Genesis 34:1-31
34:1 Jacob and Leah's daughter Dinah went out into Canaan. Remember that Abraham and Isaac were worried about their sons becoming entangled with the women of the region. Although they are a faithful family with godly values, the land which surrounds them is full of people who have none. It's not a safe place to be but Dinah journeys out.
34:2 While Dinah is out, a corrupt man violets her. His corrupt character and lustful behavior exemplify the nature of the people living in the region outside of the Abrahamic family.
34:3-4 Wanting to possess her, this man named Shechem asks his father to arrange a marriage between Dinah and himself. Even though he has already tried to corruptly claim Dinah, he wants to make it official.
34:5-6 The news of Dinah's violation reaches her family and her brothers are furious. Jacob, undoubtedly pained by the news, holds his patience and temper in order to deal with Shechem's family who has came to speak with him.
34:7 Dinah's brothers were grieved and angry, they did not want to have a conversation with the family of the man who harmed their sister.
34:8-9 Shechem's father, Hamor, tells Jacob that his son wants Dinah as a wife. From the start, Jacob's family always remained separate from the people of the region in order to retain their values; Hamor wanted to make a deal with Jacob which allowed the families to intermix.
34:10 Hamor tries to convince Jacob by offering to trade with Jacob and thus improve his livelihood. He does not realize that Jacob does not need to make deals in order to prosper because his faith protects and propels him.
34:11-12 Shechem begs Jacob to allow Dinah to be his wife. He tells Jacob that he will do anything Jacob requests in order to get what he wants.
34:12 Dinah's brothers take over in responding to Shechem and Hamor. They pretend that they are going to make a deal with him but they actually have no plans to allow him access to Dinah.
34:13-17 Dinah's brothers tell Shechem and Hamor that they must become circumcised, along with all of the men in their family before they can have Dinah.
34:18 Hamor and Shechem accept the deal (not yet knowing that the brothers are deceiving them). Shechem was desperate for Dinah as a wife, he immediately complied.
34:19-24 Hamor and Shechem arrange for their family to be circumcised. Although Shechem only wants Dinah, his family is lustful for all of Jacob's goods and success. They are greedy and corrupt. Instead of truly converting to Jacob's faith and spiritually circumcising evil and injustice from their lives, they agree to the deal just to gain deceptive favor with him.
34:25 When everyone in Hamor and Shechem's family is weak from the circumscision, Dinah's brothers attack their entire family, killing all of the males.
34:26 Dinah's brothers rescued her from Shechem's house, freeing her from their controlling lust.
34:27-29 Simeon and Levi destroy their region; they love their sister and refused to make a deal with corrupt men who violated her. They disable their farms, take their wealth, wives and children.
34:30 Jacob is upset with his son's behavior. Although he also wanted to free Dinah, he wanted to do it in a more peaceful manner. Jacob begins to worry about the safety of the rest of his family once inhabitants of Hamor's land find out about what Simeon and Levi have done.
34:31 Simeon and Levi have no regrets about defending Dinah's honor. They allowed their anger to control them and this reveals them as completely human. Even though they lived so long before us, we see that the emotions and reactions and experiences of humans has not changed.
34:31 Simeon and Levi have no regrets about defending Dinah's honor. They allowed their anger to control them and this reveals them as completely human. Even though they lived so long before us, we see that the emotions and reactions and experiences of humans has not changed.
