Genesis Chapter 34
In the last lesson, we watched the beautiful reconciliation of the two sons of Isaac, Jacob & Esau. We saw 20 years of fear, anger, resentment melt away in their warm embrace and reunion. Each brother had enough and did not covet anything of the other. God had been good to both of them. The days of striving between them were behind them. They each were in acceptance of how the lines had fallen to them.
Jacob arrives safely to Succoth and settles in the city of Shechem.
1. What did Jacob's daughter Dinah do when they arrived in their new place?
- vs. 1 -
| Jacob has built an altar for El-Elohe-Israel (the God of Israel) in Shechem, but Dinah is eager to venture outside of that protection and see what the women of the world are like. She runs into more than she intended to get for adventure that day. |
2. What did Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, do when he saw Dinah?
- vs. 2 -
3. What did Shechem want his father to do for him concerning Dinah and why?
- vs. 3-4 -
In the meantime, the brothers came in from the field and had heard what happened to their sister.
Jacob heard that Shechem had defiled his daughter. He kept silent until his sons (the brothers of Dinah by Leah) came in from feeding the livestock. Hamor, Shechem's father came to talk with Jacob about Shechem's desire to marry Dinah.
4. What were their emotions like and why?
- vs. 7 -
| Hamor was pleading with Jacob about how his son Shechem longed to have Dinah as a soulmate. He asked Jacob to allow Dinah to marry his son and to make an agreement to intermarry with them, allowing their daughters from each side to marry their sons from each side. |
5. What else did he hope Jacob and his family would be willing to do through this agreement?
- vs. 9-10 -
| Shechem was also willing to give them any kind of bridal payment and gift in order to have Dinah for his own. Jacob's sons answered him with a deceitful scheme in mind because of what he had done to their sister. |
6. What did they tell Shechem he and all the males they must do if they intended to intermarry with them?
- vs. 14-17 -
| Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of the city and announced to all the men that they could intermarry with the family of Jacob if they would meet this condition of being circumcised like them. They all agreed to do this. |
7. What did they think was worth this pain?
- vs. 23 -
8. On the 3rd day after their circumcision when they were in pain, what did Dinah's two brothers, Simeon and Levi, do to every male in the city?
- vs. 25 -
9. What did Simeon and Levi do to resuce their sister Dinah from Shechem's house?
- vs. 26 -
| After this, they looted the city, taking their flocks, herds, donkeys, and all that was in the city and the field. They captured all the women and the children and took all that was in their houses. |
10. What was father Jacob's reaction to what they had done?
- vs. 30 -
11. Did Simeon & Levi feel remorse for what they had done or did they feel justified?
- vs. 31 -
| It is right to have righteous anger, but it is not right to allow the anger to manifest in an outburst of anger and harmful action, especially allowing it to take you to the sin of murder. |
- Ephesians 4:26 -
- Romans 12:17-21 -
When we allow God to take care of the ones that harm us, they will be properly judged. When we allow ourselves to take action against them improperly, we give into sin ourselves and we are under God's correction. We are told not to be deceived; we will always reap what we sow.
13. Comment on these verses:
- Galatians 6:7-8 -
Read ahead to the words God spoke through Jacob to these sons, Simeon and Levi, as he was dying and giving blessings.......
- Genesis 49:5-7 -
- What is said about their anger and self-will, taking matters in their own hands?
- What did God do to them because of this?
Your summary and prayer today:
Written for RTB websites by B LeMoine, use by email permission only.
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