Note: When doing a study on a book in the Bible you use a lot of resources. The major influence for me on this study of Genesis is The Genesis Record by Henry Morris.
Before we begin chapter 34 I would like to back up to chapter 33 and read the last 3 verses.
Genesis 33
18 And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which [is] in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city. 19 And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for an hundred pieces of money. 20 And he erected there an altar, and called it Elelohe-Israel.
As we said last Wendesday this was the same thing that a man named Lot did. Do you think that Jacob was suppose to be here?
Genesis 31:13 I [am] the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, [and] where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.
The land of his fathers was not at Shechem but was at Bethel near Beersheba. Now we will see the results of disobedience. Here is what it takes for Jacob to obey the Lord.
Genesis 34:1. And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.
Notice Dinah does initiate this. She goes searching.
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.
What was wrong with Dinah the daughter of Jacob to lay with Shechem? Was she raped? Who was at fault?
What can we learn from this?
Colossians 3:21 Fathers, provoke not your children [to anger], lest they be
discouraged.
In what ways can we provoke our children?
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.
I believe Jacob probably stirred up a little trouble. I don’t know what was the best way to handle the situtation. I don’t know what the solution should have been but we will see the solution of the sons of Jacob.
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.
Here is what God is tring to avoid. He don’t want mix marriages or mix relationships he wants his people to be separate. Two things that God seems to be emphatic about so far in Genesis. We have seen it in all the generations so far. (1) Heredity-do not mix marriage. Only marry in same beliefs and family. Do not be unequally yoked together. (2) Environment-stay away from the world. Be separate.
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:
Who do you think should have handled this problem?
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.
Why do you think that what these guys are doing is wrong? Why could not the people of Shechem and Hamor become a part of Jacob if they were circumcised? They must accept the religion not just go through the rites.
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.
So Shechem and Hamor had a plot to their acceptance. What was it? The reason they mentioned meeting at the gate is because that this is where all the trade and action happened this was like the market.
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.
Just a show.
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.
Why do you think Simeon and Levi participated in this act? They were the real brothers.
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.
We see that eventually all the sons got involved. There was not one left who did not defile the family.
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.
What is so strange about the reaction of Jacob? Who was he worried about? Did he condemn the sin? This is called compromise? The sin is alright as long as it don’t affect me. As long as I am not hurt all around me is alright. We must stand against sin. We must fight it at all angles.
31 And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?
We do today have our answer for this problem.
Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but [rather] give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance [is] mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
What would you do in this situation?
