Speaker 1: Previously on the chosen people.
Speaker 2: Brother, come to my village.
Speaker 3: Stay with me. We journey together. You go on ahead,
Speaker 3: go at the pace that suits you, and we will
Speaker 3: pay slowly behind until we meet you and see her.
Speaker 4: We aren't going to see her, are we?
Speaker 2: No, we are not.
Speaker 5: What a shame.
Speaker 4: It would have been nice to meet the twin who
Speaker 4: took all the good nature.
Speaker 1: The words stun that they.
Speaker 2: Were true men set the course for suck off?
Speaker 5: Why are we going there? Did God not tell you
Speaker 5: to go to Bethel?
Speaker 1: It didn't take long for the city of Shechem to
Speaker 1: take notice. Haymour, the city's chief, came galloping with his
Speaker 1: sons behind him. Jacob turned back to his family. His
Speaker 1: eldest sons, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah stood behind him.
Speaker 1: They were sizing up the sons of ham More, itching
Speaker 1: for conflict. Jacob was done fighting. He wanted ease and peace.
Speaker 1: He turned back to Hamel and extended his hand.
Speaker 6: Name your price, one hundred pieces of silver up front
Speaker 6: for the land, And if you don't prove yourself to
Speaker 6: be good for our people, then I'll have my son's
Speaker 6: come to shake more out of you. This is my
Speaker 6: oldest Shechem, he'll be back to collect your rent. I
Speaker 6: suggest treating him to a meal every now and again
Speaker 6: when he visits. He's named after the city, and.
Speaker 7: He will all be his one day, so you'll best
Speaker 7: be good to him.
Speaker 1: Sachem flashed a mocking smile. Jacob could feel his son's
Speaker 1: tensing at the sight of him. Hamer and his sons
Speaker 1: rode off. Jacob turned, looking at his family's balking glares.
Speaker 1: Jacob wagged a finger and spoke to his boys.
Speaker 2: Give that no reasons, do you hear me?
Speaker 1: They nodded and left. Jacob sighed as he watched them go.
Speaker 1: He knew he shouldn't be here, yet fear kept him
Speaker 1: from moving forward. It would be his undoing.
Speaker 8: When honor stained by violence, the hearts cry for justice
Speaker 8: echoes through the valley of vengeance. Shallow my friends from
Speaker 8: here in the Holy Land. I'm ya l Exstein with
Speaker 8: the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Welcome to the
Speaker 8: Chosen People. Each day we'll hear a dramatic story inspired
Speaker 8: by the Bible, stories filled with timeless lessons of faith, love,
Speaker 8: and the meaning of life. Through Israel's story, we find
Speaker 8: this truth that we are all chosen for something great.
Speaker 8: Today's story is dark, to say the least. But as
Speaker 8: we've seen so many times so far, and we'll see
Speaker 8: again and again, the Bible isn't the story of perfect
Speaker 8: people acting perfectly. It's a story full of broken people
Speaker 8: living in a broken world. And today's story is one
Speaker 8: about how we face this brokenness. Some people withdraw when
Speaker 8: faced with injustice. They might say nothing, they might do nothing,
Speaker 8: and others take the opposite root. They become aggressive and
Speaker 8: even violent, creating more pain. When we're faced with injustice,
Speaker 8: we aren't called to be passive or overly aggressive. We
Speaker 8: are called to comfort those who have been wronged and
Speaker 8: to pursue justice for those who have done wrong. But
Speaker 8: how do we find that balance? Well, maybe we'll learn
Speaker 8: from today's Bible story. Inspired by Genesis thirty four.
Speaker 1: This episode of The Chosen People with Yile Extein contains
Speaker 1: explicit content that may be triggering for some listeners and
Speaker 1: inappropriate for young children. Listener discretion is advised.
Speaker 4: Over Here, Dinah enjoy a drink with us.
Speaker 1: Dinah flashed an innocent smile, looked to her left and right,
Speaker 1: then approached with a slight skip in her step. She
Speaker 1: loved visiting the city of Shechem. It was bursting at
Speaker 1: the seams with a chaotic energy that made her feel alive.
