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Speaker 1: And shechem said, unto her father and unto her brethren,

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Speaker 1: let me find grace in your eyes. And what ye

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Speaker 1: shall say unto me I will give Genesis thirty four eleven.

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Speaker 1: Dear God, as you are guiding my life, I will

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Speaker 1: make sure to only make the move that You've designated

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Speaker 1: for me. I will not try to choose the easier

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Speaker 1: path or the path that looks more inviting. Instead, I

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Speaker 1: will stay the course because I know that every step

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Speaker 1: that I take has already been orchestrated for me and

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Speaker 1: my future. Holy Spirit, as I move, keep reminding me

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Speaker 1: that where I currently am is not my final destination.

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Speaker 1: Remind me that as I take the steps of faith

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Speaker 1: needed to realize your promises for my life, that you

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Speaker 1: will keep me from harm and destruction. Thank you Lord

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Speaker 1: that even when I step off the track, you are

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Speaker 1: faithful to allow me to not miss a step. When

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Speaker 1: I come back and ask for forgiveness, I stand with

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Speaker 1: excitement because I'm about to enter into my bethel, the

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Speaker 1: land and promise were you dwell in Jesus's name. Amen,

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Speaker 1: Thank you for praying with me today. Continue listening for

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Speaker 1: an incredible Bible story brought to you by Bible in

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Speaker 1: a Year dot com Dinah and Sheikha.

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Speaker 2: Before this story, we learned how Jacob feared the wrath

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Speaker 2: of his brother Esau. He prayed to God with great

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Speaker 2: anguish to deliver him. That night, Jacob wrestled with God

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Speaker 2: himself and had his name changed to Israel. Esau forgave

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Speaker 2: Jacob and the two went their way. Now we will

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Speaker 2: learn about how Jacob's daughter Dinah was taken advantage of

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Speaker 2: and the response made by Jacob's sons Simon and Levy,

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Speaker 2: inspired by the Book of Genesis.

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Speaker 3: Hello, I'm pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of the

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Speaker 3: Bible in a Year podcast. In our prior reading, we

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Speaker 3: learned of Jacob's new name Israel, and of his repentant heart,

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Speaker 3: and that Jacob and Esau made peace with one another. Finally,

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Speaker 3: it was a wonderful story of God's provision, grace, and blessing,

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Speaker 3: and we saw more mature, obedient Jacob, who now seems

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Speaker 3: ready to follow the will of God for his life.

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Speaker 3: In today's reading, however, Jacob seems to take a step backwards.

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Speaker 3: As you listen, notice how Jacob once again shuns the

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Speaker 3: role of leadership to which God has called it. There

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Speaker 3: will be a great deal of bloodshed, pain, and trouble

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Speaker 3: that spread through Jacob's family. Eventually, Jacob will wake up

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Speaker 3: to the tragedies and schemes his disobedience have created, and

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Speaker 3: then turned to God, truly turned to God for helping guidance.

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Speaker 3: God once again will prove his faithfulness to Jacob and

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Speaker 3: his family, because God is always faithful. Now let's listen

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Speaker 3: to today's scripture.

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Speaker 2: Jacob and his family settled in a place God had

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Speaker 2: not intended. He was supposed to return to Bethel, yet

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Speaker 2: remained in the land near Hemour. Dinah, the daughter of

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Speaker 2: Jacob and Leah, went out to visit some of the

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Speaker 2: women in the neighboring city a few miles away. She

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Speaker 2: walked with the innocent smile of someone painfully unaware of

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Speaker 2: just how dangerous a city like this could be. Sheakam,

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Speaker 2: the son of Hamor, a prince of the land, saw

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Speaker 2: Dinah from Afar. Hidden by the shadows, he trailed her

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Speaker 2: at a distance. Sheacum found Dinah in Toxica. He drew

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Speaker 2: closer and closer, watching as she maneuvered through the busy streets. Sheakham,

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Speaker 2: like many young, rich rulers of his time, knew if

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Speaker 2: he wanted something, he needed just take it for himself,

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Speaker 2: and he wanted Dinah. He burned with a self serving

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Speaker 2: and violent desire. She come suddenly and secretly seized Dinah

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Speaker 2: and drug her away. Flailing and fighting, Dinah realized there

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Speaker 2: would be nobody there to help her. Shekhm humiliated Dinah

