Up to this point in the book of Genesis, Dinah, the daughter of Leah and Jacob, has received only a small footnote in the discussion. Chapter 34 is devoted completely to what happened to Dinah.
Dinah has the misfortune of being used as an object of Shechem’s lust.
Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the daughters of the region.
When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the region, saw her, he seized her and lay with her by force (Genesis 34:1-2).
Here’s a summary of what took place with Dinah, Shechem, and their families:
- Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, was deeply attracted to Dinah, Jacob’s daughter. He loved her and spoke tenderly to her.
- Shechem’s soul clung to Dinah, and he sought to marry her.
- Shechem and his father, Hamor, came to Jacob and his sons to discuss the matter.
- Hamor proposed that they intermarry, saying, “Make marriage alliances with us; give us your daughters, and take our daughters for yourselves” (Genesis 34:9).
- Hamor offered them land to settle in and trade, saying, “You shall dwell with us, and the land shall be open to you. Dwell and trade in it, and acquire property in it” (Genesis 34:10).
- Shechem, eager to marry Dinah, offered to pay any bride-price (dowry) demanded of him, saying,
“Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give. Ask me for as great a bride-price and gift as you will, and I will give it to you. Only give me the young woman to be my wife.” (Genesis 34:11-12).
The Architect’s Plans
Understanding God’s early interactions with humanity is crucial. It can be compared to carefully drafting an architect’s plans for a grand structure.
Just as a building’s integrity hinges on the accuracy of its initial blueprints, the trajectory of humanity’s relationship with God is profoundly shaped by these foundational encounters.
Deviating from the divine design at the outset could compromise the entire spiritual endeavor.
The early books of the Bible illustrate God’s design for human sexuality through both positive and negative examples. These narratives offer valuable lessons applicable to our lives today.
(1) Polygamy: Lamech’s case (Genesis 4:19) marks the earliest mention of polygamy. A recurring pattern emerges in scripture, where multiple wives are invariably linked to negative outcomes, demonstrating that it was not God’s ideal for humanity.
This is God’s plan for marriage: Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh(Genesis 2:24).
(2) Sons of God and Human Women: The identity of the “sons of God” who married human women remains largely enigmatic. However, it is clear that these unions directly preceded God’s severe judgment upon the earth.
When people began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that they were fair, and they took wives for themselves of all that they chose (Genesis 6:1-2).
It’s noteworthy that the verb used to describe these sons of God taking wives is the same verb used to describe Shechem’s actions toward Dinah.
(3) Sodom and Gomorrah: The story of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19 is one of the most well-known accounts related to sexual sin.
The tragic narrative of humanity includes instances of both homosexual acts and rape.
Ezekiel goes to the heart of the attitudes of the city revealing the arrogance that led them to believe they could violently mistreat Lot’s angelic visitors.
This was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease but did not aid the poor and needy.
They were haughty and did abominable things before me; therefore I removed them when I saw it (Ezekiel 16:49-50).
(4) The Patriarchs: The book of Genesis does not pass judgment on the actions of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in their treatment of their wives.
By modern standards, their behavior is not acceptable. For example:
- Abraham’s repeated attempts to protect himself by presenting his wife Sarah as his sister to Pharaoh (Genesis 12:10-20) and Abimelech (Genesis 20:1-18; Genesis 26) highlight the vulnerability of women and the potential for their sexuality to be exploited for the safety or gain of men.
- In Genesis 26:6-11 Isaac was similar to Abraham and told the men of Gerar that Rebekah was his sister.
- Jacob’s complex family life, involving his marriages to Leah and Rachel and his relationships with their handmaids Bilhah and Zilpah (Genesis 29-30) led to significant jealousy and strife within the household.
(5) Incest: Was later prohibited by Hebrew law. Before the law, it was practiced in two instances.
- Genesis 19:30-38 details incest between Lot and his daughters.
- Reuben’s act of sleeping with Bilhah, his father Jacob’s concubine (Genesis 35:22), was a violation of family honor and an assertion of his power over that of his father.
(6) Rape: The story of Dinah and Shechem (Genesis 34) is a clear case of sexual violence. Tomorrow’s article will reveal the impact of Shechem’s abuse of Dinah on his and Dinah’s families.
Jesus’ Wisdom
When we look at all the drama presented by the various activities of the patriarchs and the people who surrounded them, Jesus’ teaching comes into very clear focus as wisdom for both then and now.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’
But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell” (Matthew 5:27-29).
The examples discussed today share a common thread: lust. This uncontrolled desire is the root of much of the pain and hardship we’ve observed. We do well to learn to restrain lust and instead seek the fulfillment of genuine love.
Jesus’s teaching about removing one’s eye is not meant to be interpreted literally. Lust, adultery, and other sexual sins are not dependent on having two eyes.
Rather, Jesus emphasizes the extreme seriousness with which we must address sexual sin.
YouTube Video
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 