In fact, we find this complement, "So the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacob's daughter. Jacob speaks to Simeon and Levi. They are so alike that they act as one and this double concentration leaves a bitter taste. We don't know the circumstances, whether it was a case of rape or casual sex. Come to me.’ And who rallies to Moses’ call? They are the second and third sons of unloved Leah. The old fire remained but it was now under control. The account dramatizes the theme of tension between marriage within a group (endogamy) and marriage with outsiders (exogamy). Get the latest articles direct by email every week: Your personal details are safe. When wronged, do you repay with interest? Shechem (Person). THEN THEY TOOK DINAH FROM SHECHEM’S HOUSE AND LEFT.” – Genesis 34:25-26 But sometimes two Christians are so alike that the sharpening has a wholly destructive purpose. It should be noted that, as in the case of Joseph, Reuben, the first-born son of Leah, was not a ringleader in the crime. Simeon and Levi, two of Dinah's full brothers, break from the pack here. ‘Simeon and Levi are brothers; weapons of violence are their swords.’ Jacob is speaking of the ‘Dinah incident’(Gen. 34), when his daughter was abducted and raped by Shechem. Though Simeon and Levi were the murderers, it appears that the other brothers joined them in looting the town afterwards. Hamor means "ass" or "donkey," so make of it what you will. So what happened to the tribe of Simeon? They must be separated and diluted, otherwise they will team up to the ruin and sorrow of all. He believed that their treachery would give the family a bad name and that their neighbors might unite and destroy his household. He and his father went to arrange a marriage, but it is apparent that neither of them thought it wrong that Shechem was talking about marriage only after he had laid with Dinah. Between the two of them, they convinced all the men of the city to be circumcised. He raped Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, and was later killed along with his father and all the males of his town by Simeon and Levi (Gn 34; Jos 24:32). Three days after the men were circumcised, Simeon and Levi "each took his sword and came boldly upon the city and killed all the males" (verse 25). However, taking the law into their own hands was flat out wrong. Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel! Reflect. What’s more, since they don‘t know when to stop, the impact upon a church can be devastating! You pour lime cordial into a glass, add cool water and slake your thirst. Whereas the other brothers of Dinah seemed content to live with the agreement, Simeon and Levi took advantage of the weakened condition of the city and slew Hamor and Shechem. 27 Jacob’s other sons found the dead bodies. Maybe in your church there are few who feel things as strongly as you do. Do you nurse a grievance? And so it is with Simeon and Levi. Then refuse to pursue a personal agenda, submit to godly leadership, rally to the Lord’s side and obey his voice. At first, it seems that Simeon and Levi's anger against Shechem in Genesis was justified. View our, Gad and Asher: Two contrasting fiery trials, The human heart is a perpetual idol factory. The most common pain killer in those days was alcohol, but it is also debilitating. Maybe that’s why her protective blood brothers (Leah’s sons) felt justified in their actions. They took their sheep, their oxen, and their donkeys, what was in the city and what was in the field, and all their wealth. For adults, the operation is fairly painful -- and this was back in the days when they didn't have pain killers and other niceties of modern medicine. The fierce anger that destroys can by God’s grace become the righteous anger that saves the day. Simeon and Levi Attack. Indeed, they join forces and go to war. Do you have an acute sense of right and wrong? To Dinah's brothers, this came across as a man offering to pay for the services of a prostitute (Genesis 34:31). Do you know when to stop? 2. 1. Simeon and Levi were right to be angry at both the injustice done to Dinah and Hamor’s proposal of mixing the chosen Israelite seed with the Canaanite seed. Praise God! "The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and plundered the city, because their sister had been defiled. Are you a Simeon? We later read that ‘Moses was very meek, more than all the people who were on the face of the earth.’ In other words, Moses now exercised his strength with gentleness. Son of Hamor the Hivite. You can unsubscribe at any time. So what will happen to Simeon and Levi and to their descendants? What then? They killed every male. It is likely that many were too drunk to put up a fight. ‘Simeon and Levi are brothers.’ When God’s people get together it is an opportunity for iron to sharpen iron. Golgotha - Why was Jesus crucified outside the city? Maybe that’s why her protective blood brothers (Leah’s sons) felt justified in their actions. Levi became the priestly tribe and was therefore scattered throughout all the tribes of Israel. (3). Which of course is why every church will have at least one Levi or Simeon. Reflect. Brothers Simeon and Levi take the initiative in following through on their deceit (34:25-29), breaking faith their new blood brothers. Then there are the sons of Jacob, led by Simeon and Levi, full brothers to Dinah. Churches don’t need a double dose. - Genesis 34:25–29. The massacre of the men of the city of Shechem. ‘Simeon and Levi are brothers; weapons of violence are their swords.’ Jacob is speaking of the ‘Dinah incident’(Gen. 34), when his daughter was abducted and raped by Shechem. This was agreeable to Shechem and his father Hamor, and they convinced the Shechemites to get circumcised. He begins by stating the obvious, ‘Simeon and Levi are brothers.’ What is Jacob getting at? However, before the males of Shechem could recover from being circumcised, Jacob’s sons Simeon and Levi attacked the city, killing Hamor, Shechem, and all the other men. For the supposition, that Simeon and Levi were content with taking their murderous revenge, and had no share in the plunder, is neither probable in itself nor reconcilable with what Jacob said on his death-bed (Genesis 49:5-7, observe שׁור עקּרוּ) about this very crime; nor can it be inferred from ויּצאוּ in Genesis 34:26, for this relates merely to their going away from the house of the two princes, not to their leaving Shechem … He was more honorable than all the household of his father" (Genesis 34:19). We do know that it wasn't until after he had violated Diana that Shechem decided that he loved Dinah. However, taking the law into their own hands was flat out wrong. Their strong sense of justice morphs into something wicked and uncontrollable which does not rest until it has laid to waste the object of its fury. Christian Standard Bible They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with their swords, took Dinah from Shechem’s … Gerard Hemmings5 minute readMay/June 2015, page 12, “Simeon and Levi are brothers—their swords are weapons of violence.