Old Testament: Gen 34.30–31

To read the Bible in a year, read Genesis 33–35 on January 14, In the year of our Lord Christ 2023

By Don Ruhl 

As Jacob and his family sojourned, they came to a town in which one of the young men desired to have the daughter of Jacob as a wife, but before having her as a wife, he attacked her. 

Later, in retaliation, two of the sons of Jacob attacked the whole town where this man lived. Notice the difference between the responses of Jacob and his sons Simeon and Levi: 

Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have troubled me by making me obnoxious among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and since I am few in number, they will gather themselves together against me and kill me. I shall be destroyed, my household and I.” But they said, “Should he treat our sister like a harlot?”

– Genesis 34.30–31 

Both responses are understandable. Jacob did not want him and his family wiped out, but the brothers wanted to protect the honor of their sister. 

Questions: 

• Which response would best describe what you would do? 
• What would the Lord have us do? 

To subscribe go to EmailDevotionals.com and click “Follow”