Bible Discussion Thread

The brothers suggested making a covenant agreement with Hamor as a deception to avenge the honor of Dinah and return her to their family. Jacob, Hamor, Shechem, and the brothers agreed that Shechem could marry Dinah if all of the men were circumcised. (The brothers knew that the men of the town would be too sore to fight, therefore, sitting ducks for them to kill them and remove the men from that town, thus preventing any from marrying into their family)

Jacob agreed to the covenant, not knowing the plan of his sons. He was willing to compromise what he knew was

God's will to be expedient and protect is family from harm. If his sons hadn't done what they did, Abraham's seed would have mingled with the Canaanites, who were far, far from God. Although it seems terrible that the brothers would slaughter all of the men for the sin of Shechem, it accomplished God's purpose of keeping His chosen race of people from intermingling the seed of promise outside of the Hebrew lineage. Down the road, Dinah's daughter or granddaughters would become wives to her brother's children and grandchildren. God did not want her to marry and have children with a Canaanite and his will was accomplished in this account.

Jacob was bothered by what happened. He was afraid of having problems with those around him. Since their family had just arrived and it had been 20 years since he was in this area, he was not known. His parents maybe didn't even know he was back in the area yet. He felt vulnerable and forgot to trust in the God he was just getting to know. He doubted God's faithfulness to him and is family. He took his eyes off of the covenant and promises God had spoken to his grandfather, father, and himself (at least 3 times). Jacob still had a long ways to go to have faith like Abraham.