Lessons learned

tk

......."While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father's concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard of it. "

"
....Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, took their swords and attacked the unsuspecting city, killing every male. 26 They put Hamor and his son Shechem to the sword and took Dinah from Shechem's house and left. 27 The sons of Jacob came upon the dead bodies and looted the city where [d] their sister had been defiled. 28 They seized their flocks and herds and donkeys and everything else of theirs in the city and out in the fields. 29 They carried off all their wealth and all their women and children, taking as plunder everything in the houses. "

Please share your understanding of above situation.
Shechem a Hivite had defiled Dinah, Leah 's daughter. In a swift he had approached his father to seek for Dinah's hand in marriage from Jacob.
Treaties were made and it was aggreed the Hivites get circumcised to consolidate the treaty then in a breach of agreement the action in the 2nd quote.

But in the first quote the son of Jacob, Reuben defiled his father's
concubine and nothing was said.
I keep wondering what the lesson here is all about.

joeg

perhaps there is no lesson and it is just a historical entry to tell u what happened?

PrincessMary

But in the first quote the son of Jacob, Reuben defiled his father's concubine and nothing was said.

Because Reuben slept with his father's concubine, he was punished, and did not receive his birthright, his father's blessing

"Then Jacob called for his sons and said: "Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come. 2 "Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel. 3 "Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power. 4 Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father's bed, onto my couch and defiled it. Genesis 49: 4

No one ever said that taking revenge was the right thing to do; and Jacob never agreed on what his sons had did,

" 30And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house." Genesis 34:30

and also they did not receive a blessing, it is more of a curse

"5Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. 6O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall. 7Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel. " Genesis 49: 5-7

Either case was wrong, what Reuben did was wrong, what Shechem did was wrong, but at least Shechem did the right thing and asked to marry her, so he tried to correct his mistake. Killing him and his family did not take the defilement back, what was the point of it, it is for God to take revenge not us

tk

Thanks Princessmary,
I got you.

PrincessMary

great, hope someone else posts too so I could be enlightened on the question as well, God bless you :)