Genesis 34

Genesis 34 tells the story of Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, and her encounter with Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite. This chapter portrays the consequences of Shechem’s violation of Dinah, including the deceit and violence carried out by her brothers, Simeon and Levi. It demonstrates the tensions between the Israelites and the surrounding Canaanite tribes and raises questions of justice, morality, and the dynamics of family honor.

Genesis 34:1-3 (NKJV)
1 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.

Dinah, out of curiosity, went out to observe the local women. In doing so, she encountered Shechem, a prince in the land. Instead of treating her honorably, Shechem seized and violated her, committing a grave sin. Yet, after the violation, his feelings shifted to love, and he sought to win her affection through kind words. This complex emotional turn highlights Shechem’s deep attraction, but it does not erase the wrongdoing of his initial act.

Genesis 34:4-5 (NKJV)
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.

Shechem’s desire to marry Dinah led him to ask his father, Hamor, to arrange the marriage. Meanwhile, Jacob learned about what had happened but remained silent, waiting for his sons to return from the field before taking any action. Jacob’s restraint reflects his need for counsel and unity with his sons, as the defilement of Dinah was a serious matter of family honor.

Genesis 34:6-7 (NKJV)
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.

Hamor approached Jacob to discuss the situation and propose a marriage between Shechem and Dinah. When Jacob’s sons returned from the field and learned of Dinah’s violation, they were outraged. Their anger was intense, as they saw this as a grave dishonor not only to their family but also to the integrity of their people, Israel. In their view, such an act was utterly unacceptable and demanded justice.

Genesis 34:8-10 (NKJV)
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, seeking to mend the situation, proposed a broader union between their peoples, suggesting intermarriage as a way to establish peaceful relations. He emphasized Shechem’s strong desire for Dinah, offering a potential alliance that would include shared land, trade, and mutual prosperity. Hamor framed this proposal as a way to not only resolve the immediate issue but to also create lasting harmony between the two groups.

Genesis 34:11-12 (NKJV)
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 personally addressed Dinah’s family, pleading for their acceptance of his marriage proposal. Willing to pay any dowry or gift they required, he demonstrated his desperation to win their favor and marry Dinah. His words indicate a willingness to compensate for his wrongdoing, though this does not change the violation that had already occurred. For Dinah’s brothers, however, this offer could not erase the deep offense.

Genesis 34:13-17 (NKJV)
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."

Dinah’s brothers responded with deceit, planning revenge against Shechem and his people. They pretended to agree to the marriage on one condition: all the males in Shechem’s city must undergo circumcision. This demand was based on their identity as Israelites, a people set apart by the covenant of circumcision. While they made this proposal seem like a step toward unity, it was part of their plan for retaliation.

Genesis 34:18-19 (NKJV)
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.

Hamor and Shechem were pleased with the proposal and readily agreed to the condition of circumcision. Shechem, driven by his affection for Dinah, wasted no time in fulfilling the requirement. Although Shechem’s initial act was dishonorable, this verse notes that he acted with more integrity than the rest of his household in trying to make amends, showing his genuine desire for Dinah.

Genesis 34:20-24 (NKJV)
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.

Hamor and Shechem gathered the men of their city and presented the idea of circumcision as a necessary step for peace and prosperity with Jacob’s family. They emphasized the economic benefits that would come from this alliance, particularly the access to Jacob’s wealth and livestock. The men of the city agreed, likely motivated by the prospect of shared wealth, and underwent circumcision, not realizing the impending danger that awaited them due to Simeon and Levi’s deceitful plan.

Genesis 34:25-26 (NKJV)
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.

On the third day, when the men of the city were still recovering and weakened from circumcision, Simeon and Levi, full brothers of Dinah, executed their plan. Armed with swords, they attacked the city, killing all the males, including Hamor and Shechem. They also rescued Dinah from Shechem’s house, showing that this act of vengeance was not just against Shechem but against the entire city for what they perceived as complicity in the dishonor of their sister.

Genesis 34:27-29 (NKJV)
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.

After the massacre, the other sons of Jacob joined Simeon and Levi in looting the city. They justified their actions as retribution for the defilement of Dinah. Not only did they take the city’s livestock and wealth, but they also took women and children as captives. This excessive vengeance displayed their deep anger but also had significant consequences for their family’s reputation and their relationship with the surrounding peoples.

Genesis 34:30-31 (NKJV)
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 rebuked Simeon and Levi for their actions, fearing that their violent retaliation would make their family a target among the Canaanites and Perizzites. He worried that their small numbers made them vulnerable to retribution from these powerful neighbors. However, Simeon and Levi defended their actions, asserting that Shechem’s treatment of Dinah demanded a response and that their sister’s honor was worth fighting for. This final exchange highlights the tension between justice, vengeance, and the practical consequences of their actions.