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Speaker 2: and raped her. Dinah was sent on her way, humiliated

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Speaker 2: and defiled. Yet instead of releasing her with threats, Sheakham

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Speaker 2: spoke tenderly and with gentleness. His soul felt drawn to Dinah,

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Speaker 2: and he mistook his twisted and selfish desires with actual

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Speaker 2: love and affection. So Sheakham spoke to his father Haymore saying,

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Speaker 2: get me this girl for my wife. Word came to

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Speaker 2: Jacob about the assault of his daughter. A contemplative calm

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Speaker 2: came upon him. His sons were working in the field

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Speaker 2: with the livestock, and he needed time to think before

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Speaker 2: releasing the information to them. As Jacob waited in brooding silence,

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Speaker 2: Sheicam and his father Haymour came to Jacob to speak

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Speaker 2: of marriage. He would not be able to get a

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Speaker 2: word in before the sons of Jacob came racing in

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Speaker 2: with rage. A small army of men ran from the

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Speaker 2: fields as soon as they heard, and immediately met them

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Speaker 2: with indignant rage. Under no circumstances would they allow Shekam

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Speaker 2: to have their sister. Heymor, finally able to speak after

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Speaker 2: the barrage of angry brothers, turned to Jacob and said,

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Speaker 2: Sheacam's soul longs for your daughter. Jacob, let us consider

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Speaker 2: a marriage, and all my land can be opened up

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Speaker 2: to you for trade, property and farming. Shecam then began

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Speaker 2: to speak. There was a look in his eyes, a

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Speaker 2: look of genuine affection and love, yet behind them seemed

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Speaker 2: to be a mind capable of hideous things. It sent

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Speaker 2: an uneasy shiver down the spines of Jacob's brothers. He spoke, saying,

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Speaker 2: let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you

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Speaker 2: desire for me, I will give name your price and

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Speaker 2: I will honor it. Just please let me have Dinah

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Speaker 2: as my wife. Jacob and his sons were men of

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Speaker 2: God and had set themselves apart from the rest of

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Speaker 2: the world. Yet their kindness was not weakness. They were

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Speaker 2: men of honor and loved their sister deeply. Their resolved

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Speaker 2: to protect her would not wane. The brothers answered Shekham

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Speaker 2: and Haymour, it would disgrace us to give our sister

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Speaker 2: to someone uncircumcised. Our only condition is that you and

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Speaker 2: all your men be circumcised. Then we will give all

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Speaker 2: our daughters to be with your men in marriage, and

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Speaker 2: we can become one people, sharing in all things. These

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Speaker 2: words pleased Hamour and Shecam. Not only did Shecam get

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Speaker 2: his desire, but the whole land would get to share

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Speaker 2: in the abundant resources of Jacob's family. Yet they rejoiced naively,

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Speaker 2: for Jacob's sons would not forgive what Shekam had done

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Speaker 2: to their sister. As promised, Haymour and Sheicam went to

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Speaker 2: all of the men in their land and had them circumcised.

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Speaker 2: Men young and old took blades to their foreskins. Haymoor's

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Speaker 2: people did so gladly, though in a great amount of pain,

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Speaker 2: because they knew they were going to become rich and

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Speaker 2: Shekam would get Dinah. Sheacam took Dinah to his home,

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Speaker 2: and she dwelt there for three days under his roof,

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Speaker 2: captive and afraid. On the third day, the city was quiet,

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Speaker 2: the sun was making its way down towards evening. The

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Speaker 2: heat of the day was colliding with the cool breeze

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Speaker 2: of evening. The men of the land were resting, sore

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Speaker 2: and doing their best to not make any sudden movements.

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Speaker 2: The pain was nearly unbearable, but worth it for more

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Speaker 2: livestock and influence. While they all remained in their beds,

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Speaker 2: two pairs of footsteps can be heard coming through the gates.

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Speaker 2: Two sons of Jacob, Simon and Levy entered the city

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Speaker 2: with swords in their hands. No mercy, no politics or

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Speaker 2: chances to plead their cases, no negotiations or empty threats.

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Speaker 2: With ferocity and decisiveness, the two plunged their swords into

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Speaker 2: the flesh of all Hamo's men. They would try to run,

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Speaker 2: but they couldn't because they were still in pain from

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Speaker 2: the circumcision. This was their plan all along, get the

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Speaker 2: men weak so they could enter in and take their lives.

