July 15, 2023

Dinah was Jacob's only daughter. Being the only girl among boys was probably difficult, so she set out to find some friends among the Canaanites and got into trouble. Things like that happen to young people all the time, but in this case, a young man got carried away and let his desire take over, defiling her. He fell in love with Dinah. Jacob found out about it and responded reasonably; however, her brothers were not as understanding. The two families tried to make a deal to join together, but that would require all the males in Shechem's family to become circumcised, and they agreed, not only for the sake of their son and Dinah but Shechem saw Jacob's wealth and thought it could benefit him. Unfortunately, Jacob's sons were hotheads and didn't see it the same way, and while all the men were recovering from their surgery, they came in and slaughtered all of them, took the women and children captive, and kept their belongings and cattle. Jacob was none too happy about what they had done and chastised them because now the land's inhabitants would see them as an enemy and cause problems for them in the future. 

Children can sometimes be an embarrassment and shame their families, especially when they don't follow their parents' steps and take the proper path. Jacob was humble and tried to settle things reasonably, as we saw with how he handled things with Esau, but his children sought revenge, causing trouble for their future. All we can do is raise our children the best we know how, pray, and hope for God's mercy. 

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. Genesis 34:30