GENESIS 34
8 But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for yourdaughter. Please give her to him to be his wife. 9 Make marriages with us. Give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves. 10 You shall dwell with us, and the land shall be open to you. Dwell and trade in it, and get property in it.” 11 Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give. 12 Ask me for as great a bride-priceand gift as you will, and I will give whatever you say to me. Only give me the young woman to be my wife.” 13 The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully, because he had defiled their sister Dinah. 14 They said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a disgrace to us. 15 Only on this condition will we agree with you—that you will become as we are by every male among you being circumcised. 16 Then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to ourselves, and we will dwell with you and become one people. 17 But if you will not listen to us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter, and we will be gone.”
– Genesis 34:8-17
GENESIS 34 THE SONS OF JACOB PLOT REVENGE
This account is quite interesting. It seemed like the Israelites were more deceitful than the Canaanites who offered a great exchange for taking Dinah as wife to Shechem. You would think that they would give Jacob a hard time since he was dwelling in their land. Shechem seemed to be so in love with Dinah that he could give them anything they wanted. Another unsettling thing here is that Jacob seemed to be very quiet and not make the treaty with Hamor. Instead, he turns over the decision making to his sons. He was supposed to be the father and we do not hear any reaction from Jacob after all these events have happened. Maybe if Jacob had asserted his authority on this matter, it would have been a peaceful and fair treaty
The sons of Jacob were plotting revenge covertly because their egos were hurt from the defilement. They were after their reputation rather than honoring God. When they required Hamor and Shechem and the rest of the Canaanites to be circumcised, it wasn’t to make them clean and purified. It was a malicious intent to hurt the men of Canaan so they could slaughter them later without defense.
REFLECTION
- How were the Canaanites more honorable here than the Israelites?