Speaker 1: There were new things to learn around every corner. She
Speaker 1: had spent her whole life dwelling intense, moving pasture to
Speaker 1: pasture at her father's will. The buildings and homes made
Speaker 1: of stone and wood gave her an odd sense of
Speaker 1: power and control, But Dinah was terribly naive. She pranced
Speaker 1: around the city like the plains outside Lavin's camp. She
Speaker 1: was unaware of what lurked in the shadows, stalking like
Speaker 1: a liar.
Speaker 4: Dinah, we were just talking about you. You must settle
Speaker 4: a debate for us.
Speaker 2: What is it you?
Speaker 5: Hebrews have more sheep than the gods themselves.
Speaker 9: Tell us which grass is best for greasing?
Speaker 5: Uh, well, that depends in winter. The coarse grass underneath
Speaker 5: the poplar groves makes the sheep nice and fertile for
Speaker 5: a good spring.
Speaker 4: Oh, please tell us more about the grass. Leave out nothing.
Speaker 1: Dinah realized they were teasing her, but couldn't muster up
Speaker 1: the courage to defend herself. She winced in embarrassment, then
Speaker 1: feigned a smile.
Speaker 5: Oh, yes, well, I really hate all that nonsense. Why
Speaker 5: do you think I spent so much time here?
Speaker 1: Uh?
Speaker 4: The wine, the men. I doubt Dina's ever betted a man.
Speaker 4: She's a Hebrew. They keep everything hidden under sheep's woolen
Speaker 4: til they're married.
Speaker 9: What a bore.
Speaker 4: I know she's wasting her beauty. She's lucky to have
Speaker 4: it in the first place. Have you seen her mother?
Speaker 9: Well, I leave the poor girl alone, Dinah turned.
Speaker 1: It was Shechem, son of Chief Haymore. He wasn't named
Speaker 1: Shechem for nothing. He was heir to the city and
Speaker 1: walked around as such. He was a wiry man with
Speaker 1: a thin beard and wisps of hair falling to his side.
Speaker 1: Dinah wasn't sure what to make of him, but the
Speaker 1: other girls swooned in his presence, most likely because of
Speaker 1: the large purse strapped to the side of his belt.
Speaker 1: Shechem was notorious for buying the companionship of every eligible
Speaker 1: girl in the city. He was kind to Dinah whenever
Speaker 1: they crossed paths. The attention made Dinah feel nice, although
Speaker 1: sometimes his lingering eyes made her uncomfortable.
Speaker 9: Dinah, would you like to take a stroll with me
Speaker 9: and escape these petty and insufferable girls?
Speaker 7: Oh?
Speaker 5: I really must be heading home.
Speaker 9: Then I will escort you.
Speaker 3: Come.
Speaker 9: Let's walk together.
Speaker 5: As you say, my lord.
Speaker 1: Shehem held out his arm for Dinah. She accepted gesture
Speaker 1: with a nervous smile. They left the busy streets and
Speaker 1: walked down a narrow, cobbled stairway leading to the city's gates.
Speaker 1: Shechem was a perfect gentleman as they walked, asking Dinah
Speaker 1: earnest questions.
Speaker 9: Tell me, Dinah, how has your family adjusted to being
Speaker 9: this close to the city. I can imagine it being
Speaker 9: quite a shock.
Speaker 5: My father enjoys the business connections. He plans to gain
Speaker 5: more wealth through trading until we settle near Bethel.
Speaker 9: And what are your brothers? They are rather a feral lot,
Speaker 9: aren't they.
Speaker 5: Ah, Yes, well, my brothers certainly like visiting, but they
Speaker 5: don't know how to comport themselves.
Speaker 9: They lack the refinement you have, Dinah. You're a rare
Speaker 9: and elegant creature. You have the grace of a lady.
