Ordinarily, the text presents Jacob as a peaceful man, like his father, Isaac. Although he did swindle his brother out of the family heritage, he did it slyly not through violence. Moreover, rather than quarrel with Laban, his father-in-law, Jacob permitted him to deceitfully change their original contract from seven years to fourteen years of service. Furthermore, after convincing Jacob to continue serving him after their first contract was fulfilled, Laban changed Jacob’s wages 10 times from their original agreement, during the final six years he served him. Moreover, Jacob didn’t seem to complain, until Laban chased him across 300 miles to the Land of Canaan, where their disagreements culminated in a peace treaty. Finally, the text doesn’t reveal that Jacob was even equipped to do battle with his brother, Esau, when it was reported that Esau was coming with 400 of his men, putting Jacob in great fear. If it weren’t for the continued loyalty of God to bless Jacob, as he promised to do, Jacob wouldn’t be the wealthy man that the text shows him to be.
My point in reiterating all this is that some scholars conclude that Jacob was indifferent towards the rape of his daughter, Dinah. It is said that his lack of participation encouraged the violent overreaction of Simeon and Levi, and some even blame Jacob’s proclivity toward deception for Simeon’s and Levi’s own deceit and violent behavior.[1] Nevertheless, if we were to pause and consider the text for its own sake, except for his deception of Esau, Jacob is never presented as a deceitful man again. Moreover, to what can we point in Jacob’s behavior that could have encouraged Simeon and Levi to do the violence they had planned?[2] There comes a point when the sins of the sons are their own sins, and their sins alone (cp. 2Chronicles 25:4). Jacob repented of his deceitfulness, and is never again presented in the text as practicing deceit, and he never presents himself as a violent man. Why then, should he be blamed for his sons’ behavior?
It seems to me that, after Dinah was defiled, Jacob and his family were presented with a choice. Either rise up and avenge what was done to her, or make the best out of a tragic event. We understand what was done, and neither Jacob nor the writer of the text approved of Simeon’s and Levi’s behavior. Therefore, the only choice left is to make the best of the tragedy that occurred to Dinah. Although the Law of Moses was not in effect at this time, it does show us how the Lord looks upon such evil in the context of those ancient times:
If a man finds a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they are found; Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days. (Deuteronomy 22:28-29)
First, we can see that a “fine” not the death of the male culprit was required. Secondly, because the thing done involved two peoples, who governed themselves differently, the Law doesn’t entirely fit the circumstances in our present text, but it does reveal the kind of justice that should be administered or sought after in a treaty. A second scripture that we should consider is:
If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, and lies with her, he must pay a dowry for her to be his wife. If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the dowry for virgins. (Exodus 22:16-17)
This scripture does seem to fit almost exactly with what occurred in Genesis 34:1-2. Moreover, Shechem didn’t have to be convinced to marry Dinah. He came with his father in hope that Jacob would permit them to marry, and he was willing to pay whatever dowry Jacob and his sons required (Genesis 34:12). It seems that Jacob was willing to do exactly as the Law of Moses would have later required of the children of Israel, and the text implies that Shechem was willing to do exactly as the later Law required and more. Thus, we see revealed in the text, not only the wickedness of the sons of Jacob, but Jacob’s own righteousness and the scholars’ misuse of the text.
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[1] See “The Expository Notes of Dr. Constable” at Genesis 34:18-31 for both his own interpretation and quotations from other scholars.
[2] The men are no longer children. Perhaps they recall the behavior of their grandfather, Laban, or as is, perhaps, more probable, they consider the example of their uncle Esau to be more manly than the peacefulness of their father!
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