GENESIS 34
25 On the third day, when they were sore, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took their swords and came against the city while it felt secure and killed all the males. 26 They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the sword and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house and went away. 27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain and plundered the city, because they had defiled their sister. 28 They took their flocks and their herds, their donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field. 29 All their wealth, all their little ones and their wives, all that was in the houses, they captured and plundered. 30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me stink to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites. My numbers are few, and if they gather themselves against me and attack me, I shall be destroyed, both I and my household.” 31 But they said, “Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?” – Genesis 34:25-31
GENESIS 34 THE SLAUGHTER OF THE CANAANITES MEN
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
On the third day of the Canaanite males’ circumcision, while they were still sore
Simeon and Levi took their swords and killed all the male inhabitants of the land
They also didn’t spare Hamor and Shechem and they took Dinah out of their house
They also took all their flocks, herds and donkeys and whatever was in their field
Jacob was distressed knowing that his sons have brought trouble for him in Canaan
He knew that he wasn’t getting younger if the Canaanites retaliated from this attack.
This slaughter clearly shows us the sins passed on to Jacob’s sons as far back as Cain who was the first offspring of Adam and Eve. The spirit of rebellion and revenge was in every human being’s DNA. Without the Lord changing our hearts, we are all evil inside of us. Simeon and Levi were walking in their flesh and sinful nature. Their egos were hurt that their sister was defiled and Jacob wasn’t doing anything about it. There was no respect for authority and honor. They were deep in the hurt that was done to their reputation. Now, we can see why Jacob was silent in all of these events. He was doing the best in terms of keeping the peace. He knew his children’s character well enough from the start.
REFLECTION
- How was “pride” the source of the slaughtering of the Canaanite men?