Speaker 1: Shechem stopped underneath the shadow of a stone archway. He
Speaker 1: raised a hand to Dinah's cheek. His eyes were wide
Speaker 1: and dark, taking all of her in. Dinah felt as
Speaker 1: if he were undressing her with his gaze. She wanted
Speaker 1: to pull away, but she didn't.
Speaker 9: Dinah, you are radiant and deserve to be cherished.
Speaker 5: Thank you, Shechem h that is kind.
Speaker 9: I must confess. I can't stop thinking about you. I
Speaker 9: long to be with you, Dinah. I only pray you
Speaker 9: return my affection.
Speaker 5: I'm not sure what to say.
Speaker 9: I must have you, Dinah. I will die if I don't.
Speaker 1: Shechem squeezed Dinah's arm and brought her body close to his.
Speaker 1: He leaned in to smell her hair. Dinah could feel
Speaker 1: his body tense with desire. She was terrified, wanting nothing
Speaker 1: else but to melt so she could escape his grip.
Speaker 1: Please let me go.
Speaker 9: You're hurting me. You are the one who has hurt me.
Speaker 9: Every day.
Speaker 1: You have been hurting me.
Speaker 9: I ache with desire. I keel over at night, fantasizing
Speaker 9: about what I'd like to have you. I've watched you, Dinah.
Speaker 9: I've watched your coming and going. I've watched you draw
Speaker 9: water from the well and dance under the lanterns. Each
Speaker 9: moment I don't have you as painful. I shall be
Speaker 9: rid of that pain today.
Speaker 1: Please no, Shechem ignored Dinah's please for mercy, he seized
Speaker 1: her against the jagged stone walls and violated her. Shechem,
Speaker 1: like many young, rich rulers of his time, knew if
Speaker 1: he wanted something, he needed just take it for himself,
Speaker 1: and he wanted Dinah. He burned with a self serving
Speaker 1: and violent desire. Flailing and fighting, Dinah realized there would
Speaker 1: be nobody there to help her. Shechem humiliated Dinah in
Speaker 1: the shadows. Dinah was humiliated and defiled, Yet instead of
Speaker 1: releasing her with threats, Shecham spoke tenderly and with gentleness.
Speaker 9: You are fair, sweet Dinah. I shall have you as
Speaker 9: my wife. You will be wet underneath lanterns and stars.
Speaker 9: Our children will rule this city.
Speaker 1: Dinah was speechless, paralyzed, and humiliated.
Speaker 9: There is no need to say anything, my dear, love
Speaker 9: can be overwhelming. Return to your tent, but do not
Speaker 9: enjoy it.
Speaker 7: Love.
Speaker 9: Soon you will be with me in a palace.
Speaker 1: Shechem kissed Dinah. His thin, wiry chin hair rubbed against
Speaker 1: Dinah's cheek, which was wet with tears. Shechem pranced away,
Speaker 1: satisfied with himself. Dinah lay there for a long while,
Speaker 1: cold and broken. Her sobbing echoed off the dark stone
Speaker 1: walls of the city. After an hour or so of
Speaker 1: holding herself, she hoppled back home. Simeon grunted in frustration,
Speaker 1: coiling and uncoiling some rope to try and get it
Speaker 1: perfectly taught. He cursed under his breath, vowing to give
Speaker 1: up each time. Before trying again, Levi chuckled at his older.
Speaker 2: Brother, you're gonna give me the roper not.
Speaker 4: Your hands are like.
Speaker 7: Carrots, yes, but my fists are like stones. Get away
Speaker 7: and leave me to my work.
Speaker 1: Simeon shocked Levi, getting him a swift slap upside the head.
Speaker 1: In return, the two wrestled in the dirt for a moment.
Speaker 1: Reuben approached and kicked them both.
Speaker 2: Oy ill, just corral free sheep. It got past the
Speaker 2: crude fences you idiots built. That's carrot fingers over here.
Speaker 2: I paid him three shekels to do my portion of
Speaker 2: the fence.
Speaker 7: If you had paid me for it would have been
Speaker 7: done better.
