I was first introduced to horror movies at the end of the 1970’s. While the graphics and technology are no match for today’s modern films, the action scenes were sudden and unexpected, causing me to jump from my seat on the couch. While studying the book of Genesis for the first time using the Amplified Bible Classic Edition, the unexpected turn of events to conclude Genesis 34 left me bewildered, wondering, “what just happened?”
The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, [justifying their intended action by saying, in effect, we are going to do this] because Shechem had defiled and disgraced their sister Dinah. 14 They said to them, We cannot do this thing and give our sister to one who is not circumcised, for that would be a reproach and disgrace to us. 15 But we do consent to do this: if you will become as we are and every male among you be circumcised, 16 Then we will give our daughters to you and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you and become one people. 17 But if you will not listen to us and consent to be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and go. 18 Their words pleased Hamor and his son Shechem. 19 And the young man did not delay to do the thing, for he delighted in Jacob’s daughter. He was honored above all his family [so, ranking first, he acted first], Genesis 34:13-19.
When you read the passage above, Moses leaves readers with a sense of uncertainty as you’re not sure how Dinah’s brothers are going to respond to news of their sister being raped and held captive by the Prince of Canaan. However, as Shechem’s father Hamor serves as a mediator and negotiator on his son’s behalf, cooler heads prevail. Like any sort of negotiation, there is a little give and take on each side. The deal breaker for Jacob is circumcision. As long as Shechem and his entire family agree to become circumcised, Shechem and Dinah will be allowed to get married.
But on the third day [after the circumcision] when [all the men] were sore, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s [full] brothers, took their swords, boldly entered the city [without danger], and slew all the males. 26 And they killed Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house [where she had been all this time] and departed. 27 [Then the rest of] Jacob’s [eleven] sons came upon the slain and plundered the town, because there their sister had been defiled and disgraced. 28 They took their flocks, their herds, their donkeys, and whatever was in the town and in the field; 29 All their wealth and all their little ones and their wives they took captive, making spoil even of all [they found] in the houses, Genesis 34:25-29.
Little any good thriller, living happily ever after does not follow Pollyanna’s script. Yet, as I kept reading Genesis 34, I couldn’t remember how this story ended. To a certain extent, Simeon and Levi play the role of Denzel Washington in the 2014 film the Equalizer. Moses states their motivation in the passage above, having their sister defiled and disgraced could not be forgotten in their minds. This one act of revenge made it necessary for God to introduce the Ten Commandments one book later; followed by Jesus’ words on forgiveness in Matthew 6:14-15.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 