Genesis 34: 1 – 31
When Our Plans Are Not God’s Plans
34 Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to 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 violated her. 3 His soul was strongly attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young woman and spoke kindly to the young woman. 4 So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this young woman as a wife.” 5 And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter. Now his sons were with his livestock in the field; so Jacob held his peace until they came. 6 Then Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him. 7 And the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it; and the men were grieved and very angry, because he had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, a thing which ought not to be done. 8 But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him as a wife. 9 And make marriages with us; give your daughters to us, and take our daughters to yourselves. 10 So you shall dwell with us, and the land shall be before you. Dwell and trade in it, and acquire possessions for yourselves in it.” 11 Then Shechem said to her father and her brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give. 12 Ask me ever so much dowry and gift, and I will give according to what you say to me; but give me the young woman as a wife.” 13 But the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father, and spoke deceitfully, because he had defiled Dinah their sister. 14 And they said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a reproach to us. 15 But on this condition we will consent to you: If you will become as we are, if every male of you is circumcised, 16 then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to us; and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people. 17 But if you will not heed us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and be gone.” 18 And their words pleased Hamor and Shechem, Hamor’s son. 19 So the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacob’s daughter. He was more honorable than all the household of his father. 20 And Hamor and Shechem his son came to the gate of their city, and spoke with the men of their city, saying: 21 “These men are at peace with us. Therefore let them dwell in the land and trade in it. For indeed the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters to us as wives, and let us give them our daughters. 22 Only on this condition will the men consent to dwell with us, to be one people: if every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised. 23 Will not their livestock, their property, and every animal of theirs be ours? Only let us consent to them, and they will dwell with us.” 24 And all who went out of the gate of his city heeded Hamor and Shechem his son; every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city. 25 Now it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword and came boldly upon the city and killed all the males. 26 And they killed Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem’s house, and went out. 27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and plundered the city, because their sister had been defiled. 28 They took their sheep, their oxen, and their donkeys, what was in the city and what was in the field, 29 and all their wealth. All their little ones and their wives they took captive; and they plundered even all that was in the houses. 30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have troubled me by making me obnoxious among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and since I am few in number, they will gather themselves together against me and kill me. I shall be destroyed, my household and I.” 31 But they said, “Should he treat our sister like a harlot?”
When you were growing up did you ever dream and plan out your life? Things like what you wanted to be in your career?; How about a big house?, an expensive luxurious car?, a very large family, and all of the things that dreams are made of. But, now as you look back over your life, do you wonder how you have gotten to where you are today? Do you ever compare your life to the lives of your friends and neighbors?
Are those plans you made your plans or God’s plans? A truth I have learned is that when our plans are in conflict with GOD’S plans for our lives, something happens to us?
I used to think that I could plan my whole life and live it my way, but my plans would always unravel and I would find myself wondering. Why? The answer to that question was because I wasn’t hearing and obeying God’s plans for me.
In other words; why are these things happening to me? Why do I need to make changes? Do I need to adjust my plans to God’s plans? Am I listening to the answers coming from GOD about my life? Have I given in to God because He Is truly in control?
I want you to know that when our plans are not God’s plans for our lives these things happen and lead us down a road of destruction, as we try to make everything perfect for our lives which can be against God’s will ,because our Holy God wants us to depend upon him, to need him in our lives.
Just yesterday I was assisting a young lady who wants what she wants regardless of what the Lord wants for her. A big complaint from single young women is that the available young men in the church are not desirable as potential husbands. They are attracted to worldly men. I like to categorize this feeling as desiring the 3 ‘C’s’ [Control, Challenge, and competition]. There is a completion among our young ladies to grab the best guys possible while the picking is good and before they think that they will have to settle for 2nd best. They want to conquer who other young ladies failed to win and they like a man who seems to have his act together. In my opinion this is why you see a gorgeous lady with a guy I would consider to be a jerk.
