Good evening God bless you and welcome to tonight's study in Genesis chapter 34. Asking for wisdom, knowledge and understanding from the Father in the name of Jesus Christ, we begin.
Gen 34:1
And Dinah1783 the daughter1323 of Leah,3812 which834 she bore3205 unto Jacob,3290 went out3318 to see7200 the daughters1323 of the land.776Just going out to meet some of the women of the land.
Gen 34:2
And when Shechem7928 the son1121 of Hamor2544 the Hivite,2340 prince5387 of the country,776 saw7200 her, he took3947 her, and lay with7901 her, and defiled6031 her.To put it bluntly, he raped her. This will not go over well with her father and brothers.
Gen 34:3
And his soul5315 cleaved1692 unto Dinah1783 the daughter1323 of Jacob,3290 and he loved157 (853) the damsel,5291 and spoke1696 kindly5921, 3820 unto the damsel.5291Now he has fallen in love with her and he is trying to take back the damage done.
Gen 34:4
And Shechem7928 spoke559 unto413 his father1 Hamor,2544 saying,559 Get3947 me (853) this2063 damsel3207 to wife.802And yes he does want to make it right.
Gen 34:5
And Jacob3290 heard8085 that3588 he had defiled2930 (853) Dinah1783 his daughter:1323 now his sons1121 were1961 with854 his cattle4735 in the field:7704 and Jacob3290 held his peace2790 until5704 they were come.935Backing off to think about it for a while, waiting till he has all his family there to speak his mind.
Gen 34:6
And Hamor2544 the father1 of Shechem7927 went out3318 unto413 Jacob3290 to commune1696 with854 him.Gen 34:7
And the sons1121 of Jacob3290 came935 out of4480 the field7704 when they heard8085 it: and the men376 were grieved,6087 and they were very wroth,2734, 3966 because3588 he had wrought6213 folly5039 in Israel3478 in lying with7901 (853) Jacob's3290 daughter;1323 which thing3651 ought not3808 to be done.6213Gen 34:8
And Hamor2544 communed1696 with854 them, saying,559 The soul5315 of my son1121 Shechem7928 longeth2836 for your daughter:1323 I pray you4994 give5414 her him to wife.802Gen 34:9
And make ye marriages2859 with854 us, and give5414 your daughters1323 unto us, and take3947 our daughters1323 unto you.Gen 34:10
And ye shall dwell3427 with854 us: and the land776 shall be1961 before6440 you; dwell3427 and trade5503 ye therein, and get you possessions270 therein.Gen 34:11
And Shechem7928 said559 unto413 her father1 and unto413 her brethren,251 Let me find4672 grace2580 in your eyes,5869 and what834 ye shall say559 unto413 me I will give.5414Gen 34:12
Ask7235, 5921 me never so much3966 dowry4119 and gift,4976 and I will give5414 according as834 ye shall say559 unto413 me: but give5414 me (853) the damsel5291 to wife.802He has raped their sister and now is asking them to be one people and let him take her to wife. This action cannot go without answer, yet this people are far more numerous than Jacob's family. Watch what they do.
Gen 34:13
And the sons1121 of Jacob3290 answered6030 (853) Shechem7928 and Hamor2544 his father1 deceitfully,4820 and said,1696 because834 he had defiled2930 (853) Dinah1783 their sister:269Here being the reason for the action they are about to take.
Gen 34:14
And they said559 unto413 them, We cannot3808, 3201 do6213 this2088 thing,1697 to give5414 (853) our sister269 to one376 that834 is uncircumcised;6190 for3588 that1931 were a reproach2781 unto us:That is to say, this is a "disgrace" to us.
Gen 34:15
But389 in this2063 will we consent225 unto you: If518 ye will be1961 as we be, that every3605 male2145 of you be circumcised;4135Gen 34:16
Then will we give5414 (853) our daughters1323 unto you, and we will take3947 your daughters1323 to us, and we will dwell3427 with854 you, and we will become1961 one259 people.5971Gen 34:17
But if518 ye will not3808 hearken8085 unto413 us, to be circumcised;4135 then will we take3947 (853) our daughter,1323 and we will be gone.1980Playing on the lust and possible the shame felt by Shechem, telling him his people are not good enough as they are, but if they will be circumcised, then they can give their sister and agree to be one people. That sounds like a lot to give for the sake of one man wanting this one young woman to wife. But watch.
