1 And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto 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 defiled her.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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 honorable 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
31 And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?
The thirty-fourth chapter of the book of Genesis in the King James Version (KJV) of the Holy Bible tells the story of Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, and her encounter with Shechem, the son of Hamor, a Hivite prince. This chapter also reveals the consequences of this encounter and the actions taken by Dinah's brothers, Simeon and Levi, in response. The main themes of this chapter include deception, revenge, and the consequences of sin. Through this story, we can learn about the importance of honesty, forgiveness, and the dangers of seeking revenge.
The chapter begins with the account of Dinah, the only daughter of Jacob, going out to visit the women of the land. While she was out, Shechem, the son of Hamor, saw her and took her and lay with her. This encounter was not consensual, as the word "lay" in this context implies rape. After this, Shechem's soul was strongly attached to Dinah, and he spoke kindly to her, asking his father to get her as his wife.
When Jacob heard about what had happened to his daughter, he kept silent until his sons came back from the field. However, when they heard about it, they were greatly grieved and angry. This was because the act of Shechem had defiled their sister and brought shame to their family. They also saw it as a disgrace to their people, as intermarriage with the Canaanites was forbidden by God.
Shechem and his father Hamor went to Jacob to ask for Dinah's hand in marriage. They offered to give Jacob and his sons any bride price they asked for, and they also proposed that their people and Jacob's people should intermarry and become one people. However, their true intentions were revealed when they asked Jacob and his sons to circumcise themselves, as this was a requirement for marriage in their culture.
Shechem and Hamor knew that the men of Jacob's household were still in pain from the circumcision they had undergone three days earlier, and they used this to their advantage. They promised that if they agreed to the intermarriage, they would also give them their livestock, possessions, and land. This offer was appealing to Jacob and his sons, and they agreed to the terms.
On the third day, while the men of Shechem were still in pain from their circumcision, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, took their swords and attacked the city. They killed all the men, including Shechem and Hamor, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house. They also plundered the city and took all their livestock, possessions, and women and children as captives.
When Jacob heard about what his sons had done, he was greatly troubled and rebuked them for their actions. He feared that the Canaanites and Perizzites, who were living in the land, would unite against them and destroy them. However, Simeon and Levi defended their actions, saying that they could not let their sister be treated like a prostitute.
The consequences of this encounter and the actions taken by Simeon and Levi were severe. Not only did they bring shame and dishonor to their family, but they also caused fear and tension among the people living in the land. Jacob's other sons were also affected by their actions, as they were now seen as violent and deceitful people.
Furthermore, Jacob's fear of retaliation from the Canaanites and Perizzites came true when they gathered together and attacked Jacob's household. However, God protected them and gave them victory over their enemies. But this event caused Jacob to fear for his family's safety and led him to move his household to Bethel, where he built an altar to God.
This chapter teaches us the importance of honesty and forgiveness. Shechem's actions were deceitful and dishonorable, and it led to the destruction of his people. Simeon and Levi's actions were also deceitful and violent, and it caused fear and tension among the people. If Shechem had been honest about his intentions and if Simeon and Levi had chosen to forgive and seek reconciliation instead of seeking revenge, the outcome would have been different.
As Christians, we are called to be honest and to forgive others, just as God has forgiven us. We should not let our emotions and desire for revenge cloud our judgment and lead us to sin. Instead, we should seek reconciliation and forgiveness, just as God has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ.
This chapter also serves as a warning about the dangers of seeking revenge. Simeon and Levi's actions were driven by their desire for revenge, and it led to the destruction of an entire city and brought shame to their family. Seeking revenge only leads to more pain and suffering, and it goes against God's command to love our enemies and to leave vengeance to Him.
Instead of seeking revenge, we should trust in God's justice and allow Him to deal with those who wrong us. We should also remember that vengeance belongs to God, and He will repay according to His perfect will and timing.
This chapter teaches us about the consequences of sin and the dangers of seeking revenge. It also emphasizes the importance of honesty and forgiveness in our relationships with others. Through the story of Dinah and Shechem, we can see the destructive nature of sin and how it can bring shame and dishonor to our lives and those around us.
Furthermore, this chapter also shows us the importance of trusting in God's justice and leaving vengeance to Him. We should not let our emotions and desire for revenge lead us to sin, but instead, we should seek reconciliation and forgiveness, just as God has forgiven us through Jesus Christ.
Ultimately, the story of Dinah and Shechem reminds us of the consequences of our actions and the importance of living a life that is pleasing to God. We should strive to be honest, forgiving, and obedient to God's commands, and trust in His plan for our lives. Through this, we can avoid the destructive consequences of sin and experience the peace and joy that comes from living a life that is in alignment with God's will.
The thirty-fourth chapter of the book of Genesis in the KJV Holy Bible tells the story of Dinah and Shechem, and the consequences of their encounter. It teaches us about the importance of honesty, forgiveness, and the dangers of seeking revenge. Through this story, we can learn valuable lessons about the consequences of sin and the importance of living a life that is pleasing to God. Let us strive to be honest, forgiving, and obedient to God's commands, and trust in His plan for our lives.
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