Revenge and Blessing

Man’s Vengeance is Unsatisfying

No God in this passage.

Genesis 33:20 “20 There he set up an altar and called it El Elohe Israel.”

Genesis 35:1 “1 Then God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.””

Dinah Sinned Against

Genesis 34:1–4 ESV

1 Now 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 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 spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this girl for my wife.”

In Ch. 33 Jacob and his family purchase land in the vicinity of the city of Shechem.

Shechem is the name of a person and place

Dinah is the daughter of Leah and brother to Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun

Shechem seizes and humiliates Dinah, but is so infatuated with her that he insists on marrying her after.

A striking illustration of the depravity of the Canaanites

This is important for the intent of the book of Genesis – to prepare Israel for conquest of Canaan

We must have a category for “sinned against”

Two Reactions

Genesis 34:5–7 ESV

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 very angry, because he had done an outrageous thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, for such a thing must not be done.

Jacob’s Indifference

This is highlighted by the close of the account where Jacob is concerned about his reputation among the Canaanites as a result of this conflict

The Brothers’ Anger

Her brothers recognize the evil and are prepared to do something about it

Negotiation

Namor offers an alliance

Genesis 34:8–12 ESV

8 But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for your 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 the land shall be open to you. Dwell and trade in it, and get property in it.” 11 Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give. 12 Ask me for as great a bride-price and gift as you will, and I will give whatever you say to me. Only give me the young woman to be my wife.”

Such an alliance would actually be destructive to Jacob and his descendents as intermarriage with the Canaanites is one of the most significant and destructive failures of the Israelites

One of the main purposes of this section is to illustrate the corruption of the Canaanites

Deception

Genesis 34:13–24 ESV

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 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 he was the most honored of all his father’s house. 20 So Hamor and his son Shechem 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 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 went out of the gate of his city.

Instead of joining the Canaanites, Jacob’s sons have the Canaanites join them in circumcision.

Vengeance

Genesis 34:25–31 ESV

25 On the third day, when they were sore, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, 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.

Family Conflict

Genesis 34:30–31 ESV

30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me stink to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites. 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?”

Jacob is worried about the Canaanites

The sons are worried about vengeance

Implications

1. Vengeance belongs to God

The vengeance of Jacob’s sons seems rash and inappropriate

There is only one guilty party, but the whole city dies

There are no appeals for righteous justice

They corrupt the covenant sign

Jacob becomes obnoxious to the Canaanites because of this

Ultimately this is condemned

Genesis 49:5–7 “5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers— their swords are weapons of violence. 6 Let me not enter their council, let me not join their assembly, for they have killed men in their anger and hamstrung oxen as they pleased. 7 Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse them in Israel.”

Wilderness Israel is going to be tempted to align with the Canaanites, but this story should remind them of the corruption of the people which God will use them to judge

Genesis 15:16 NIV

16 In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.”

God’s vengeance is more potent anyway

Our vengeance turns us Into what we hate

When we resist the world around us in ungodly ways, we become like it.

2. God’s Sovereignty is No Excuse for Our Indifference

Indifference characterizes Jacob’s entire interaction here

Jacob allows Dinah to get into a dangerous situation

Jacob doesn’t respond to Dinah’s abuse

Jacob allows his boys to respond wrongly

God’s Blessing Rights All Wrongs

Tamar’s Wicked Husbands

Genesis 38:1–10 ESV

1 It happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers and turned aside to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. 2 There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. He took her and went in to her, 3 and she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. 4 She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. 5 Yet again she bore a son, and she called his name Shelah. Judah was in Chezib when she bore him. 6 And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord put him to death. 8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” 9 But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. So whenever he went in to his brother’s wife he would waste the semen on the ground, so as not to give offspring to his brother. 10 And what he did was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and he put him to death also.

