Rape and Retribution

Genesis 34

- Dinah was Jacob and Leah’s girl, she was not the youngest, but because of a family of almost all boys, she was special being the only girl.

- Dinah was hanging around with some of the local young woman when she was spotted by a young man named Shechem, his father was king and he was probably used to getting what he wanted, so he took Dinah and rape her. 

- There is no excuse for what he did, and I will compare again what happened in the garden previously with Adam and the Woman when they were created. Adam should have protected and cherished his own flesh and blood, but he did not, so here we are again.

- Shechem fell in love with Dinah and wanted his father to arrange the marriage between her family and theirs. I am in no way saying this justifies his actions in the slightest.

- Jacob hears about what happened and keeps a cool head and waits for his sons to come in from the fields and when they hear, they are angry. King Hamor arrives and makes a plea to Jacob and his sons to let his son Shechem marry Dinah, they can call his land home and do business there and their peoples can intermarry. Also, he will pay whatever engagement price they care to name. 

- Jacob’s boys (men) deal deceitfully with Hamor (seems to run in the family) and tell him if all his people are circumcised like they are they will consent to the wedding.

Let us park here for the moment, they never went and talked to Dinah, why do mention this because they give her to Hamor after they are done the negotiations and she goes back to stay in Shechem's house . They did not inquire of GOD in any of this, which is interesting seeing as circumcision was a sign that GOD established with Abraham to be an outward sign of an inward truth. It also telegraphs that just because your circumcised does not mean you follow GOD.

Also notice that Hamor and his people were not asked to be followers of GOD which was the reason behind the circumcision. It is also the reason GOD puts his name on the Jewish people to be his ambassadors a kingdom of priests to be an example to all the nations and bring them back to the one true GOD. This would not be a good example at all. 

- Hamor and Shechem convince all their people, every male needs be circumcised. This is either love, loyalty or lunacy, circumcision is downright painful no matter how you cut it, pun intended.

- Three days after the circumcision, when everyone was really sore (who wouldn't be?), two of the boys Simeon and Levi went and killed all the males, took Dinah out of Shechem’s house, and plundered everything there, all their wealth, wives, and kids.

- Notice at the end of this Jacob is afraid the other peoples of the land will hear and come with force and destroy them. There is no fear in them for what GOD thinks about this situation and they did not bother to ask. I think the brothers were more concerned with the family reputation then Dinah’s own mental wellbeing.

I have said it before and will say it again, do not give the Enemy of our souls and his followers any reason to smile, if it is in your power to do so, take care of all of GOD’s imagers, female, male (humans).

Next – Blessing, Burial and Brood