Speaker 1: The brothers continued to tease, jab and argue, as brothers do.
Speaker 1: The sons of Lea were close bound to each other
Speaker 1: by a bond beyond blood. They were sons of Leah
Speaker 1: the Loveless. They all had chips on their shoulders. They
Speaker 1: were born with a certain rage that couldn't be quelled.
Speaker 1: They disagreed often, but were undyingly loyal. Their jesting was
Speaker 1: brought to an abrupt halt when they saw their sister,
Speaker 1: Dinah hobble down the road, weeping uncontrollably.
Speaker 7: Dinah, what happened?
Speaker 1: Levi removed his cloak and wrapped it around her. They
Speaker 1: sat beside her, trying to decipher her incoherent sobs. That's
Speaker 1: when they noticed all the signs. The haggard hair, the
Speaker 1: torn gown, the blood. Simeon snarled as his mind filled
Speaker 1: in the blanks. With an intense, low growl, he asked
Speaker 1: three simple words.
Speaker 7: Who did this shackle o'h?
Speaker 1: Kill him?
Speaker 7: Not? If I kill him first, Let's figure more out
Speaker 7: before we draw suits.
Speaker 1: I knew you'd say that, coward.
Speaker 7: You're built like a ball, but I swear you have
Speaker 7: the spine of a chicken.
Speaker 1: Please hold you back home.
Speaker 7: Of course, sweet sister, come here.
Speaker 1: Simeon wrapped Diner in his arms and carried her to
Speaker 1: Lea's tent. She was mortified to hear about what happened
Speaker 1: to her daughter. She bathed her, fed her, and tucked
Speaker 1: her into bed. Simeon and Levi stayed outside her tent
Speaker 1: all night, refusing to leave her side. Leah stared intensely
Speaker 1: at her husband, her scowl illuminated in the candlelight within
Speaker 1: his tent.
Speaker 4: What are you going to do about what happened to Dinah?
Speaker 2: What can I do? Shechem is the son of the
Speaker 2: most powerful man in the region.
Speaker 4: We shouldn't even be here. God told you to settle
Speaker 4: in Bethel.
Speaker 2: I know, but I thought we could be here for
Speaker 2: a while to group. I thought it would be good
Speaker 2: for us.
Speaker 4: Good for you, maybe, But you've left the rest of
Speaker 4: us vulnerable to the city. Your daughter was raped, Jacob.
Speaker 2: Keep your voice down.
Speaker 4: So we're going to pretend like this didn't happen. You're
Speaker 4: going to do.
Speaker 7: Nothing for now?
Speaker 4: Yes, we do nothing very well. And how are you
Speaker 4: going to keep our sons from taking action?
Speaker 2: They wouldn't do anything without my command?
Speaker 4: Okay, Jacob, whatever you say, I'll let you find out
Speaker 4: on your own just how little you know about your
Speaker 4: own children.
Speaker 1: Leah left, shaking her head. Jacob remained where he stood
Speaker 1: for a long while, ashamed. His anger boiled against Shechem.
Speaker 1: He wanted to tear the boy Limb from Limb and
Speaker 1: burn the city to the ground, but if he retaliated,
Speaker 1: he risked a war he couldn't win, so Jacob resigned
Speaker 1: to forgetting it ever happened. He blew out his candle
Speaker 1: and slept in a pool of his own shame. The
Speaker 1: next morning, Jacob rose and chopped wood in silence, the
Speaker 1: woods splittingsily under Jacob's swing. He was growing old, but
Speaker 1: still had the strength of a mountain lion. He channeled
Speaker 1: his rage to the firewood, hoping his sons were finding
Speaker 1: similar ways to quell their fury. He feared Lea was right.
Speaker 1: Simeon and Levi were born violent, they wanted any excuse
Speaker 1: to sharpen their swords. Jacob's fear became all the more
Speaker 1: palpable when he heard a shofar blow in the distance.
