Not only was the miracle of the parting of the River Jordan to act as a testimony for the Israelites, it also served to show the power of God to the other nations. A few events of significance that occurred before the conquest of Jericho, they included:
- the mass circumcision of the Israelites. This was because the new generation which grew up in the desert had not been circumcised.
- the conquest happened after passover. So the Israelites were able to commemorate the passover first, which was an event very close to them since it is only one generation ago that went through the original Passover in Egypt.
- It was that Passover before Jericho that the Israelites first eat of the fruit of the land and stopped eating manna.
- Joshua met with a supernatural being who identified himself as the Commander of the Army of the LORD.
Joshua 5
The Second Generation Circumcised
1 So it was, when all the kings of the Amorites who were on the west side of the Jordan, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel until we[a] had crossed over, that their heart melted; and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the children of Israel.
2 At that time the LORD said to Joshua, “Make flint knives for yourself, and circumcise the sons of Israel again the second time.” 3 So Joshua made flint knives for himself, and circumcised the sons of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.[b] 4 And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: All the people who came out of Egypt who were males, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the way, after they had come out of Egypt. 5 For all the people who came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness, on the way as they came out of Egypt, had not been circumcised. 6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people who were men of war, who came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they did not obey the voice of the LORD—to whom the LORD swore that He would not show them the land which the LORD had sworn to their fathers that He would give us, “a land flowing with milk and honey.”[c] 7 Then Joshua circumcised their sons whom He raised up in their place; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way.
8 So it was, when they had finished circumcising all the people, that they stayed in their places in the camp till they were healed. 9 Then the LORD said to Joshua, “This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” Therefore the name of the place is called Gilgal[d] to this day.
10 Now the children of Israel camped in Gilgal, and kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight on the plains of Jericho. 11 And they ate of the produce of the land on the day after the Passover, unleavened bread and parched grain, on the very same day. 12 Then the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the produce of the land; and the children of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate the food of the land of Canaan that year.
The Commander of the Army of the LORD
13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?”
14 So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.”
And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?”
15 Then the Commander of the LORD’s army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so.
Showing posts with label circumcise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label circumcise. Show all posts
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Rape of Dinah, Massacre of Shechem
One of the most sorry incident in scriptural history would be the following incident of the rape of Dinah, Jacob's daughter, followed by the revenge massacre of the city by Jacob's sons. This almost parallel's the incident of the rape of King David's daugther, Tamar, by her half brother and the following revenge by another of David's evil son, Absalom.
A few things to note in the incident. Firstly the man who raped Dinah, a prince named Shechem, appeared to be infatuated with her and perhaps even loved her. It is mentioned that "he loved the young woman and spoke kindly to the young woman". Secondly, instead of an apology or heart felt regret, Shechem asked for Dinah to be his wife and expressed his love for her; "The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter". They do not seem to realise the grave sin of rape. If so, then it appears that they are living in a society where rape was not an offence. It was certainly offensive to Jacob's family.
Thirdly, in addition to the request of Dinah to be given to their family, Shechem's father went further to make an agreement with Jacob to request that their men and take Jacob's women to be wifes and Jacob's men can take their women to be wifes. Although the scriptures did not elaborate further, it certainly seems that the society of Hamor and Shechem are as peverted as Sodom and Gomorrah.
As Jacob's sons, namely Simeon and Levi, plotted revenge and asking Hamor's men to be circumcised as a condition, Hamor even appeared to be coveting Jacob's wealth. Hamor tried to convince his people about the agreement by appealing to their greed, saying: "Will not their livestock, their property, and every animal of theirs be ours?".
The murderous rampage of Jacob's sons were inexcusable. However, the reprimand from God did not come immediately. Jacob too was more concerned and fearful for their safety from the surrounding peoples because of the massacre, instead of punishing his sons. So the question was what has gone so wrong? Is this an isolated incident with no divine causes but sheer bad luck that something like that occurred?
To understand this, look back in the previous chapter where God actually told Jacob in Gen 31:3 "Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you.". Instead after facing Esau, for some reason, Jacob took a detour and settled in Shechem. In addition if we look at the next chapter, Gen 35:
1 Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.”
2 And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments. 3 Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone.” 4 So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands, and the earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree which was by Shechem.
So the seemingly innocent detour, which is in fact delaying the obedience of God to return to his land, resulted in this disgraceful incident for Jacob's family. In addition, note that Jacob's family, through Rachel, had in possession those stolen idols of foreign gods from Laban's household. Only in Gen 35, that we see Jacob realizing his mistakes and sought to correct them. So for us, lets decide to follow and obey God for our sakes.
Genesis 34
The Dinah Incident
1 Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. 2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her and lay with her, and violated her. 3 His soul was strongly attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young woman and spoke kindly to the young woman. 4 So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this young woman as a wife.”
5 And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter. Now his sons were with his livestock in the field; so Jacob held his peace until they came. 6 Then Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him. 7 And the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it; and the men were grieved and very angry, because he had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, a thing which ought not to be done. 8 But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him as a wife. 9 And make marriages with us; give your daughters to us, and take our daughters to yourselves. 10 So you shall dwell with us, and the land shall be before you. Dwell and trade in it, and acquire possessions for yourselves in it.”
11 Then Shechem said to her father and her brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give. 12 Ask me ever so much dowry and gift, and I will give according to what you say to me; but give me the young woman as a wife.”
