Jacob's Daughter Dinah: Choosing the Wrong Path

I am reading through the book of Genesis at this time.  Today I read about Dinah, the only daughter of Jacob who was the son of Isaac, who was the son of Abraham.    This is a very sad story of what happened to Dinah when she went out on her own from her family.  I wrote this piece in 2002 and want to post it here today.

Jacob's Daughter Dinah

Genesis 30:21 "And afterwards she (Jacob's wife Leah) bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah"  (judgment)

Genesis 33: 18 "And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city.  And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money. "

In Genesis chapter 33 we have the reconciliation of Jacob and Esau who had been separated since Jacob deceived his father Isaac into believing that he was Esau, and thus took the blessing that was meant for Esau.  At Jacob's mother Rebekah's urging, Jacob left his home and journeyed to Paddan-aram where Rebekah's family lived.  Jacob went there and lodged with Rachel and her family.  After 20 years Jacob left with his wives Rachel and Leah, their handmaids, and all his children.  Jacob was nervous to meet Esau his  brother, but when they do finally meet Esau treats Jacob and his family with kindness and respect, hospitably offering that Jacob should go with Esau to his home to dwell together in unity, (V12) but Jacob deceives Esau one more time into thinking he will follow along after, then he makes the choice to turn in another direction and go to the land of Canaan, where the Israelites do not live.   (V13-20).  Just as Lot separated from Abraham, and went to the city of Sodom, Jacob will bear the grief of taking things into his own hands instead of following Esau, whom the Lord had graciously restored to him.



Dinah is the daughter of Leah and Jacob.  Her birth is recorded in Genesis 30:21.  It is important to note at this time that Dinah means "judgment".

Verse 1 "And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land." A great mistake is made, Dinah leaves the safety and security of her family and to go out into a land where she was a stranger to see the daughters of the land, surely  not being mindful of any danger that might be present in her choice to go out on her own.

Verse 2: "And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of  the country, saw her,  he took her and lay with her, and defiled her." Perhaps it was because Shechem was a prince that he thought it was his right to do as he pleased with this girl he did not know, at any rate Dinah is raped,  her virginity is taken, and in the eyes of her family she would be defiled.

Verse 3-4:" And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel. And Shechem spake unto his father Hamor, saying, Get me this damsel to wife". We also know from Verse 26 that Shechem takes Dinah to his house, and so this girl, who only went out to see the daughters of the land, is not only defiled, but is now taken forcibly to the home of someone she does not know.  But also Shechem has not just taken Dinah and then cast her aside, no he loves her, and indeed wants to make her his wife.  As his father is ruler in the land, surely Shechem thought that his authority would be enough that he would be able to marry Dinah.

Verse 5-6 "And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter: now his sons were with his cattle in the field: and Jacob held his peace until they were come.  And Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto Jacob to commune with him"  Now the deed is known to Jacob and his sons, and trouble is sure to follow.

Verse 7-11 "And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob's daughter; which thing ought not to be done. And Hamor communed with them, saying, the soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife.  And make ye marriages with us, and give your daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto you.  And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein." 
 Jacob is asked by Hamor to give his daughter to Shechem, and for the sons of Jacob to give their daughters to the men of the country of Canaan.  Surely this was a temptation by that evil one, the Devil, and a test for Jacob to see whether or not he would agree to this wicked plan.  For  if they go along with it,  the covenant that God made with Abraham would be broken, for the line that Messiah would come from would be defiled.   

But, Jacob and his sons will not accept this offer, and they devise a plan to get Dinah back. That plan according to Verses 15 - 24, was to have every male be circumcised and then they would agree to give their daughters in marriage.  Hamor and Shechem  talk to the men of the city "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.?"  And then the clincher "Shall not their cattle and their substance and every beast of theirs be ours? only let us consent unto them, and they will dwell with us." (Verses 21-23)  So it would seem that Hamor's motives are not so pure after all, they see the wealth that Jacob and his family have, and want it for themselves.  Jeremiah 17:9 "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it."

So the men are circumcised (Verse 24) and on the third day two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, slay all the males. (Verse 25)   and Verse 26 says "they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house and went out." 

Dinah is rescued and returns to her home, and to her people.

 This account of what happened to Dinah is a good lesson for Christians when we are saved by the precious blood of Christ.  It a dangerous thing to go back into the world, to take part in the pleasures therein, even if only for a while.  There are many temptations in the world and when given into, there will be consequences to bear. "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.  If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." 1 John 2:15-16.
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