Speaker 1: Parading up the road with a procession of gifts and
Speaker 1: pomp behind him was Haymoor. He rode on a charcoal
Speaker 1: black horse adorned with purple frays. His dark beard shimmered
Speaker 1: from expensive oils. Beside him was his scoundrel of a son, Shechem.
Speaker 1: Jacob bore his teeth at the sight of them, but
Speaker 1: knew he had to be tactful. He drew a deep
Speaker 1: breath and slammed his axe against the wood.
Speaker 2: Nymore, so, what do I owe this illustrious visit?
Speaker 7: Love and honor, Jacob, Love and honor my son.
Speaker 6: Shechem has expressed a desire to marry your daughter, Dinah.
Speaker 2: Is that so?
Speaker 1: Jacob saw Leah exit her daughter's tent and cross her arms.
Speaker 1: She said nothing, and she dared not, but Jacob knew
Speaker 1: her thoughts.
Speaker 6: Oh yes, Shekeem's soul longs for your daughter.
Speaker 7: Jacob.
Speaker 6: Let us consider a marriage, and all my land can
Speaker 6: be opened up to you for trade and property and farming.
Speaker 6: It'll be great, It'll be stupendous.
Speaker 9: What do you say, sheckem good and fair, Jacob, Let
Speaker 9: me find favor in your eyes. Dinah is a treasure.
Speaker 9: I would pay a hefty price to have her.
Speaker 7: How hefty price?
Speaker 1: Jacob turned. Simeon, Levi, Reuben, and Judas stood behind him,
Speaker 1: arms tense and ready to fight. Jacob did his best
Speaker 1: to hide his panic. He turned to Haymour and shekehem.
Speaker 3: Gentlemen, surely you've met my four oldest sons. They are
Speaker 3: very protective of their sister.
Speaker 9: Gentlemen, name your price and I will pay it.
Speaker 1: Jacob turned to Simeon. He was surprisingly cool and calm.
Speaker 1: Simeon tilted his head and twitched his nose. Jacob could
Speaker 1: tell something was afoot in the back of Simeon's mind,
Speaker 1: but dared not ask in front of their guests.
Speaker 7: There are eleven of us sons. Some of us have
Speaker 7: daughters of our own, almost of age. Why not strike
Speaker 7: a treaty between us? We were just suggesting this to
Speaker 7: your father. You have a wise son, Jacob.
Speaker 2: Indeed I do.
Speaker 1: Simeon flashed a smile at his father. For a moment,
Speaker 1: it was as if Jacob was looking into a broken mirror.
Speaker 1: Simeon was scheming something, but this wasn't a scheme of
Speaker 1: stew or sheep. Simeon had violence in mind.
Speaker 7: It would disgrace us to give our sister to someone uncircumcised.
Speaker 7: Were sons of Abraham? After all, there are standards we
Speaker 7: must keep. Our only condition is that you and all
Speaker 7: your men be circumcised. Then we will give all our
Speaker 7: daughters to be with your men in marriage, and we
Speaker 7: can become one people, sharing in all things. What do
Speaker 7: you say?
Speaker 1: These words pleased Haymour and Shechem. Not only did Shechem
Speaker 1: get his desire, but every man would get a wife,
Speaker 1: and the region would get to share in Jacob's vast resources.
Speaker 1: Yet they rejoiced naively. Jacob's sons would not forgive what
Speaker 1: Shechim had done to their sister. On the third day,
Speaker 1: the city lay in an uneasy silence, the kind that
Speaker 1: clung to the air like a lingering fog. The sun
Speaker 1: was sinking low, bleeding its last light across the city.
Speaker 1: As it dipped toward the western horizon, the heat of
Speaker 1: the day met the cool breath of evening in a
Speaker 1: strange embrace, an omen perhaps of the violence that hung
Speaker 1: in the balance. The men of the land, weary and sore,
Speaker 1: lay still in their beds, nursing the wounds from their circumcisions.