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Speaker 2: Easily picking up speed, the two brothers swung their swords

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Speaker 2: with revenge, making their way to the home of Haymoor

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Speaker 2: and Shekam. Hamor was the first to die. His begs

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Speaker 2: for mercy were interrupted by Simon's right arm, slowly gliding

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Speaker 2: the blade against his throat. The two brothers turned right

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Speaker 2: through the hall and burst through Shecum's door. There they

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Speaker 2: saw him and their sister pulling Dinah away. They pointed

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Speaker 2: their swords lightly on the chest of Shekom. They stared

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Speaker 2: into his eyes. The same eyes that had gazed upon

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Speaker 2: their sister with violence and lust, now looked upon them

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Speaker 2: with fear and trembling no mercy. Shacum fell swiftly under

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Speaker 2: the blades of Simon and Levy. The only inheritance he

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Speaker 2: would get from his marriage to Dinah was iron, sinking

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Speaker 2: into his lungs. The sons of Jacob came upon the

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Speaker 2: slain and plundered the city. They took their flocks and

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Speaker 2: their herds, their donkeys, and whatever was in the city

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Speaker 2: and in the field, all their wealth, all their children

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Speaker 2: and their wives, all that was in the houses they

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Speaker 2: captured and took back with them no mercy. When they returned,

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Speaker 2: Jacob was outraged. He said to Simon and Levey, you

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Speaker 2: have brought trouble on me by making me stink to

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Speaker 2: the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizites.

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Speaker 2: We do not have the same numbers they do. If

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Speaker 2: they gather themselves against me and attack me. We shall

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Speaker 2: be destroyed. Simon and Levey regretted nothing. What should we

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Speaker 2: have done, they said, allow our sister to be shipped

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Speaker 2: off like a piece of property. Have a ravaged like

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Speaker 2: a prostitute. Jacob, pressed with fear and anxiety, went before God.

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Speaker 2: God spoke plainly, arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there.

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Speaker 2: Make an altar for me, as you did before you

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Speaker 2: met with Esau. So Jacob left for Bethel as he

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Speaker 2: should have done in the first place. He and his

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Speaker 2: household came before God. Cleanse yourself, change your garments, wash,

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Speaker 2: throw away any idols you may have, and purify your hearts.

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Speaker 2: Jacob commanded his people, A great danger threatens us, but

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Speaker 2: we will arise to Bethel to seek God, who has

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Speaker 2: always answered me wherever I go. So they gave Jacob

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Speaker 2: all the foreign gods that they had and the rings

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Speaker 2: that were in their ears. Jacob hid them under the

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Speaker 2: terebinth tree that was near Shechem. They journeyed far, fearful

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Speaker 2: for their lives, they rushed to Bethel. God in mighty

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Speaker 2: power caused a terror to fall upon the cities that

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Speaker 2: surrounded them. They would not pursue God's chosen people. Jacob

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Speaker 2: came to Bethel, back to the land of Canaan, and

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Speaker 2: there he built an altar and call, and God said

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Speaker 2: to him, I am God Almighty, be fruitful and multiply.

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Speaker 2: A nation and a company of nations shall come from you,

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Speaker 2: and kings will come from among you. The land that

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Speaker 2: I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give to you,

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Speaker 2: and I will give the land to your offspring after you.

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Speaker 2: God blessed Jacob and his family the people of Israel,

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Speaker 2: and he would not leave them, no matter what hardship

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Speaker 2: They found themselves captive.

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Speaker 3: To Jacob encountered, God wrestled with him and received his blessing.

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Speaker 3: He has now made peace with Esau and is free

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Speaker 3: to return to the place where God intends for him

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Speaker 3: to live with his family. But that's not the choice

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Speaker 3: Jacob makes. Instead of going to Bethel, he remains in

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Speaker 3: another land nearby, this rule by a man named Hamor.

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Speaker 3: Jacob's daughter Dinah visits the nearby city controlled by Shechem,

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Speaker 3: and as she is walking through town, Hamour's son, Shechem,

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Speaker 3: pursues and rapes Dinah. Then he begins to feel what

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Speaker 3: he considers love for this woman. Of course, This is

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Speaker 3: not a god honoring love. This is us. This is

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Speaker 3: a man who forced himself upon a young woman. But

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Speaker 3: in his twisted mind, he somehow feels some affection for

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Speaker 3: her and ask his father to secure a marriage with her. Jacob,

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Speaker 3: here's what happened to Dinah, and rather than acting, he

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Speaker 3: remains silent. He doesn't tell his sons of the rape either.