13 But the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father, and spoke deceitfully, because he had defiled Dinah their sister. 14 And they said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a reproach to us. 15 But on this condition we will consent to you: If you will become as we are, if every male of you is circumcised, 16 then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to us; and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people. 17 But if you will not heed us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and be gone.”
18 And their words pleased Hamor and Shechem, Hamor’s son. 19 So the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacob’s daughter. He was more honorable than all the household of his father.
20 And Hamor and Shechem his son came to the gate of their city, and spoke with the men of their city, saying: 21 “These men are at peace with us. Therefore let them dwell in the land and trade in it. For indeed the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters to us as wives, and let us give them our daughters. 22 Only on this condition will the men consent to dwell with us, to be one people: if every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised. 23 Will not their livestock, their property, and every animal of theirs be ours? Only let us consent to them, and they will dwell with us.” 24 And all who went out of the gate of his city heeded Hamor and Shechem his son; every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.
25 Now it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword and came boldly upon the city and killed all the males. 26 And they killed Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem’s house, and went out. 27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and plundered the city, because their sister had been defiled. 28 They took their sheep, their oxen, and their donkeys, what was in the city and what was in the field, 29 and all their wealth. All their little ones and their wives they took captive; and they plundered even all that was in the houses.
30 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.”
31 But they said, “Should he treat our sister like a harlot?”
A few things to note in the incident. Firstly the man who raped Dinah, a prince named Shechem, appeared to be infatuated with her and perhaps even loved her. It is mentioned that "he loved the young woman and spoke kindly to the young woman". Secondly, instead of an apology or heart felt regret, Shechem asked for Dinah to be his wife and expressed his love for her; "The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter". They do not seem to realise the grave sin of rape. If so, then it appears that they are living in a society where rape was not an offence. It was certainly offensive to Jacob's family.
Thirdly, in addition to the request of Dinah to be given to their family, Shechem's father went further to make an agreement with Jacob to request that their men and take Jacob's women to be wifes and Jacob's men can take their women to be wifes. Although the scriptures did not elaborate further, it certainly seems that the society of Hamor and Shechem are as peverted as Sodom and Gomorrah.
As Jacob's sons, namely Simeon and Levi, plotted revenge and asking Hamor's men to be circumcised as a condition, Hamor even appeared to be coveting Jacob's wealth. Hamor tried to convince his people about the agreement by appealing to their greed, saying: "Will not their livestock, their property, and every animal of theirs be ours?".
The murderous rampage of Jacob's sons were inexcusable. However, the reprimand from God did not come immediately. Jacob too was more concerned and fearful for their safety from the surrounding peoples because of the massacre, instead of punishing his sons. So the question was what has gone so wrong? Is this an isolated incident with no divine causes but sheer bad luck that something like that occurred?
To understand this, look back in the previous chapter where God actually told Jacob in Gen 31:3 "Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you.". Instead after facing Esau, for some reason, Jacob took a detour and settled in Shechem. In addition if we look at the next chapter, Gen 35:
1 Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.”
2 And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments. 3 Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone.” 4 So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands, and the earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree which was by Shechem.
So the seemingly innocent detour, which is in fact delaying the obedience of God to return to his land, resulted in this disgraceful incident for Jacob's family. In addition, note that Jacob's family, through Rachel, had in possession those stolen idols of foreign gods from Laban's household. Only in Gen 35, that we see Jacob realizing his mistakes and sought to correct them. So for us, lets decide to follow and obey God for our sakes.
Genesis 34
The Dinah Incident
1 Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. 2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her and lay with her, and violated her. 3 His soul was strongly attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young woman and spoke kindly to the young woman. 4 So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this young woman as a wife.”
5 And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter. Now his sons were with his livestock in the field; so Jacob held his peace until they came. 6 Then Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him. 7 And the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it; and the men were grieved and very angry, because he had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, a thing which ought not to be done. 8 But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him as a wife. 9 And make marriages with us; give your daughters to us, and take our daughters to yourselves. 10 So you shall dwell with us, and the land shall be before you. Dwell and trade in it, and acquire possessions for yourselves in it.”
11 Then Shechem said to her father and her brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give. 12 Ask me ever so much dowry and gift, and I will give according to what you say to me; but give me the young woman as a wife.”
13 But the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father, and spoke deceitfully, because he had defiled Dinah their sister. 14 And they said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a reproach to us. 15 But on this condition we will consent to you: If you will become as we are, if every male of you is circumcised, 16 then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to us; and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people. 17 But if you will not heed us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and be gone.”
18 And their words pleased Hamor and Shechem, Hamor’s son. 19 So the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacob’s daughter. He was more honorable than all the household of his father.
20 And Hamor and Shechem his son came to the gate of their city, and spoke with the men of their city, saying: 21 “These men are at peace with us. Therefore let them dwell in the land and trade in it. For indeed the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters to us as wives, and let us give them our daughters. 22 Only on this condition will the men consent to dwell with us, to be one people: if every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised. 23 Will not their livestock, their property, and every animal of theirs be ours? Only let us consent to them, and they will dwell with us.” 24 And all who went out of the gate of his city heeded Hamor and Shechem his son; every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.
25 Now it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword and came boldly upon the city and killed all the males. 26 And they killed Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem’s house, and went out. 27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and plundered the city, because their sister had been defiled. 28 They took their sheep, their oxen, and their donkeys, what was in the city and what was in the field, 29 and all their wealth. All their little ones and their wives they took captive; and they plundered even all that was in the houses.
30 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.”
31 But they said, “Should he treat our sister like a harlot?”
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