Chapter Summary

Harvest of evil years comes on Jacob and family. Dinah defiled and the bloody revenge.

Discussion Questions for Genesis, Chapter 34

1. Jacob's idyllic stay at Shechem does not last long. His daughter Dinah is seized, raped, and humiliated by the prince of the land. She and her family are heartbroken, no doubt. Does Shechem's position complicate the typical path to justice? How so? How would you have reacted if Dinah was your sister?
2. Jacob appears to keep a calm position in this matter and does not react. Do you find his response troubling? Why or why not? At the very least, how does his apparent inaction steer the narrative? Have you ever reacted hastily when someone else was slow to respond to a matter?
3. After Shechem violated Dinah, he wished to keep and marry her. Was it rare for a rapist to ask for a marriage to his victim in that time period? Where else in the Old Testament do you see evidence of that? Did Jacob agree to that? Has our society today learned a better way to resolve those matters? Why or why not? Do you think there should still be a path toward forgiveness and reconciliation for serious criminals?
4. If Shechem's offense wasn't enough, Hamor suggested that the rest of Jacob's family intermarry with the Canaanite people. What do you think Hamor was trying to accomplish? How would you have received that proposal? What did the Lord have to say about Abraham's descendants intermarrying with the pagan peoples? Why?
5. Where do we see Jacob's DNA in the brothers' response to Shechem and Hamor? What were their reasons for suggesting circumcision to Shechem? What were the city people's motives for so readily agreeing and becoming circumcised? Do you see any wisdom, prayer, or serious contemplation in this arrangement? How do you handle offers that seem too good to be true in your life?
6. When the men were too sore to fight, Simeon and Levi slaughtered them all. What is heartbreaking about this scene? What was God's intention for circumcision?
7. Why do you think Dinah was at Shechem's house? What did God say to the descendants of Abraham about marriage and foreigners? How do you think God could work through Shechem's tragedy to bring about the best for his glory and his people?
8. When Jacob learns of the bloodshed, he rebukes the brothers. Why is he bothered? How might Jacob have brokered a peaceful resolution?
9. Do you think sin is more of a personal matter or a corporate matter? Why? When does our sin effect the lives of others? How do we see unresolved brokenness around us?
10. We will not find ultimate justice in life on this earth. How do we trust God when we sense the pains of injustice? What does the Word of God say about the future Zion and our unanswered prayers? How do we provide real comfort the hurting and vulnerable today?

Key Words/Phrase

Defiled, v. 2.

Characters

Dinah, Jacob, Hamor, sons of Jacob, Simeon, Levi.

Strong Verse(s)

19