Genesis Chapter 34

No one likes to read about an account where a girl was raped, but yes, this subject is in the Bible too. It was the daughter of Jacob and Leah that this atrocity happened to. Her name was Dinah, and she was raped by a man named Shechem. This horrible man thought that he was in love and wanted Dinah to be his wife. And what we discover when we read this story is that Dinah was kept at his house until her brothers rescued her.

This whole disaster is one that could have been avoided if Jacob now known as Israel would have kept going until he reached the land that God had told him to return to. But Jacob settled. He settled for what seemed to him to be a good idea to be near a city rather than obeying God.

“This occurrence serves to illustrate the low standard of morals prevalent among the Canaanites. Any unattended female could be raped, and in the transactions that ensue neither father nor son feel the need of apologizing for or excusing what had been committed.” [Leupold]

Let's Reflect

1. Why did Dinah venture out into the city?

2. Dinah ventured into a Canaanite city called Shechem and was attacked by a man named Shechem. What was the name of the father of Shechem and what did he demand of his father?

3. Shechem’s father thought it was a great idea for Dinah to become his daughter-in-law despite the fact his son had forced himself on her. What other bright idea did this man present to Jacob and his sons?

4. Shechem himself spoke up and promised that he would pay a bride price of whatever they desired for Dinah. What price did the sons of Jacob ask for?

5. It is true that the Hebrew men were circumcised, and the Canaanites were not. But that was not the whole truth in their reasoning for creating this as the bride price for their sister. What does verse 13 say about the answer the brothers of Dinah gave to Shechem and his father?

6. What gain did Shechem’s father see in complying with the bride price? See verse 23.

7. What did Dinah’s brothers do as an act of revenge for their sister?

8. How did Jacob feel about what his sons had done?