First, notice that Judah marries a Canaanite, something Abraham didn’t want his descendents to do and that Israelite would eventually be forbidden

Tamar’s first husband Er is put to death because of his wickedness

We don’t know what he did

Onan is supposed to then marry her and give her children, but simply uses her for his own pleasure without the possibility of her having children

Caveat: this is not a text about birth control, but Onan’s condemnation is a result of his rejection of the covenant obligations of making the descendants of Abraham into a great nation

Tamar Abandoned

Genesis 38:11–14 ESV

11 Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house, till Shelah my son grows up”—for he feared that he would die, like his brothers. So Tamar went and remained in her father’s house. 12 In the course of time the wife of Judah, Shua’s daughter, died. When Judah was comforted, he went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13 And when Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,” 14 she took off her widow’s garments and covered herself with a veil, wrapping herself up, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she had not been given to him in marriage.

Lonely and unfulfilled

Her first marriage probably wasn’t very fulfilling

Her second marriage was built on the selfishness of her husband

Judah allows her to age and wait, but never actually makes good on his obligation to give her Shuah

Tamar’s Plan

Genesis 38:13–23 ESV

13 And when Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,” 14 she took off her widow’s garments and covered herself with a veil, wrapping herself up, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she had not been given to him in marriage. 15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. 16 He turned to her at the roadside and said, “Come, let me come in to you,” for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” 17 He answered, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” And she said, “If you give me a pledge, until you send it—” 18 He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” She replied, “Your signet and your cord and your staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him. 19 Then she arose and went away, and taking off her veil she put on the garments of her widowhood. 20 When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite to take back the pledge from the woman’s hand, he did not find her. 21 And he asked the men of the place, “Where is the cult prostitute who was at Enaim at the roadside?” And they said, “No cult prostitute has been here.” 22 So he returned to Judah and said, “I have not found her. Also, the men of the place said, ‘No cult prostitute has been here.’ ” 23 And Judah replied, “Let her keep the things as her own, or we shall be laughed at. You see, I sent this young goat, and you did not find her.”

We don’t need to endorse her plan to empathize with her situation.

She as an outsider to the blessing of God, but has married in

However, her link to God’s blessing has self-destructed through the wickedness of her husbands

She still should be part of the community, but her father-in-law has neglected her.

So, she dresses like a prostitute to grasp onto her entrance into the community

The text is somewhat ambiguous as to Tamar’s intentions, but the way her plan comes together leads us to believe she knew what she was doing.

Judah doesn’t have the ability to pay for her services so gives her a token until he can pay eventually

Tamar goes back to her normal widow clothes immediately after and hides from the payment so she can keep the pledge

Judah recognizes the shamefulness of his actions and doesn’t continue seeking her so no one will know what he’s done

Judah’s Shame

Genesis 38:24–26 ESV

24 About three months later Judah was told, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has been immoral. Moreover, she is pregnant by immorality.” And Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned.” 25 As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, “By the man to whom these belong, I am pregnant.” And she said, “Please identify whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff.” 26 Then Judah identified them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not know her again.

Judah and his descendents should be different from the Canaanites, but the really aren’t.

Just like Shechem had used and abused his sister, Judah and his sons use and abuse Tamar

Judah has the moral code to recognize sin – he recognizes that Tamar shouldn’t be pregnant!

When Tamar makes her big reveal, Judah is again shamed and evidently does not burn her to death

Implication

1. Situation does not create sinfulness – Judah vs. Joseph

Wilderness Israel ought not to assume they are better than the Canaanites just because of their unique position – they’re just like them

Christians ought be similarly humbled by this account – we can look down on the world, but we must recognize our own propensity for sin.

2. Burdens do not prevent blessing

Tamar gets the child she longed for

Genesis 38:27–30 ESV

27 When the time of her labor came, there were twins in her womb. 28 And when she was in labor, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” 29 But as he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out. And she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” Therefore his name was called Perez. 30 Afterward his brother came out with the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.

Tamar has twins.

Is that really enough to make up for all of the sorrow?

Matthew 1:1–3 ESV

1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram,

5 women

Tamar

Rahab

Ruth

Bathsheba

Mary