Speaker 1: Pain g noordered them, but they bore it with grim resolve,
Speaker 1: knowing that suffering was the price for more livestock, more women,
Speaker 1: more power. They slept, their dreams painted with visions of
Speaker 1: young wives, the soft clamor of coins, and the steady
Speaker 1: bleating of sheep. As the sun finally yielded to the night,
Speaker 1: the moon cast its pallid beams behind a shroud of
Speaker 1: dark clouds, a harbinger of what was to come. The
Speaker 1: courtyard of Haymour's home was left unguarded, unmanned, as if
Speaker 1: fated self had turned a blind eye. In the heavy
Speaker 1: stillnes of the night, two figures moved with purpose. Cloaked
Speaker 1: in shadow and armed with steel. Simeon and Levi, sons
Speaker 1: of Jacob, approached with swords in hand, their faces set
Speaker 1: in grim determination.
Speaker 7: Are you ready, Levi?
Speaker 9: Ready?
Speaker 7: Brother?
Speaker 1: Remember no mercy, only judgment. There would be no parley,
Speaker 1: no chance for bargains or pleas the time for words
Speaker 1: had long passed. With the ferocity born of righteous wrath,
Speaker 1: the brothers stormed the palace. One by one. They burst
Speaker 1: open doors, their swords flashing in the dim light, finding
Speaker 1: the throats of Haymour's men with ruthless precision. Some tried
Speaker 1: to flee, but their steps were crippled by the wounds
Speaker 1: inflicted days before. It had all been planned, cripple the
Speaker 1: men first, make them weak, then strike when they could
Speaker 1: barely stand. Simeon and Levi move like wolves in the
Speaker 1: fold their swords, seeing a song of vengeance. They left
Speaker 1: a trail of blood in their wake, crimson pools staining
Speaker 1: the stone floors. Simeon kicked open the door to Haniel's chamber,
Speaker 1: where the old man stirred, his eyes wide with fear.
Speaker 6: What is the meaning of this?
Speaker 7: I'm a simple man him or I don't need to
Speaker 7: prep you with some speech about honor. You wouldn't understand anyway.
Speaker 1: Prepared to die, Simeon slashed Haymow's throat. Hamo grasped at
Speaker 1: his neck, desperately trying to scream. He couldn't. He keeled
Speaker 1: over in his bed and died, just one left. They
Speaker 1: did not burst through Shechem's door as they had the others. Instead,
Speaker 1: they opened it quietly, stepping inside, as if they had
Speaker 1: all the time in the world. Dinah lay beside Shechem,
Speaker 1: her presence a silent witness to what was to come.
Speaker 1: Shechhem's eyes widened at the sight of the brothers. Drenched
Speaker 1: in the blood of his kin. He tried to rise,
Speaker 1: but Payne glanced through him, forcing him back onto the bed.
Speaker 9: I heard this's going on out there? What have you done?
Speaker 1: Levi moved to Dinah's side, taking her hand and leading
Speaker 1: her from the room with a gentle touch that belied
Speaker 1: the violence of the night. Simeon remained, his gaze fixed
Speaker 1: on Shechem with a cold intensity. He tapped his sword
Speaker 1: on the stone floor and slowly approached.
Speaker 7: We Hebrews aren't perfect. Follow my father around for a
Speaker 7: day and you'll realize that we aren't perfectly upright men.
Speaker 7: But we do have honor. That's something that seems so
Speaker 7: foreign to you Canaanites.
Speaker 9: Is this about your sister? I paid you handsomely for her.
Speaker 7: Oh, dear Shechhem, you haven't paid nearly what you Oh.
Speaker 7: Dinah told me what you did to her. She told
Speaker 7: me what you did and how you did it, and
Speaker 7: where you did it. The price for that is more
Speaker 7: than some gold or land.
Speaker 9: Name your price and I will pay it.
Speaker 2: I'm glad you asked.
Speaker 1: Simeon's voice was almost gentle as he placed the tip
Speaker 1: of his sword against Shechem's chest.
Speaker 7: The price is your life.
