Gênesis 34:1-17

Here is another instance of a man seeing a woman and taking her for himself (cf. Genesis 6:2).

Moses used the name "Israel" here for the first time as a reference to God’s chosen people (Genesis 34:7). The family of Jacob had a special relationship to God by divine calling reflected in the name "Israel" (prince with God). Therefore Shechem’s act was an especially "disgraceful thing" having been committed against a member of the family with the unique vocation (cf. Deuteronomy 22:21; Joshua 7:15; Judges 20:10; 2 Samuel 13:12; et al.).

"What had happened to Dinah was considered by Jacob’s family to be of the same nature as what later was known as ’a disgraceful thing in Israel’ [i.e., rape]." [Note: Aalders, p. 156.]

As was customary in their culture, Jacob’s sons took an active part in approving their sister’s marriage (Genesis 34:13; cf. Genesis 24:50). They were correct in opposing the end in view: the mixing of the chosen seed with the seed of the Canaanites. Yet they were wrong in adopting the means they selected to achieve their end. In their deception they show themselves to be "chips off the old block," Jacob. The Hivites negotiated in good faith, but the Jacobites renegotiated treacherously (vv.13-17; cf. Proverbs 3:29; Amos 1:9).

"Marriage was always preceded by betrothal, in which the bridegroom’s family paid a mhd ’marriage present’ to the bride’s family (1 Samuel 18:25). In cases of premarital intercourse, this still had to be paid to legitimize the union, and the girl’s father was allowed to fix the size of the marriage present (Exodus 22:15-16 [16-17]; limited by Deuteronomy 22:29 to a maximum of fifty shekels). . . . Here it seems likely that Shechem is offering both a ’marriage present’ to Jacob and ’a gift’ to Dinah." [Note: Wenham, Genesis 16-50, pp. 312-13.]