There are two notable stories about rape in the Bible. The first involves Dinah, Jacob’s daughter, the one he had with Leah, Rachel’s sister. Jacob had worked 14 years in order to marry Rachel. The story, in Genesis 34, recounts how Shechem, the son of the ruler of a neighboring area, saw Dinah and raped her. Following the assault, he decided that he wanted to marry her.
Shechem hoped his father, Hamor, would obtain Dinah’s hand in marriage. When Jacob heard about the rape, he said nothing but waited until his sons arrived. They reacted in anger when they learned that Shechem had raped their sister, but Hamor tried to correct the situation by explaining that his son wanted to marry Dinah.
Dinah’s Brothers Deceive the Rapist and His Father
Hamor sought to use the rape of this girl as the foundation for a union of the two families and communities. It was suggested that the communities could live together, do business together, marry each other’s women and form an alliance. Although in biblical times, the uncircumcision of the men of this village would have precluded such an alliance, Shechem asked Jacob and Dinah’s brothers how much they sought for Dinah's dowry.
Dinah’s brothers deceived Shechem and Hamor, saying they would agree to this arrangement if all the men of the city would become circumcised. Shechem and Hamor would take the women related to Jacob, while exchanging their own daughters for Jacob’s daughter and the other girls of Israel.
The Revenge of Dinah’s Brothers
It is not known how many men were involved, but the story indicates that a number of men (“every male among us,” according to verse 22) in the town or village where Hamor was a prince were circumcised. They believed that, in exchange for this action, not only would they be able to marry the Israelite women, but they would take possession of their money and their animals as well, according to verse 23.
Instead, a rude awakening took place when, on the third day after the circumcisions, and “when (the men) were sore, according to verse 25,” Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, showed up with knives and killed all the men of the city and then killed Hamor and Shechem. They also took the sheep, oxen, donkeys and everything else they could find, in revenge for the rape of their sister. This action may seem harsh, but reflects the seriousness of this crime in biblical times.
Serious Consequences in Store for The Crime of Rape
Jacob, the grandson of Abraham the patriarch and the ancestor of Jesus, had a complex family life, including polygamy, rape and violence. This story, in which men from a neighboring village, rape Jacob’s daughter and her brothers kill an entire village in revenge, is one of particularly harsh consequences exacted against the enemies of the Lord’s people. It also may depict the strong feelings the people of this day had towards the crime of rape.
Sources:
Brooks, Keith L. The Summarized Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1977.
Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible: The Holy Bible Containing the Old and New Testaments of the Authorized or King James Version Text. Lawrenceville, GA. Dake’s Bible Sales, Inc. 1961.
The New King James Version of the Bible. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1982.
Carolyn Cogswell - Carolyn Cogswell has written for publication in newspapers in southeast Missouri, southeast and northeast Kansas and is working on a ...
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