Genesis Chapter 34
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Genesis 34 : (The Defiling of Dinah)
Genesis 34 : (The Defiling of Dinah)
Intro: James ended us on chapter 33 with Jacob and Esau kind of reuniting after over 2 decades, and showing how there was forgiveness between the two from all the strife in their past, all in all that was one of the main factors that kicked off Jacob leaving his homeland in the first place.
And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.
Dinah’s name meaning “judged or acquitted”
This was Jacobs daughter through Leah, remember Leah was not Jacobs pick of the litter originally, but we will later see that Christ actually is a descendant through Leah. So she plays a very important role here in Jacobs story.
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.
The Hivites were a pre-Israelite group living in the land of Canaan. I’ve studied up on the history of the Hivite people and alot of historical and biblical scholars believe they were the worshipers of different god’s and false idols things of that nature.
The title here “prince” is tying back to Hamor, Hamor was a higher up in the governing system in this area and Schechem was his son. Schechem was a prince through what would have been his fathers inheritance.
And Schechem did exactly what we are seeing here. He saw Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, and raped her. She was defiled.
And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel.
So now he has already forcefully “known” Dinah, now he is approaching her with a more gentle touch. When it says here “his soul clave unto Dinah” Clave means to adhere or be joined together to, showing that when man and woman “know” each other, it is a sacred bond and should not be taken lightly. And his feelings toward her have grown and he is starting to have genuine care over her.
And Shechem spake unto his father Hamor, saying, Get me this damsel to wife.
So now he is asking his father to work on setting up him and Dinah to be husband and wife. He took her forcibly to start with. Something we have to remember, marriage between a man and a wife is a sacred covenant under God. That includes partnership and intimacy in the marriage. Jesus even speaks on it here.
And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
Jesus speaking here in Mathew, He is referencing Genesis chapter 2 specifically verse 24 where God is creating Adam a help meet. We had a study on this a few Thursday's back, Jesus did not change the laws of the old testament, He fulfilled those laws, Here in Matthew Christ is reiterating what happened in Genesis and furthering expanding on this.
Marriage is a covenant unto God and She-chem took unto Dinah by force I would even go as far as to say Satan most likely played a role in Schechem’s behavior here. We have went over in the past and studied the serpents seed, that unrighteous lineage planted by Satan, and how He has time and time again tried to interfere with the coming of Christ, I believe this was yet another example of that. And here is why.
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.
H2930 - defiled (tame’) ; to be foul, or unclean; religious impurity.
Dinah, now being unclean or having religious impurity, We know Jacob is one of God’s men, we have studied how Christ is a part of Jacob’s lineage, but that “clean” or “pure” bloodline is now taken from Dinah through force able measures. That’s what makes me believe that somewhere behind the scenes here, Satan is most likely at work, trying to once again, corrupt the bloodline of God’s people.
And Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto Jacob to commune with him.
Pay attention to Jacob’s reaction since he found out about his daughter being defiled. Verse 5 says “Jacob held his peace until they were come” We have studied over it before we should not act out of emotion. Jacob proving his relationship with God and good standings he just found out his daughter has been defiled and he “keeps his peace”. I could only imagine how difficult of a situation this must have been.
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.
What does wrought folly mean. To make wicked and foolish. He had “made wicked and foolish” in Israel. Israel was the blessed name of Jacob from God. Once again showing how this bloodline was corrupted or tainted. Made wicked through Dinah. It was not her ignorance. It was done so by force.
And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife.
longeth meaning loving.
And make ye marriages with us, and give your daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto you.
So not only is Hamor asking Jacob and his family for Dinah and his son to be together, now he is requesting that no marriage between these two tribes be prohibited.
And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein.
Hamor trying to butter up the offering by showing all the assets. remember these are worldly assets. God and Jacob already have a covenant for all of these. Hamor is trying to sweeten up the deal.
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.
Her father being Jacob, Dinah’s father.
Remember this day in time there were dowry’s in marriage. Payment to the family basically. It is almost like Schechem asking for forgiveness here without a formal apology for the incident . Lets keep reading.
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.
So “dont hold back” whatever you request I will give you for her.
And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister:
Jacob never answered these men. His sons, Dinah’s brothers answered them deceitfully. Lets pay attention to that word.
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:
what are they referencing here?
This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.
Her brothers are referencing Genesis 17 where God uses the circumcision as a token of their covenant. They know that the only way for this tribe to be taken into their own, will have to be circumcised. Keeping that covenant with God and circumcision being the token of.
But remember, they said this “deceitfully”
But in this will we consent unto you: If ye will be as we be, that every male of you be circumcised;
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.
As long as you all live like we live, follow our belief’s and guidance, then we will except you as one of our own. Keeping that covenant from God.
But if ye will not hearken unto us, to be circumcised; then will we take our daughter, and we will be gone.
If your not willing to accept this, then we will not take you unto into our own.
And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor’s son.
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.
Being honorable here meaning he withheld his oaths. He has a good reputation of sticking with his agreements.
And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city, and communed with the men of their city, saying,
Remember gate, is the word used to describe like their courthouse, or city hall, where the legal hierarchy are.
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.
These men are presenting their agreement.
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.
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.
It almost seems like they are presenting this to the other men of their people like a deception over Jacob’s family. If we do this thing the we will have access to all their riches. kind of an odd way of handling buisness. But i think what is happening here is they are making sure they sell this to ALL the men of their tribe.
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.
All these men confided in the agreement and were circumcised.
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.
So remember, Jacob’s sons presented Hamor and Shechem this agreement “deceitfully” keep in mind this book was not written in real time. It was written as passed down from word of mouth. So earlier explaining they offered this “deceitfully” is showing how from the beginning they had all intentions on slaying these men.
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.
They killed all these men and took Dinah back from Shechem.
The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister.
They did this because they defiled Dinah. They didn’t just kill them, they completely defiled their city.
They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field,
And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house.
Completely defiled this entire city, from all the assets, down to the women and all that was left.
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.
And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?
So after all of what has gone on, all Jacob is worried about is his image among the other tribes. These men were being circumcised and witholding that covenant that was from God passed down. They had the opportunity to inherit the ways and beliefs of Jacob’s tribe and worship Yahwey, the most High God, and yet these men took that away. They slew what could have been an inherited tribe to God. They let their anger and pride overtake what was most important. Witnessing and helping expand God’s army.
I will say though, Shechem let his lust overthrow him which caused him to defile Dinah. This chapter really covers a double negative here.
That being said, what can we learn from this story.
Dont let lust and greed overthrow you and blind you from doing the true work that God has in store for us. But at the same time, don’t try to manipulate God’s story and use it to hurt others over personal sin.
Trust in God’s guidance and pray for it and don’t worry so much about your image from others. Worry about your image from God and how we can better be witnesses and servants for Him.