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Speaker 3: Perhaps he knew they were prone to violence, or maybe

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Speaker 3: he was slipping back into his old, complacent ways and

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Speaker 3: failing to lead his family. Whatever the reason, he does nothing.

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Speaker 3: But when his sons hear what happened to Dinah, their sister,

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Speaker 3: they intend to avenge her. When Haymour and Shechem come

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Speaker 3: to ask for Dinah's hand, Jacob takes a back seat

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Speaker 3: in the conversation. Haymour offers a political and financial alliance

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Speaker 3: if they will allow Shechem to marry Dinah. Jacob's sons

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Speaker 3: counter that all males in Haymour's land must be circumscised

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Speaker 3: before they will allow Dinah to marry Shechem. Their true

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Speaker 3: intention was never to bring these men into a relationship

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Speaker 3: with God. It was a mere ruse of war to vice.

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Speaker 3: Some time before their full plan was set in action

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Speaker 3: and perhaps cause Hamour and his men some serious discomfort.

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Speaker 3: In the meantime, Jacob's sons attacked these men when their

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Speaker 3: guard was down due to a negotiated treaty, and kill

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Speaker 3: them all and rescued Dinah. This may seem like justice,

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Speaker 3: but is far from it. They used a sacred act

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Speaker 3: ordained by God, not for a holy purpose, but for bloodshed, vengeance,

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Speaker 3: and plunder. Haymour and Shacom's actions were not honorable, but

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Speaker 3: neither were the actions of Simeon and Levi. And when

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Speaker 3: Jacob discovers what they've done, he is shaken out of

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Speaker 3: his complacency and once again attacked with fear. He knows

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Speaker 3: his son's actions could bring calamity upon his own family,

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Speaker 3: so once again he goes to God, and God tells

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Speaker 3: him to go to Bethel and build an altar to

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Speaker 3: him there. It was what he was supposed to do

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Speaker 3: from the beginning in obedience to God. But now he

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Speaker 3: finally obeys. How often do you and I go through

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Speaker 3: unnecessary and unwanted troubles simply because we're not listening to God?

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Speaker 3: If we would only do what God says from the beginning,

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Speaker 3: we would not face so many of the trials and

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Speaker 3: struggles and difficulties that we face. Before he flees to Bethel,

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Speaker 3: Jacob knows he and his family must leave behind not

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Speaker 3: just the land, but the gods and idols they're holding

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Speaker 3: on to instead of the one true God who is

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Speaker 3: always with them, always faithful. We close today's story with

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Speaker 3: another example of this faithfulness of God to Jacob. He

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Speaker 3: strikes fear the cities around Jacob, so nobody pursues Jacob's

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Speaker 3: family and he can safely arrive at Bethel. God once

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Speaker 3: again affirms the promise he's made to Jacob, and to

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Speaker 3: Isaac and to Abraham before him. He will give him

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Speaker 3: this land, and from him will come many nations and

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Speaker 3: kings and A key figure in this plan and is

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Speaker 3: one of Jacob's son, Joseph, whose colorful story will begin

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Speaker 3: next time. Dear God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,

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Speaker 3: thank you today for what we have read in your

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Speaker 3: word and that it teaches us that obey you is

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Speaker 3: always the right plan, the best plan. Thank you that

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Speaker 3: when we fail to obey, there is forgiveness when we

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Speaker 3: turn to you in confession and repentance, because you are

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Speaker 3: always faithful to forgive and cleanse us through your son Jesus,

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Speaker 3: and it is in his name that we pray. Amen.

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Speaker 3: Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast.

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Speaker 3: I'm Pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download thepray dot

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Speaker 3: Com app and make prayer a priority in your life.

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Speaker 3: If you enjoyed this podcast, share it with someone you love.

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Speaker 3: By sharing this podcast, you can make a difference in

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Speaker 3: someone's life. And if you want more resources on how

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Speaker 3: to tap into God's power or successful Christian living, be

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Speaker 3: sure to visit Jack Graham dot org. God bless

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Speaker 1: This episode is sponsored by Metashir, an innovative health care

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Speaker 1: solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality