Introduction:
Dinah is a biblical figure mentioned in the Book of Genesis. She is the daughter of Jacob and Leah, making her a member of the patriarchal family that plays a central role in the narrative of the Israelites. Her account is primarily found in Genesis 34, which details a significant and troubling event in her life.

Family Background:
Dinah is the seventh child and only daughter of Jacob and Leah. Jacob, also known as Israel, is one of the patriarchs of the Israelite nation, and Leah is his first wife. Dinah's brothers include Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. Her family is part of the larger narrative of God's covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, through whom the nation of Israel is established.

The Incident at Shechem:
The most notable event involving Dinah occurs in Genesis 34. The chapter begins with Dinah going out to visit the women of the land. During this visit, Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, sees her and takes her by force. Genesis 34:2 states, "When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he took her and lay with her by force."

Shechem's actions lead to a series of events that involve negotiations between his family and Dinah's family. Shechem expresses a desire to marry Dinah, and his father, Hamor, approaches Jacob to arrange the marriage. Genesis 34:8-9 records Hamor's proposal: "But Hamor said to them, 'My son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him as his wife. Intermarry with us; give us your daughters, and take our daughters for yourselves.'"

The Response of Dinah's Brothers:
Dinah's brothers, particularly Simeon and Levi, are outraged by the violation of their sister. They deceitfully agree to the marriage on the condition that all the men of Shechem be circumcised. Genesis 34:13 notes, "But Jacob’s sons answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully because Shechem had defiled their sister Dinah."

After the men of Shechem comply and are circumcised, Simeon and Levi take advantage of their weakened state. They attack the city, killing all the males, including Shechem and Hamor, and rescue Dinah. Genesis 34:25-26 describes the event: "Three days later, while all of them were still in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took their swords, came upon the unsuspecting city, and killed every male. They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with their swords, took Dinah out of Shechem’s house, and went away."

Aftermath and Legacy:
The actions of Simeon and Levi bring about a significant reaction from Jacob, who fears retaliation from the surrounding peoples. Genesis 34:30 records Jacob's concern: "Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, 'You have brought trouble on me by making me a stench to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people living in this land. We are few in number; if they unite against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed.'"

Dinah's account is a complex narrative that highlights issues of family honor, justice, and the consequences of violence. Her experience and the subsequent actions of her brothers have been the subject of much discussion and interpretation throughout biblical history.

Cultural and Theological Considerations:
Dinah's account is often examined in the context of ancient Near Eastern customs and the patriarchal society in which she lived. The narrative raises questions about the treatment of women, the concept of honor, and the appropriate response to injustice. From a theological perspective, the account of Dinah and the actions of her brothers are seen as part of the larger narrative of God's dealings with the family of Jacob and the unfolding of His covenant promises.

References in Other Biblical Texts:
While Dinah's account is primarily contained within Genesis 34, she is also mentioned in the genealogical records of Genesis 46:15, which lists the children of Leah: "These are the sons of Leah born to Jacob in Paddan-aram, besides his daughter Dinah. All the sons and daughters numbered thirty-three."

Dinah's narrative, though brief, is a significant part of the Genesis account, providing insight into the dynamics of Jacob's family and the challenges they faced in maintaining their identity and integrity in a foreign land.Dinah

judgment; who judges

Dinah

(judged, acquitted), the daughter of Jacob by Leah. (Genesis 30:21) (B.C. about 1751.) She accompanied her father from Mesopotamia to Canaan, and, having ventured among the inhabitants, was violated by Shechem the son of Hamor, the chieftain of the territory in which her father had settled. Gen. 34. Shechem proposed to make the usual reparation by paying a sum to the father and marrying her. (Genesis 34:12) This proposal was accepted, the sons of Jacob demanding, as a condition of the proposed union, the circumcision of the Shechemites. They therefore assented; and on the third day, when the pain and fever resulting from the operation were at the highest, Simeon and Levi, own brothers of Dinah, attacked them unexpectedly, slew all the males, and plundered their city.

Dinah

Daughter of Jacob by Leah, Genesis 30:21, his only daughter named in Scripture. While the family were sojourning near Shalem, she heedlessly associated with the Canaanitish maidens, and fell a victim to the seductive arts of Shechem, a young prince of the land; but was perfidiously and savagely avenged by Simeon and Levi, her full brothers, to the great grief of Jacob their father, Genesis 34:1-31 49:5,7. She seems to have gone with the family to Egypt, Genesis 46:15.

Judged; vindicated, daughter of Jacob by Leah, and sister of Simeon and Levi (Genesis 30:21). She was seduced by Shechem, the son of Hamor, the Hivite chief, when Jacob's camp was in the neighbourhood of Shechem. This led to the terrible revenge of Simeon and Levi in putting the Shechemites to death (Genesis 34). Jacob makes frequent reference to this deed of blood with abhorrence and regret (Genesis 34:30; 49:5-7). She is mentioned among the rest of Jacob's family that went down into Egypt (Genesis 46:8, 15). DINAH

di'-na (dinah, "justice"): The daughter of Jacob and Leah, whose violation by Shechem, son of Hamor, caused her brothers, especially Simeon and Levi, to slay the inhabitants of Shechem, although they had induced the Shechemites to believe, if they would submit to circumcision, Shechem, the most honored of all the house of his father, would be permitted to have the maiden to whom his soul clave for wife (Genesis 34:1-31). The political elements of the story (compare Genesis 34:21-23, 30) suggest a tribal rather than a personal significance for the narrative.

