Blasphemy

Shechem was deeply in love with Dinah and promised to give Jacob and his sons whatever they demanded, however the sons of Jacob wanted revenge, especially Simeon and Levi, who had the same mother as Dinah, Leah. They promised Hamor to have Dinah as wife if the whole town of Shechem becomes circumcised as the family of Jacob was. This proposal was blasphemy, the circumcision was a seal given from God to Abraham as a token that Abraham’s seed through Isaac and now through Jacob was God’s elected people. Jacob was present, however as usual he took the easy way and kept his peace when he saw his son’s anger.

Act of anger

Hamor and his son did as proposed and got the whole city circumcised. As result all the male got sick and without ability to defend them self when Simeon and Levi attacked them and killed every male in the city. Simeon and Levi acted in their anger; however, this was an act of stupidity, now they would be persecuted and attacked by the surrounding tribes and most certainly be defeated.

Prayer

The sons of Jacob looted the city and took everything, all the women, children and all the animals, Jacobs’s camp became a lot bigger than it was, it turned into a huge caravan when they got ready to run once more. We can learn from this that it is not smart to act in anger; the best thing to do is to pray and ask God what to do. In this way God will be together with you in your doing.

Questions

1. Have you sometimes had thoughts to kill someone?
2. How often does anger hit you?
3. How can you get peace?
4. Does revenge help you in anyway?