05.039. Chapter 34

Genesis 34:1-31 The name of God is not mentioned in this chapter. While Jacob and his family were living in Shechem, his daughter Dinah mingled socially with the heathen women, a breach of proper separation from the ungodly (Genesis 34:2). On one such occasion, Shechem, the son of Humor, sexually assaulted her, then greatly desired to marry her (Genesis 34:2-3). Realizing that Jacob and his sons were enraged, Hamor proposed a peaceful solution: intermarriage between the Israelites and Canaanites, and full rights for the Israelites as citizens of the land (Genesis 34:8-10). (Genesis 34:9 can be seen as one of many Satanic attempts to pollute the godly line.) Shechem also offered to pay whatever dowry was requested (Genesis 34:11-12). The sons of Jacob had no intention of giving Dinah to Shechem, but they lied that they would do so if the men of the city would be circumcised (Genesis 34:13-17). The sacred sign of God’s covenant was to be used wickedly. In good faith, Hamor, Shechem, and all the men of the city met the condition (Genesis 34:18-21). But while they were recovering from the surgery, Simeon and Levi treacherously murdered them and plundered their wealth (Genesis 34:25-30). When Jacob administered a mild rebuke, Simeon and Levi answered that their sister should not have been treated like a harlot (Genesis 34:30-31). Actually Jacob seemed to be more concerned about his own welfare than the horrible injustice that had been done to the men of Shechem. Notice his eight uses of the first-person pronoun in verse 30.