Gen 34:18
And their words1697 pleased3190, 5869 Hamor,2544 and Shechem7928 Hamor's2544 son.1121Gen 34:19
And the young man5288 deferred309 not3808 to do6213 the thing,1697 because3588 he had delight2654 in Jacob's3290 daughter:1323 and he1931 was more honorable3513 than all4480, 3605 the house1004 of his father.1Hmm,, A rapist more honorable than the rest of the house?? We can look at this Hebrew word used for "honorable":
H3513
כּבד כּבד
ka^bad ka^be^d
kaw-bad,
kaw-bade'A primitive root; to be heavy, that is, in a bad sense (burdensome, severe, dull) or in a good sense (numerous, rich, honorable); causatively to make weighty (in the same two senses): - abounding with, more grievously afflict, boast, be chargeable, X be dim, glorify, be (make) glorious (things), glory, (very) great, be grievous, harden, be (make) heavy, be heavier, lay heavily, (bring to, come to, do, get, be had in) honour (self), (be) honourable (man), lade, X more be laid, make self many, nobles, prevail, promote (to honour), be rich, be (go) sore, stop.
So, this could be either "honorable" as it says in the English OR it can be a burden. Why would it be a burden?? because of SHAME. And to feel shame he must have a certain degree of honor.
Gen 34:20
And Hamor2544 and Shechem7928 his son1121 came935 unto413 the gate8179 of their city,5892 and communed1696 with413 the men376 of their city,5892 saying,559Gen 34:21
These428 men376 are peaceable8003 with854 us; therefore let them dwell3427 in the land,776 and trade5503 therein; for the land,776 behold,2009 it is large enough7342, 3027 for6440 them; let us take3947 (853) their daughters1323 to us for wives,802 and let us give5414 them our daughters.1323Gen 34:22
Only389 herein2063 will the men376 consent225 unto us for to dwell3427 with854 us, to be1961 one259 people,5971 if every3605 male2145 among us be circumcised,4135 as834 they1992 are circumcised.4135So, are we to understand that the sons of Jacob are doing them a FAVOR by agreeing to stay in the land with them on this condition?? That is the idea that they are getting.
Gen 34:23
Shall not3808 their cattle4735 and their substance7075 and every3605 beast929 of theirs be ours? only389 let us consent225 unto them, and they will dwell3427 with854 us.Lets agree with them and be circumcised like they are, its a Good deal. ??
Gen 34:24
And unto413 Hamor2544 and unto413 Shechem7928 his son1121 hearkened8085 all3605 that went out3318 of the gate8179 of his city;5892 and every3605 male2145 was circumcised,4135 all3605 that went out3318 of the gate8179 of his city.5892They did it, every man among them is circumcised, now watch what happens to the men of that city because of the actions of one individual.
Gen 34:25
And it came to pass1961 on the third7992 day,3117 when they were1961 sore,3510 that two8147 of the sons1121 of Jacob,3290 Simeon8095 and Levi,3878 Dinah's1783 brethren,251 took3947 each man376 his sword,2719 and came935 upon5921 the city5892 boldly,983 and slew2026 all3605 the males.2145Now that is harsh. But I bet it wont happen again. Do I agree with a whole city being punished for the crime of one man?? Not really, but I wouldn't argue the point with God or scripture. Thank God that we do not punish entire families and cities for the crime of one today.
Gen 34:26
And they slew2026 Hamor2544 and Shechem7928 his son1121 with the edge6310 of the sword,2719 and took3947 (853) Dinah1783 out of Shechem's7928 house,4480, 1004 and went out.3318And they got their sister back.
Gen 34:27
The sons1121 of Jacob3290 came935 upon5921 the slain,2491 and spoiled962 the city,5892 because834 they had defiled2930 their sister.269Gen 34:28
They took3947 (853) their sheep,6629 and their oxen,1241 and their asses,2543 and that which834 was in the city,5892 and that which834 was in the field,7704Gen 34:29
And all3605 their wealth,2428 and all3605 their little ones,2945 and their wives802 took they captive,7617 and spoiled962 even all3605 that834 was in the house.1004Someone has committed a crime against the house of Israel and Israel gets rich off of it. God was truly with this family.
in the house.
1004Gen 34:30
And Jacob3290 said559 to413 Simeon8095 and Levi,3878 Ye have troubled5916 me to make me to stink887 among the inhabitants3427 of the land,776 among the Canaanites3669 and the Perizzites:6522 and I589 being few4962 in number,4557 they shall gather themselves together622 against5921 me, and slay5221 me; and I shall be destroyed,8045 I589 and my house.1004Ok boys, you have gotten them all mad at us now, and we don't have enough man power to defend against them.
Gen 34:31
And they said,559 Should he deal with6213 (853) our sister269 as with an harlot?2181Yes dad, but look what he did. It was worth it. And that will end another chapter and our study for the night. May God bless you all and remember,
Study to show thy self approved.