Slaughter of Shechem – Genesis 34

“An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,” has been a principle of justice throughout all generations.  We would say it, “The punishment must be fitting for the crime.”  We have seen Lamech in Genesis 4 proclaim that an injustice done to him should be avenged sevenfold, a rejection of this principle of fitting the punishment to the crime.  And it is this Lamech-like approach that Simeon and Levi take to an injustice against their sister.

[1] Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the women of the land. [2] And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he seized her and lay with her and humiliated her. [3] And his soul was drawn to Dinah the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her. [4] So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this girl for my wife.”

[5] Now Jacob heard that he had defiled his daughter Dinah. But his sons were with his livestock in the field, so Jacob held his peace until they came. [6] And Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him. [7] The sons of Jacob had come in from the field as soon as they heard of it, and the men were indignant and very angry, because he had done an outrageous thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, for such a thing must not be done.

[8] But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him to be his wife. [9] Make marriages with us. Give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves. [10] You shall dwell with us, and the land shall be open to you. Dwell and trade in it, and get property in it.” [11] Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give. [12] Ask me for as great a bride-price and gift as you will, and I will give whatever you say to me. Only give me the young woman to be my wife.”

[13] The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully, because he had defiled their sister Dinah. [14] They said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a disgrace to us. [15] Only on this condition will we agree with you—that you will become as we are by every male among you being circumcised. [16] Then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to ourselves, and we will dwell with you and become one people. [17] But if you will not listen to us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter, and we will be gone.”

[18] Their words pleased Hamor and Hamor’s son Shechem. [19] And the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacob’s daughter. Now he was the most honored of all his father’s house. [20] So Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, saying, [21] “These men are at peace with us; let them dwell in the land and trade in it, for behold, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters as wives, and let us give them our daughters. [22] Only on this condition will the men agree to dwell with us to become one people—when every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised. [23] Will not their livestock, their property and all their beasts be ours? Only let us agree with them, and they will dwell with us.” [24] And all who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.

[25] On the third day, when they were sore, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took their swords and came against the city while it felt secure and killed all the males. [26] They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the sword and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house and went away. [27] The sons of Jacob came upon the slain and plundered the city, because they had defiled their sister. [28] They took their flocks and their herds, their donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field. [29] All their wealth, all their little ones and their wives, all that was in the houses, they captured and plundered.

[30] Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me stink to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites. My numbers are few, and if they gather themselves against me and attack me, I shall be destroyed, both I and my household.” [31] But they said, “Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?” (Genesis 34, ESV)

This is a study in passivity and vengeance.  Jacob responds passively to the injustice done to his daughter Dinah, who has been raped by the prince of the city and held captive in his house to force a marriage to her.  Shechem’s father Hamor does not hold his son accountable, thus also taking a passive stance toward him.  But Jacob’s sons are anything but passive toward Shechem and his people.  They seem to speak to the situation instead of Jacob when Shechem and his father come to them to propose the wedding.

The sons of Jacob have learned well the use of deception from their father.  They have a plan to wreak vengeance on Shechem and implement it with great violence far outstripping the violence done to their sister.  They do not stop with slaying Shechem but slay the entire male population of the town, no doubt using their servants as an army to accomplish the despicable task.

Jacob’s main concern is the odorous reputation he will have with the Canaanites and the danger that may come to them if the Canaanites choose to strike back.  But his sons cannot think of anything but the dishonor done to them.  It is Simeon and Levi who are singled out as the principal actors in this slaughter and it is likely that this is the explanation for why they are bypassed after Reuben for the blessing of the firstborn given to Judah.

It is hard to imagine the extreme anger felt here and the absolutely unjust punishment visited upon the city of Shechem.  All her inhabitants are enslaved and their goods stolen.  They are supposed to be a blessing to all nations and a witness to the goodness of Yahweh.  Will Yahweh visit judgment upon them?