Jacob’s Sons Spoil The Shechemites. Now on the third day [after the circumcision], when all the men were [terribly] sore and in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s [full] brothers, took their swords, boldly entered the city [without anyone suspecting them of evil intent], and they killed every male.
They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house [where she was staying], and left. Gen 34:25-26
INTRODUCTION TO THE OLD TESTAMENT
II. GOD AND THE CHOSEN FAMILY, Genesis 12-50
2. The History of Isaac and Jacob, Genesis 32:19 Genesis 32:35:29
63. Was the treachery of Simeon and Levi justifiable?
THE DEFILING OF DINAH
Their words seemed reasonable to Hamor and his son Shechem,
and the young man did not hesitate to do the [required] thing, for he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter. Now he was more respected and honored than all [others] in the household of his father.
Then Hamor and Shechem his son came to the gate of their [walled] city [where the leading men would meet] and spoke with the men of the city, saying,
“These men are peaceful and friendly with us; so let them live in the land and do business in it, for the land is large enough [for us and] for them; let us take their daughters for wives and let us give them our daughters [in marriage].
But only on this condition will the men consent to our request that they live among us and become one people: that every male among us become circumcised just as they are circumcised.
Will not their cattle and their possessions and all their animals be ours [if we do this]? Let us consent [to do as they ask], and they will live here with us.”
And every [Canaanite] man who went out of the city gate listened and considered what Hamor and Shechem said; and every male who was a resident of that city was circumcised.
Now on the third day [after the circumcision], when all the men were [terribly] sore and in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s [full] brothers, took their swords, boldly entered the city [without anyone suspecting them of evil intent], and they killed every male.
They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house [where she was staying], and left.
Then Jacob’s [other] sons came upon those who were killed and looted the town, because their sister had been defiled and disgraced.
They took the Canaanites’ flocks and their herds and their donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field;
they looted all their wealth, and [took captive] all their children and their wives, even everything that was in the houses.
Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have ruined me, making me a stench to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites! My men are few in number, and the men of the land will band together against me and attack me; I shall be destroyed, I and my household.”
But they said, “Should he [be permitted to] treat our sister as a prostitute?”
JACOB’S SONS SPOIL THE SHECHEMITES
It is not easy to steer our family life amid the rocks and quicksands of present-day worldliness; but we shall not prosper by using the world’s weapons of duplicity and craft. The true way is to make our homes so attractive that our children will not be tempted to court the alliances that are offered by those whose only portion is in this life. Our Ruths would not leave our fields if we dropped more handfuls on purpose for them. The treachery of these two brethren was absolutely inexcusable. On his dying-bed Jacob reverted to it, and pronounced their scattering in Israel. Though Levi undid that curse by his obedience and devotion, Simeon seems to have made no effort in that direction, and soon became as water absorbed by the desert-sands. But see Rev_7:7. What an awful thing it is when our conduct is such as to make religion offensive to those who observe our behavior, Gen_34:30.
Comments by
WILLIAM MACDONALD
Believers Bible Commentary
On
Genesis 34:18-31
II. THE PATRIARCHS OF ISRAEL (Chaps. 12-50)
C. Jacob (27:1–36:43)
7. Sins at Shechem (Chap. 34)
34:13-24 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. The sacred sign of God’s covenant was to be used wickedly. In good faith, Hamor, Shechem, and all the men of their city met the condition.
34:25-31 But while the Shechemites were recovering from the surgery, Simeon and Levi treacherously murdered them and plundered their wealth. When Jacob administered a mild rebuke, Simeon and Levi answered that their sister should not have been treated like a harlot. 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.
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