Nathan Isaacs

1783. Dinah -- daughter of Jacob
... 1782, 1783. Dinah. 1784 . daughter of Jacob. Transliteration: Dinah
Phonetic Spelling: (dee-naw') Short Definition: Dinah. Word ...
/hebrew/1783.htm - 6k

How they are to be Admonished who Lament Sins of Deed, and those ...
... Which thing is figuratively expressed in the history of Dinah. For it is
written, Dinah went out to see the women of that land; and ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/chapter xxix how they are.htm

Chapter xxxiv
... CHAPTER XXXIV. 10. The Outrage on Dinah Avenged by her Brothers (chapter 34) ... Dinah
must have been at least fourteen years old; fifteen is not impossible. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxxiv.htm

The Testament of Levi Concerning the Priesthood and Arrogance.
... Shechem. And I was young, about twenty years of age, when with Simeon I
wrought the vengeance on Hamor for our sister Dinah. And ...
/.../iii the testament of levi concerning.htm

Israel, Therefore, Avoiding the House of his Brother, Sent Forward ...
... Emor, a Chorr??an prince, was the ruler of that town. His son Sychem defiled
Dinah, the daughter of Jacob by Leah. Symeon and Levi ...
/.../life and writings of sulpitius severus /chapter x israel therefore avoiding.htm

Chapter xlvi
... These are the descendants of Leah whom she bare unto Jacob in Paddan-aram"and Dinah,
her daughter. ... Consequently Dinah, though mentioned, is not counted. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xlvi.htm

Chapter xxx
... 21. Afterward she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah. ... In fact, Dinah
may actually have been born shortly after the sixth son. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxx.htm

The Book of Jubilees
... and of Beriah (Genesis 46:12, 17), adds in their place four sons of Dan and one
of Naphtali, all of whom died prematurely in Egypt, and makes Dinah to have met ...
//christianbookshelf.org/deane/pseudepigrapha/the book of jubilees.htm

In Judaea
... Zeitg. p.26). Opposite to it were the graves of Bilhah and of Dinah (cp34). Only
five miles from Jerusalem, this pillar was, no doubt, a well-known landmark. ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/chapter 5 in judaea.htm

Jer. 6:16 the Good Way.
... Dinah must needs go "to see the daughters of the land," thinking no harm, and ends
by losing her own character, and bringing trouble on her father's house (Gen ...
/.../ryle/the upper room being a few truths for the times/chapter v jer 6 16 the.htm

To Brother Raimondo of Capua of the Order of the Preachers
... even something of her exaltation, one is irresistibly reminded of another
scene"George Eliot's marvellous description in "Adam Bede" of Dinah's ministry to ...
/.../benincasa/letters of catherine benincasa/to brother raimondo of capua.htm

Dinah (7 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. DINAH. ... Multi-Version Concordance Dinah (7 Occurrences).
Genesis 30:21 Afterwards, she bore a daughter, and named her Dinah. ...
/d/dinah.htm - 10k

Dinah's (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Dinah's (2 Occurrences). Genesis 34:11 Shechem
said to her father and to her brothers, "Let me find favor ...
/d/dinah's.htm - 7k

Hamor (13 Occurrences)
... His son Shechem founded the city of that name which Simeon and Levi destroyed because
of his crime in the matter of Dinah, Jacob's daughter (Genesis 34:20). ...
/h/hamor.htm - 12k

Leah (30 Occurrences)
... 29:23). She was "tender-eyed" (17). She bore to Jacob six sons (32-35),
also one daughter, Dinah (30:21). She accompanied Jacob ...
/l/leah.htm - 19k

Defiled (119 Occurrences)
... (KJV WBS). Genesis 34:5 Now Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah, his daughter;
and his sons were with his livestock in the field. ...
/d/defiled.htm - 38k

Levi (79 Occurrences)
... 29:34), "This time will my husband be joined [Hebrews yillaveh] unto me." He is
mentioned as taking a prominent part in avenging his sister Dinah (Genesis 34:25 ...
/l/levi.htm - 35k

Daughter (320 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). Genesis 30:21 Afterwards, she bore a
daughter, and named her Dinah. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). ...
/d/daughter.htm - 43k

Shechem (61 Occurrences)
... Then follows the story of Dinah's defilement by Shechem, son of the city's chief;
and of the treacherous and terrible vengeance exacted by Simeon and Levi ...
/s/shechem.htm - 38k

Bare (250 Occurrences)
... Jacob the sixth son. (KJV ASV). Genesis 30:21 And afterwards she bare a daughter,
and called her name Dinah. (KJV ASV). Genesis 30:23 ...
/b/bare.htm - 35k

Sword (427 Occurrences)
... Genesis 34:25 It happened on the third day, when they were sore, that two of Jacob's
sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, each took his sword, came upon ...
/s/sword.htm - 43k

Who was Dinah in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Levi in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Simeon in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

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