Genesis 34 Devotional Bible Study

Genesis 34 Chapter Summary

Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, went to visit the women of Shechem. Prince Shechem raped her, and he loved her. He told his father Hamor to get Dinah for him as his wife.

 Hamor and Shechem came to talk to Jacob.

 

Meanwhile, Jacob's sons had come in from the fields as soon as they heard what had happened.

They were shocked and furious, because Shechem had done an outrageous thing in Israel by sleeping with Jacob's daughter—a thing that should not be done.

- Genesis 34:7

 

Hamor asked the family of Israel to intermarry with his people. Jacob's sons deceitfully said that if the Shechemite men circumcised themselves, they would agree.

 

Hamor and Shechem convinced their people to be circumcised, saying that all of Jacob's possessions would eventually become the Shechemites' once the family of Israel intermarried with them.

 

Three days later, while the Shechemite men were still in pain from circumcising themselves, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, secretly went and killed every male and brought Dinah back home. They looted the city and took the Shechemite women.

 

Jacob then told them they had brought trouble on him, fearing that the other people of the land would join forces against him.

 

All Wrong

So, let’s get this straight. Shechem, the prince, really does like Dinah and wants to marry her, but he can’t wait to do things properly and so rapes her before asking to marry her.

The father, Hamor, does not rebuke his son or apologize for his son’s actions. He simply tries to entice Israel into giving Dinah to Shechem with the promise of prosperity in the land.

Dinah’s brothers are right to be angry, but they’re not honest about their anger. They hide it and use their covenant of circumcision with God to their own advantage as they plan murder. The punishment they deal out is greater and more widespread than the crime.

The men in Hamor and Shechem’s city only agree to be circumcised because they think they’ll eventually be enriched with Jacob’s property.

Jacob says nothing until he admits he’s afraid of the people around him.

Can we resolve to wait to fulfill our desires until we’ve taken the righteous steps to achieve what we want?

Can we rebuke those who do wrong and humbly seek to make restitution for wrongs whenever we can?

Can we be honest when people offend us and look for just recompense, rather than disproportional revenge?

Can we show love to our neighbor rather than look for selfish gain?

Can we stand up to sin and for the victim without fear for ourselves?