# 318 Rape!

The Book of Genesis

Day 318

Ge 34:1 Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.  2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her and lay with her, and violated her.  3 His soul was strongly attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young woman and spoke kindly to the young woman.  4 So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, "Get me this young woman as a wife."  5 And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter. Now his sons were with his livestock in the field; so Jacob held his peace until they came.  6 Then Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him.  7 And the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it; and the men were grieved and very angry, because he had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by lying with Jacob's daughter, a thing which ought not to be done.

As a Canaanite, Shechem behaved like a Canaanite. He saw Dinah, was strongly attracted to her, and violated her. The Hebrew word here means he “ravished” her. Let’s not sugar coat it, he raped her. Oh, he told her he loved her and spoke kindly to her, but he raped her. The use of the word violated tells us that Dinah was not a willing participant in this act.

Shechem then asked his father to make the necessary arrangements with Jacob, that he might obtain Dinah as his wife. Somehow the word gets back to Jacob that his daughter had been defiled by Shechem, and for whatever reason, Jacob holds his peace until his sons come in from the field.  Then Hamor, the father of Shechem speaks to Jacob and his sons and he tells them what happened and the sons of Jacob were “very grieved and angry.” The Hebrew word here means that they were “white hot” in their anger….they were seething! Shechem had raped their sister, a thing which ought not ever be done!

In 2 Sam 13:12, we read of another woman’s pleas to a rapist, this time it was her own brother! Amnon plotted to defile Tamar, his sister, and she says, “No my brother. Do not force me, for no such thing should be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing!”

Need we say more guys? “Do not force! Do not do this disgraceful thing!” End of argument! There is never an excuse for rape!

A word of warning here for the Dinah’s of this world.  Beware of the crowd you hang out with. They may not have the same values that you have. Seek to steer clear of any situations that may put you in a dangerous or compromising situation, and dress modestly.  I know it’s not fair to have to live like that, but Canaan, (the world) is not always a nice place.  

And sons, you too must beware of the ways of the world. They are not the ways of God when it comes to sexual intimacy and purity. Sexual intimacy is to be saved for marriage, and you must never, NEVER force your affections on another. It is a disgraceful thing that should not be done!