Genesis 34

         Jacob’s only daughter Dinah, who is probably about twelve to fourteen years old at the time of the events related in this chapter, is seen by Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite. It’s in his city, Shalem, that Jacob and his house have settled, and Dinah had gone out to “…see the daughters of the land.” (v.1) Shechem becomes enamored of Dinah, and he takes her into his house and has sex with her. (v.2) Afterwards, he desires her even more and wishes to marry her. So he asks his father to arrange the marriage with Jacob. (v.3-4) Hamor and Shechem pay a visit to Jacob in the middle of the day when all of Jacob’s sons are out in the field tending to the crops and livestock. (v. 5-6)
         But the sons learn of what’s happened, and they come in from the field to confront Hamor and Shechem. Hamor tells them that Shechem is in love with Dinah, and he then proposes that the sons of Jacob might find suitable wives among his own people, as well as much more land and wealth because of the political and trade alliances that such marriages would bring them. Shechem then chimes in and says he will do – or pay – whatever the brothers ask for a dowry or gift. He also has the audacity to ask for grace and forgiveness for the grievous sexual sin that he committed against Dinah and her family’s honor because of this act. (v.11-12)
       Jacob’s sons confer amongst themselves and then they tell Shechem and Hamor that they can’t give their sister to one who is uncircumcised. They tell Shechem that he and all the men of his city must first be circumcised, according to the custom of the house of Israel. Once that is done, then the sons of Jacob would consent to not only this marriage, but also any future marriages between them and the women of Hamor’s land. Shechem is pleased to hear this, and he quickly returns to the gate of his city (Genesis 23:10, 18, Genesis 19:1) to inform all his men of what must be done. He and his father tell the men of the city that Jacob and his sons want to dwell in the land and trade with the people of this city, and take their daughters to be their wives, and that everyone will prosper because of this. All that needs to be done first is the rite of circumcision for every male in the city. The men hearken unto Shechem and Hamor, and they all quickly obey the prince’s order. (v.24)
        On the third day, when all the men of the city are still recovering from the aftereffects of the circumcision and are too weak to put up any kind of a fight, Simeon and Levi go throughout the city, slaying every man. They end their surprise attack by killing Shechem and Hamor and rescuing Dinah from Shechem’s house. They also plunder the city, seizing the livestock, the crops, and any other items of value in the houses, as well as taking captive the wives and children of the slain men. (v.25-29)
          But Jacob is not at all pleased with the actions of his sons, and he confronts them upon their return from the raid. He explains that their actions will cause the other peoples of the nearby cities to rise up against him and his house. Jacob fears for the lives of himself, his wives and his sons.
          Simeon and Levi respond with a single question: “Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?” (v.31)
            There is no answer from Jacob.
 
         The men on both sides of this conflict did wrong. Shechem committed the first offense by taking Dinah – presumably against her will, although that is not clearly stated here – and the sons of Jacob took matters into their own hands instead of waiting for their father’s guidance and direction in the matter. Jacob, too, was at fault in this story. He shouldn’t have allowed his daughter to go off by herself among the men of a foreign city.
           It might seem, at first, that Shechem’s desire to marry Dinah is somewhat honorable. After all, he could have just dismissed her from his house altogether after the act was completed and his lust was satisfied. The fact that he now wants to marry her might seem to us as the only right thing for him to do in this situation. To do otherwise would cause Dinah even more shame and humiliation as well as bring further shame to her family, regardless of whether or not the sexual act was consensual.
         However, the response of Simeon and Levi to their father in verse 31 indicates that God had passed down to Abraham some kind of moral code which Abraham had then passed down to Isaac and Isaac to Jacob. The fact that Jacob’s sons were so outraged by Shechem’s act indicates that God’s chosen people were already set apart from the beliefs and cultural norms of the heathen nations around them. Long before the Levitical law was officially given to Moses and written down for the nation of Israel, God had instructed these patriarchs in His moral code. A good example of this was His judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah. So the fact that Shechem desires to marry Dinah after he violates her instead of asking for her hand in marriage first, as is the proper custom of her family, does not make up for his dishonorable deed. Jacob’s sons were correct in their desire for retribution and vengeance.
       But Jacob’s sons also demeaned the sacred rite of circumcision. This was an outward symbol of the covenant between God and his chosen people. This was not something to be done lightly, nor was it up to Jacob’s sons to decide who would and would not undergo this ritual. That decision should have been left up to God. The same goes for the act of retribution carried out against Shechem and all the other men of the city. Jacob’s sons didn’t consult God first before carrying out their plan. (Deuteronomy 32:35, Romans 12:19) Many years later, at the end of his life, Jacob curses Simeon and Levi for their actions in this matter. (Genesis 49:5-7)