Anyway, the young woman who consistently refuses to pray and look for our Heavenly Father to arrange the perfect man for her sadly will be allowed to get the guy she wants. As we learned in the Old Testament the people of Israel saw this tall good looking guy and thought that he would make a great king. So, our Holy God gave them what they want. It turned out to be a nightmare for the people. He would later say in the book of 1 Samuel chapter 16, “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
In the book of Proverbs 16:1 -9 we learn some good advice from our Holy Master. It says, “The preparations of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.2 all the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirits. 3 Commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established. 4 The LORD has made all for Himself, Yes, even the wicked for the day of doom. 5 Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; though they join forces, none will go unpunished. 6 In mercy and truth atonement is provided for iniquity; and by the fear of the LORD one departs from evil. 7 When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. 8 Better is a little with righteousness, than vast revenues without justice. 9 A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.”
Today we are going to see another woman who is attracted to what others are doing and she goes exploring. Ultimately the trip into the world of city life turned out for her and her family to be a nightmare.
34 Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.
Dinah was Jacob’s daughter by his first wife – Leah. It was not really wise for her to slip away from the camp alone to mingle with the women of Shechem, but she was young and thoughtless. The story indicates that she was now at an age of physical womanhood. This was probably around the age of twelve or thirteen. She was curious to meet these women, unaware that the morals of her family were very different from the morals of those who dwelt in Canaan cities.
2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her and lay with her, and violated her.
Like many petty princes Shechem was proud and arrogant and considered he did not have to behave as others did. When he saw Dinah, his feelings were aroused more than any woman had before. Since he was the spoiled heir of this little kingdom he did not think twice about taking her and having his way with her. To him she was simply a ‘stranger’ in the land and therefore not very important.
He ‘Humbled her.’ That is, changed her status. First he took her, that is sent his men to take her, and then he raped her. And the final result was that she was ‘humbled’ and lost her status. She was morally and socially degraded and lost the expectancy of a fully valid marriage. No such act to a woman of Dinah’s status could have been crueler.
3 His soul was strongly attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young woman and spoke kindly to the young woman.
Unlike the other girls he must have been with, Dinah was different and effective his total being. He wanted her permanently. He could probably hardly conceive that Jacob might not want his daughter married to a prince, even if he was of a different culture.
4 So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this young woman as a wife.” 5 And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter. Now his sons were with his livestock in the field; so Jacob held his peace until they came. 6 Then Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him.
Shechem would have done well to take this step -‘Get me this girl for my wife’ -before the other. Then the problems possibly would not have resulted. But when the sex drive controls men it inevitably leads to evil.
When the news reached Jacob of what happened to his daughter the shock would be total. Never would he have agreed to his daughter marrying a Canaanite, even a ruling prince. His daughter should marry within the family. And to have the treasure of his heart defiled in this way would be unbearable. What was acceptable to Canaanites was the most blasphemous of acts to the family of God’s choice. To defile their princess was heinous sacrilege.
So Jacob immediately sends messengers to his sons. Then he waits and does nothing until his sons with their men have returned from the countryside. Without them he is powerless to do anything. Meanwhile Hamor comes to see him to discuss the situation. But behind it all lays the terrible thing that has been done to Dinah.
7 And the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it; and the men were grieved and very angry, because he had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, a thing which ought not to be done.
When the news reached the sons of Jacob their anger reached fever pitch. In their eyes what had been done was unforgivable. It was a grievous sin. The whole family was defamed. They came in from the countryside bent on doing something about the situation.
The phrase ‘wrought folly in Israel’ refers to what is seen as the most grievous of sins. In other words they saw the sacrilege committed on Dinah in the light of the recent dedication of the family as Israel and it made the sin even more heinous. They had become established under a new name in the eyes of their God and now almost immediately this slight on the new name had occurred. Shechem had taken that which was devoted to YHWH.
8 But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him as a wife. 9 And make marriages with us; give your daughters to us, and take our daughters to yourselves. 10 So you shall dwell with us, and the land shall be before you. Dwell and trade in it, and acquire possessions for yourselves in it.”
Hamor now comes to ‘them’ to enter into discussion about a possible marriage. In a way we have to recognize the audacity of these people. We will read that Dinah is still held captive by Shechem. This leader comes to Jacob and wants the blessing of Jacob for his son’s marriage to Dinah. It is all about them. We will see that this is the opening that the boys consider in getting even with the whole lot.
A friend of mine who also has one daughter sent her to Liberty College. A senior who was supposed to be a Christian had obtained a job at the college. This young man saw her the same way as Shechem did. He managed to get her to go out on a couple of dates and ultimately got her to submit to him physically. He then wanted to marry her. The young girl called her dad by pone and let him know what about the marriage proposal and that she was dropping out of school and was going to live with the guys parents until the marriage. She and the guy wanted their blessings. They were going to have a nice Christian wedding.
Her father went to the home area and met with the parents and their pastor and the young man along with his daughter. He argued that what was going to happen was wrong, if not out and out sinful. But the Pastor, who was friends of the family, supported the union and that he would still do the wedding. I admire the father who then replied that he will not give his blessing and that he loved his daughter but would not even come to the wedding to give her away. The young people went ahead with the wedding anyway. To this day the father is crushed as to the outcome. He had sent his daughter to a Christian College and all things never thought of changed his whole family’s lives.
In a way this is what Hamor wanted of Jacob. To come and have this happy wedding ceremony when all participants knew it was all wrong. He recognizes that great offence has been caused and seeks to defuse the situation by offering very favorable terms.
The brothers, totally unwilling to compromise, believed that a dreadful sacrilege has been committed and determined that at any cost they will have vengeance. These were the constituent members of that meeting. And it was the brothers who took over. Jacob finds himself thrust to one side, but is willing to go along with his sons, not realizing their full intentions, and only too relieved that a possible solution can be found.
11 Then Shechem said to her father and her brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give. 12 Ask me ever so much dowry and gift, and I will give according to what you say to me; but give me the young woman as a wife.”
Shechem too can see that the brothers are infuriated and consider that he has offended. But he has no doubt that they can be bought over. He is ready to pay whatever they ask as long as he can have Dinah for his wife. She has inherited the beauty of Sarah and Rebekah. He is probably bewildered by all the fuss. He is after all the darling of the people.
13 But the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father, and spoke deceitfully, because he had defiled Dinah their sister. 14 And they said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a reproach to us. 15 But on this condition we will consent to you: If you will become as we are, if every male of you is circumcised, 16 then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to us; and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people. 17 But if you will not heed us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and be gone.”
It is unusual in Genesis for an explanation to be given for the motive of what is said. Thus the reference to ‘deceit’ shows that Moses wants us to know that what later happened was the brothers’ intention from the start. It is again stressed that their motive is based on what has been done to their sister Dinah. She has been defiled, both socially and religiously. All that follows is thus but preparation for their revenge. They had no intention of fulfilling what they described.
The issue that they take up is circumcision. It is probable that more explanation was actually given at the meeting but the writer is aware that such was not really in question and omits any mention of it. There was no real idea of the men of Shechem entering the covenant community. The men of Shechem would see it simply as a religious peculiarity. But the fact was that the brothers simply saw it as a means of disabling the men of Shechem. Outwardly they are agreeing to the terms outlined by Hamor, but inwardly they have only one purpose in mind, justice and revenge, for before we judge them too harshly we must recognize that this was a case where justice and revenge went hand in hand. A terrible sacrilege had been committed against the family and against YHWH and they required justice to take its course. They felt that they had no choice. Sacrilege must be expiated and that involved the death of the offender. And because the offender was the king’s firstborn and the darling of the people, they knew that thinking and the people too would have to be dealt with.
18 And their words pleased Hamor and Shechem, Hamor’s son. 19 So the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacob’s daughter. He was more honorable than all the household of his father.
Both Hamor and Shechem were taken in by the deception and were willing to accept the terms, Hamor as the doting father, and Shechem as the love-sick suitor. Indeed the thought of being circumcised did not daunt Shechem one bit because he was so in love. And his position would ensure acceptance by others in his household, for if he would do it why should they not? They would all do as they were told. But it would not be so easy to persuade the men of Shechem as a whole to agree to the act. That required diplomacy.
20 And Hamor and Shechem his son came to the gate of their city, and spoke with the men of their city, saying:
The gate of the city was where the leading men would meet in dealing the city’s affairs. Hamor could not just dictate terms. Most petty kings were subject to the guidance of their counselors and had to take their people along with them in major decisions. Thus although he and his son have agreed to the terms they now have to carry their leaders along with them.
21 “These men are at peace with us. Therefore let them dwell in the land and trade in it. For indeed the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters to us as wives, and let us give them our daughters. 22 Only on this condition will the men consent to dwell with us, to be one people: if every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised. 23 Will not their livestock, their property, and every animal of theirs be ours? Only let us consent to them, and they will dwell with us.”
Hamor and Shechem are on a roll. They think that they have done a perfect sales pitch to Jacob and his sons so now they give another snow job with their people.
These words remind us once again how large a family tribe Jacob has. His wealth is clearly sufficient to impress a small city and its inhabitants and make their continued presence worthwhile. There is no suggestion of a threat (Hamor is totally taken in) it is all promise. They will be given spare land of which there is a plentiful supply and be absorbed into the community along with their wealth. And the city as a whole will gain by this increase in its wealth, for once they are an established part of the community the possessions will be looked on as in a sense the community’s as well as Jacob’s.
Thus the subtle Hamor and the influential Shechem convince the townsfolk of the benefit of the agreement without admitting the real reason. The only thing they have to do to obtain all this wealth for the tribe is to be circumcised, something which was clearly a well known practice elsewhere.
24 And all who went out of the gate of his city heeded Hamor and Shechem his son; every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.
All were circumcised as Hamor and Shechem had suggested. It was a small price to pay in return for such an increase in riches, and their king and prince were clearly convinced that it was for their good.
25 Now it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword and came boldly upon the city and killed all the males.
The third day was when the circumcision operation was the most painful and men can hardly move. Then it was that Dinah’s brothers Simeon and Levi moved in to exact justice and demand blood to expiate the sacrilege against Dinah. The other sons of Leah are not mentioned only Simeon and Levi. They were brother of Dinah not step brothers and took the treatment of their sister with the most emotional response.
26 And they killed Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem’s house, and went out.
No one in the city was prepared for the assault and inevitably the men were caught unready in no condition to put up any fight. It is specifically stressed that Hamor and Shechem were put to death. This was necessary expiation. At the same time Dinah was released from her ‘imprisonment’. They killed all the males. They felt that his was necessary to prevent retaliation.
27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and plundered the city, because their sister had been defiled. 28 They took their sheep, their oxen, and their donkeys, what was in the city and what was in the field, 29 and all their wealth. All their little ones and their wives they took captive; and they plundered even all that was in the houses.
Once the expiation had been carried out the remainder of Jacob’s sons moved in to plunder the city. They destroyed the city and took possession of all the belongings of the inhabitants, both in the city and in the surrounding area, including their wives and children. And the reason is again made clear. It was due to their sacrilege.
30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have troubled me by making me obnoxious among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and since I am few in number, they will gather themselves together against me and kill me. I shall be destroyed, my household and I.” 31 But they said, “Should he treat our sister like a harlot?”
Jacob is not pleased at what his sons have done and had clearly not been expecting it. They had not brought him in on their plans. But his concern is not so much over what has been done as with its consequences. If the surrounding close neighbors gather together to take revenge they are not strong enough to fight them and thus Jacob will lose all he has as well as being in danger of being killed himself. It was not for this that he had built up his wealth. So he rebukes them severely.
They are justifiably indignant. It is they who have been wronged. What else could they do and retain their honor? Their sister had been treated like a common prostitute, available for men whenever they desired. The family had been insulted and violated. The covenant would have been stained.
We may pause to consider that sometimes the way of compromise is necessary, but when deep sin is involved such compromise is unacceptable. In the terms of their day Simeon and Levi were justified in what they did. And by it, although it was not their motive, they protected the ongoing of the covenant and preserved the purity of the chosen family.
As Christian parents we want our children to walk in the ways of the Lord. What is hard to stomach is when we compromise and our kids reprimand us by using the truth of God’s word. Is it not?
