Who Was Dinah?
Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the women of the land. And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he seized her and lay with her and humiliated her. His soul was drawn to Dinah the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her. So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, "Get me this girl for my wife." Now Jacob heard that he had defiled his daughter Dinah. But his sons were with his livestock in the field, so Jacob held his peace until they came. And Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him. The sons of Jacob had come in from the field as soon as they heard of it, and the men were indignant and very angry, because he had done an outrageous thing in Israel by lying with Jacob's daughter, for such a thing must not be done. But Hamor spoke with them, saying, "The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him to be his wife. Make marriages with us. Give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves. You shall dwell with us, and the land shall be open to you. Dwell and trade in it, and get property in it.” Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, "Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give. Ask me for as great a bride price and gift as you will, and I will give whatever you say to me. Only give me the young woman to be my wife. The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully, because he had defiled their sister Dinah. They said to them, "We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a disgrace to us. Only on this condition will we agree with you - that you will become as we are by every male among you being circumcised. Then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to ourselves, and we will dwell with you and become one people. But if you will not listen, behold, I am afraid of you, and the Lord has made you go away from me. Their words pleased Hamor and Hamor's son Shechem. The young man did not delay to do this, because he delighted in Jacob's daughter. So Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, saying: These men are at peace with us; let them dwell in the land and trade in it, for behold, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters as wives, and let us give them our daughters. Only on this condition will the men agree to dwell with us to become one people - when every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised. Will not their livestock, their property and all their animals be ours? Only let us agree with them, and they will dwell with us.” All who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city. On the third day, when they were sore, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, took their swords and came against the city while it felt secure and killed all the males. They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the sword and took Dinah out of Shechem's house and went away. The sons of Jacob came upon the slain and plundered the city, because they had defiled their sister. They took their flocks and their herds, their donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field. All their wealth, all their little ones and their wives, all that was in the houses, they captured and plundered. Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You have brought trouble on me by making me stink to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites. My numbers are few, and if they gather themselves against me and attack me, I shall be destroyed, both I and my household." But they said, "Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?"
Key Facts
Term Name
Dinah
Role
Daughter of Jacob and Leah
Born
c. 1900 BC
Died
Date not specified in biblical text
Key Takeaways
- Dinah’s story in Genesis 34 highlights themes of justice and family honor.
- Her brothers’ violent revenge led to the destruction of Shechem and long-term family consequences.
- Dinah’s experience underscores God’s sovereignty amid human failure and flawed choices.
Who Was Dinah in the Bible?
Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, appears briefly but significantly in Genesis 34:1-31, where her encounter with Shechem sets off a chain of events with far-reaching consequences for her family.
In Genesis 34:1-31, Dinah is assaulted by Shechem, the son of Hamor, prompting her brothers Simeon and Levi to take violent vengeance by deceiving and attacking the city of Shechem. This narrative underscores themes of justice, familial loyalty, and the complex moral landscape of the patriarchal era.
The Tragedy in Genesis 34
Dinah’s experience in Shechem, as recorded in Genesis 34:1-31, marks a pivotal and somber moment in the narrative of Jacob’s family.
Genesis 34:1-31 recounts how Dinah was assaulted by Shechem, the son of Hamor, while she was out to meet the women of the land. Her brothers Simeon and Levi responded by deceiving the Shechemites into circumcising themselves, then killed them in a vengeful attack. This act of violence, described in Genesis 34:25-29, led to the destruction of the city and the plundering of its wealth.
The consequences for Jacob’s family were severe: the men of Shechem were annihilated, their women and children taken captive (Genesis 34:28). Jacob, fearing retaliation from neighboring tribes, rebuked Simeon and Levi for compromising their family’s safety (Genesis 34:30), foreshadowing later tensions in their lineage.
Dinah’s Role in the Biblical Story
Dinah’s story in Genesis 34:1-31 reverberates beyond its immediate tragedy, shaping the trajectory of Jacob’s family and underscoring divine sovereignty amid human failure.
Jacob’s rebuke of Simeon and Levi (Genesis 34:30) foreshadows the destabilizing consequences of their violent actions, which later manifest in Joseph’s exile and the family’s descent into Egypt. The narrative hints at God’s ability to work through flawed human choices to fulfill His covenantal promises.
While Dinah’s brothers sought retribution through deception and bloodshed (Genesis 34:25-29), the text subtly contrasts their self-justified violence with the long-term patterns of God’s providence. This tension between human agency and divine purpose becomes a recurring motif in Jacob’s lineage, culminating in Joseph’s rise and the eventual formation of the nation of Israel through God’s orchestrated trials.
What We Can Learn From Dinah
Dinah’s story challenges believers to reflect on how God’s justice and redemption unfold beyond immediate human actions.
Her vulnerability and the violent response of her brothers (Genesis 34:25-29) underscore the dangers of allowing personal injury to justify vengeance, a temptation Jacob himself critiques (Genesis 34:30). The narrative warns against conflating self-justified retribution with divine justice, while hinting that God can reclaim brokenness for His purposes, as seen later in Joseph’s story.
Dinah’s experience invites trust in God’s timing and sovereignty, even when human solutions seem urgent. Her story, though tragic, becomes part of the broader tapestry of God’s redemptive work through flawed humanity.
Further Reading
Key Scripture Mentions
Genesis 34:1-31
The account of Dinah’s assault and her brothers’ vengeful response.
Genesis 34:25-29
The violent attack on Shechem by Simeon and Levi after deceiving the city.
Genesis 34:30
Jacob rebukes Simeon and Levi for their destructive actions.
Related Concepts
Simeon and Levi (Figures)
Dinah’s brothers who took violent vengeance against Shechem.
Shechem (Places)
The city where Dinah was assaulted and later destroyed by her brothers.
Divine Sovereignty (Theological Concepts)
The theme of God working through flawed human actions to fulfill His purposes.