Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Dinah

Dinah means "judged or vindicated". She was the daughter of Jacob and Leah.

Scriptures to read:
Genesis 30:21; 34; 46:15

We don't have much information on Dinah. We do know that she was taken by a Canaanite prince, Shechem. He raped her and loved her. He tried to earn her trust but, obviously, it didn't work because he held her captive. Hamor, Shechem's father, went to Jacob to discuss the possibility of gaining Dinah as a daughter-in-law. The sons of Jacob agreed, if Shechem and all the men are circumcised. In this time, circumcision went w/ a covenant with God. So, they all converted for Dinah.

Simeon and Levi showed up in the city on the third day and killed every man, stole livestock and money, and captured the women and children. But, they did rescue their sister. Jacob was not happy about all the destruction and these two lost any chance at the birthright they may have had. They all moved again but the boys (Simeon and Levi) felt the consequences to the people of Hamor was justified because they "[delt] with [their] sister as with a harlot."

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