The Wrath of Brothers | Delving into His Story
Levi and Simeon take Vengeance | Genesis 34:18–31 KJV
Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault
Jacob had received the news no father wants to hear. His only daughter, Dinah, had been defiled. She wasn’t around to tell him herself, but he found out from the one who did it.
Hamor, Shechem’s father, had asked for Dinah’s hand in marriage, for his son’s sake. Shechem had taken Dinah away and before getting to know her, had defiled her. This was not the custom amongst Abraham’s descendants.
Hamor noticed the great wealth that Jacob accumulated. He wanted to have Jacob become one with them through marriage with each others daughters. Shechem only wanted Dinah. His soul longed for her.
But Jacob and his sons had a plan. They told Hamor and Shechem that all of their males had to be circumcised. This wasn’t a lie. In order for Abraham’s descendants to remain in fellowship with God, them and any who were purchased with their money, had to be circumcised. But they were not honest with Hamor and Shechem.
Let’s look at the text.
And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor’s son.
And the young man deferred not to do the thing, because he had delight in Jacob’s daughter: and he was more honourable than all the house of his father.
And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city, and communed with the men of their city, saying,
These men are peaceable with us; therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade therein; for the land, behold, it is large enough for them; let us take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our daughters.
Only herein will the men consent unto us for to dwell with us, to be one people, if every male among us be circumcised, as they are circumcised.
Shall not their cattle and their substance and every beast of their’s be our’s? only let us consent unto them, and they will dwell with us.
And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city. — Genesis 34:18–24 KJV
Hamor and Shechem convince every male within the city to get circumcised. These aren’t just children. Meaning someone has to perform this surgery that they’ve never done before. During a time without electricity or running water. They could have used the milk of the poppy as a numbing agent. But regardless there were no doctors who had performed the surgery. It’s not a great situation to be in.
The fact that all the males consented is a testament to the wealth of Jacob. Jacob only had one daughter, but he did have servants and perhaps his servants had daughters. And Jacob had plenty of cattle, sheep, goats, asses, and camels. The men probably saw it as a win all around.
During this entire time, Jacob hasn’t seen or heard from Dinah, possibly. Later on we’ll see that she was within Shechem’s house. But imagine not hearing from your daughter, and learning from her perpetrator that he’s in love with her.
And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.
And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house, and went out.
The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister.
They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field,
And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house. — Genesis 34:25–29 KJV
Simeon and Levi. Simeon means; God has heard. And Levi means; joined in harmony. God has heard and joined in harmony? Possibly.
Now, I am not saying that God condones the actions that were taken. But we have to remember this was before God gave the commandments on how He wanted His people to live. This was before the Deuteronomy 32:35, where God says through Moses that vengeance was His.
There was no police to run to. Hamor and Shechem were the rulers of the city. Dinah had been assaulted by Shechem, the very person who the city is named after. There was no one that Jacob and his family could turn to.
Arguably they could have turned to God. Based off of what we’ve seen so far, Isaac was the only one besides the wives to ask God for anything. So God wasn’t considered an option for them.
Two boys no older than teenagers ransacked an entire city of men and women. That screams God’s involvement. They took the animals, children, wives, and money. They slaughtered all the males and did not get hurt in the process. We have no idea the number of men that were within the city. Google says that a city is between 1,500 to 50,000 people. Regardless it screams of God’s involvement.
And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.
And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot? — Genesis 34:30–31 KJV
Jacob was more concerned about his reputation in the land and the repercussions of his son’s actions.
Hear me out.
Jacob and his sons answered Hamor and Shechem deceitfully when they wanted to marry into the family. Meaning there had to be a plan in place to do something about the sexual assault.
Perhaps Jacob wanted to leave everything behind. The scriptures say that Jacob and his sons were grieved and very wroth. It’s not said how Leah felt. But we can imagine. Especially since she would have been unsure what her husband would do.
But Jacob wasn’t with Simeon and Levi. Nor were all the other brothers. Simeon and Levi are Leah’s boys. Dinah is Leah’s daughter. The Bible doesn’t say if Jacob still didn’t want to be with Leah, but we know from prior chapters that he didn’t want to be with Leah. So much so that God intervened.
I don’t have any children of my own. But I have yet to meet a father that wouldn’t harm anyone who hurt his offspring. They might hold back due to the consequences. But they would still want vengeance. Jacob wasn’t there with Simeon and Levi to get vengeance or stop his sons. That’s not something I could see myself doing. How about you?
Fortunately for us we have a God who promises to get vengeance on our behalf. Thanks to the new covenant in Christ.
Next time we’ll look at Jacob Moves.
