Jacob’s hair must have turned prematurely grey from the antics of his first three sons. Reuben tragically lost all his firstborn privileges through a reckless sexual adventure that sealed him in history as an entitled brat who paid dearly for his insolence and stupidity. But Simeon and Levi, Jacob’s second and third sons by his first wife Leah (Genesis 35:23) were even worse. They were devious and deceitful, justifying the cold-blooded murder of an entire city’s male population (34:25).
But was their violence justified? In their minds it was: “They were filled with grief and fury, because Shechem (the son of a Canaanite ruler) had done an outrageous thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s (and Leah’s) daughter (Dinah) – a thing that should not be done,” Genesis 34:7. So what Simeon and Levi saw was an immoral offence against their family, and noticeably against “Israel” too (7), so righteous indignation was now mixed with tribal pride.
But a twist in the story occurs when it turns out that Shechem loves Dinah (3) and desperately wants to marry her (4). His love is real too, because in meeting up with Jacob and his sons, he says in verse 12: “Make the price for the bride and the gift I am to bring as great as you like, and I’ll pay whatever you ask me.” And being “the most honoured of all his father’s household” (19) Shechem was both genuine and trustworthy.
But that’s when Jacob’s boys come up with a devious plan, insisting on all the males in Shechem’s town be circumcised if any of them, including Shechem, wish to mix with and marry Israelite girls (13-17). And being honourable people the townsfolk agree (18-24). But “Three days later, while all of them were stiff with pain, Simeon and Levi killed every male,” including Shechem and his father (25-26), justifying it as a revenge killing for treating their sister like a prostitute (31).
Jacob not only blew his top at the risk these idiots had brought on their family (30), he also tore into them in Genesis 49:5-7. “Simeon and Levi, you resort so easily to violence. I will never attend your meetings or be party to your plans, because when you’re angry you become murderous monsters. You’d even cripple oxen just for sport. A curse on your anger, therefore, for it is savage and it makes you viciously cruel.”
So Jacob did not justify their violence. He focused instead on the anger that had caused it and what it had done to them – a helpful reminder when “Living in an angry age”….(next blog)
Buck To Basics 