs be ours? only let us consent unto them, and they will dwell with us.
²⁴ And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city.
²⁵ And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.
²⁶ And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house, and went out.
²⁷ The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister.
²⁸ They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field,
²⁹ And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house.
³⁰ And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.
³¹ And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?
🌾 A Family Dishonored and the Weight of Vengeance 🌾
“And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?” – Genesis 34:31
Genesis 34 reveals the tragic events that unfold when Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, is defiled by Shechem, a Hivite prince. This chapter does not mention God directly, yet it confronts us with deeply moral questions—justice, vengeance, honor, and the sanctity of covenant relationships. While Shechem desires marriage with Dinah, his initial violation sparks a storm of fury in Jacob’s sons, leading to a calculated, brutal revenge. This account exposes the dangers of intermingling with the ungodly and highlights the fierce protective nature of family bonds, even when acted out sinfully.
📜 Structure of Genesis Chapter 34
Verses 1–4: Dinah Is Violated by Shechem
Dinah, curious and independent, goes to visit the daughters of the land. Shechem, son of Hamor, sees her, takes her by force, and lies with her. Despite his sin, he grows attached to her and desires to marry her, revealing a warped blend of lust and affection.
Verses 5–7: Jacob’s Silence and His Sons’ Outrage
Jacob hears of the assault but remains silent until his sons return from the field. When they do, they are filled with grief and fury—righteous indignation mixed with unrestrained anger. The text says, “they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel.”
Verses 8–17: The Deceptive Proposal
Hamor and Shechem offer peace and alliance through intermarriage. Jacob’s sons, hiding their true intentions, deceitfully agree—on one condition: all the males of the city must be circumcised. This misuse of God’s covenant sign is a grievous act of manipulation.
Verses 18–24: Shechem’s City Agrees
Driven by Shechem’s desire and Hamor’s persuasion, the men of the city agree to circumcision, hoping for shared wealth and union with Jacob’s family. They see gain, not the gravity of the covenant.
Verses 25–29: Simeon and Levi’s Massacre
On the third day, when the men are sore and defenseless, Simeon and Levi kill all the males in Shechem. They rescue Dinah and loot the city. Their wrath becomes a curse in Jacob’s final blessing (Genesis 49:5–7), showing that justice mixed with pride turns into sin.
Verses 30–31: Jacob’s Rebuke and the Sons’ Retort
Jacob rebukes them—not for their violence, but for putting his household in danger. They reply with a sharp question: “Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?” Their sense of justice is twisted, yet it reflects a fierce defense of family honor.
💡 Key Themes
✨ Defilement and Dishonor
Dinah’s assault brings shame and tension. The violation reminds us that sin always leaves scars—emotional, physical, and communal.
✨ Righteous Anger vs. Sinful Vengeance
Simeon and Levi’s fury was understandable, but their violent response turned a moral outrage into murder. “For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” – James 1:20
✨ The Misuse of the Covenant
Circumcision, a holy sign of God’s covenant, was used deceitfully. This highlights the danger of using sacred things for personal revenge.
👤 Key People
- Dinah – A daughter caught in cultural tension; her silence in the chapter emphasizes her victimhood.
- Shechem – A prince driven by lust who later desires union, though his actions speak louder than words.
- Hamor – A mediator who fails to grasp the moral weight of his son’s actions.
- Simeon and Levi – Dinah’s full brothers, avengers of her defilement, later rebuked for their violence.
- Jacob – Silent and politically cautious, but also passive in defending his daughter’s honor.
🔥 Why This Chapter Matters
Genesis 34 is raw and painful. It forces readers to confront issues of justice, vengeance, and the misuse of sacred things. Though God is not mentioned, the absence speaks loudly—His covenant is profaned, His justice ignored, and human emotion runs wild. Yet this chapter sets the stage for future tensions and reveals how even God’s chosen family can stumble.
💭 Let’s Reflect
- When wronged, do we seek justice God’s way—or revenge by our own hand?
- Have we ever used God’s name or covenant for our own ends, like the sons of Jacob?
- How do we respond to trauma and tragedy in our communities? Do we act in faith, or fury?
❓Ready to Go Deeper?
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