Tag: Shechem

This is one of the ugliest stories in the Bible, from the rape of Dinah to the response of her brothers.

All of it might have been avoided, though, if Jacob had done one thing: go back to Bethel to fulfill his vows to God (Genesis 28:18-22).

Instead, he stopped a day’s journey away from Bethel, and purchased land outside the city of Shechem.

They apparently lived there long enough for his young children (33:13-14) to grow up into young adults.

It was probably more convenient for them living near a city. And maybe Jacob felt they were close enough to Bethel and he could fulfill all his vows there.

But apparently, he never really did until after the incident at Shechem. (35:1-4)

How often do we put ourselves in bad situations because we don’t put God first in our lives?

God is the God of second chances. God gave Jacob another chance after Shechem.

But how much pain would we be spared if we gave God our whole hearts from the beginning?