Speaker 1: He drove the blade deep the isle, cut him from
Speaker 1: flesh and burn. Sheckem gasped, choking on blood, his eyes
Speaker 1: darting to the door where Dinah stood with Levi watching.
Speaker 1: The prince's breath hitched, drowned in the blood that filled
Speaker 1: his lungs, and then he was still. When it was done,
Speaker 1: the brothers took all that remained, the wealth, the children,
Speaker 1: the women, all that was in the houses they captured
Speaker 1: and carried away. Mercy was a word that held no
Speaker 1: meaning for them. As dawn broke over the plains, Simeon
Speaker 1: and Levi returned with Dinah, blood still wet on their
Speaker 1: faces and tunics. Jacob was waiting for them, his face
Speaker 1: a storm of fury and fear.
Speaker 2: Foolish boys, what have you done?
Speaker 7: What you should have done?
Speaker 2: We gave Shechem and his entire household what they deserved. Idiots,
Speaker 2: do you have any idea what trouble you've caused? You've
Speaker 2: made us a stink to the Chanaanites and Perizites. They
Speaker 2: outnumber us ten to one. What will we do if
Speaker 2: they decide to retaliate?
Speaker 7: And what should we have done? Father?
Speaker 2: Tell me refrain from being stupid. But it seems it
Speaker 2: was too hard a task for you.
Speaker 7: So you would have had Dinah shipped off like a
Speaker 7: mayor to that monster. You would have had her ravaged
Speaker 7: day and night in the chambers of that scoundrel, just
Speaker 7: so you wouldn't have to stir the pot. You're despicable
Speaker 7: and a coward.
Speaker 2: Mind your tongue, Simeon.
Speaker 7: As you wish.
Speaker 1: Father Jacob stood alone, fists clenched, teeth grinding. A storm
Speaker 1: of emotions wared within him. Shame at his son's greater
Speaker 1: sense of honor, terror at the prospect of the city's vengeance,
Speaker 1: Guilt for bringing his family into this place of doom
Speaker 1: instead of leading them straight to Bethel. He was a
Speaker 1: man caught between the duty of a father and the
Speaker 1: fear of a leader, and in that moment, the weight
Speaker 1: of both threatened to crush him.
Speaker 8: The story of Dina, the story of a woman violated,
Speaker 8: of brothers enraged, and of a city left devastated. It's
Speaker 8: a dark, unsettling chair of scripture. You feel the weight
Speaker 8: of injustice, the anger, the grief, and you might have
Speaker 8: questions such as, why is this in the Bible? What
Speaker 8: are we supposed to learn from this? Isn't it easy
Speaker 8: to feel lost in the horror of it all and
Speaker 8: to question the presence of a loving God in such
Speaker 8: a brutal tale. But as we've already seen and we'll
Speaker 8: surely see again, the Bible doesn't shy away from the
Speaker 8: messiness of life. It confronts us with the brokenness of
Speaker 8: our world, and in doing so, it whispers of our
Speaker 8: need for redemption, for healing, for God who walks with
Speaker 8: us through the darkness, who brings justice and mercy. So
Speaker 8: even as we wrestle with these ancient stories, we find
Speaker 8: a glimmer of hope, a promise that God sees, that
Speaker 8: he knows, and that somehow He is doing all things
Speaker 8: for good the world. The Bible was one of honor
Speaker 8: and shame. Every action, word, and glance carried great weight
Speaker 8: in ancient society. So Dina's violation was not just an
Speaker 8: assault on her it was an assault on her family's honor.
Speaker 8: This act brought shame not only to Dina, but to
Speaker 8: her father, Jacob, and to her brothers. And it's through
Speaker 8: Dina's story and the actions of her brothers and her
Speaker 8: father that we learn a couple of lessons for today.
Speaker 8: As a parent, I am constantly trying to find the
Speaker 8: balance between authority and affection, a struggle that many of
Speaker 8: you can probably relate to. But one thing that I
Speaker 8: learned from my Abba, my father of a real Exstine's
Speaker 8: blessed memory, while watching him parent me and my two sisters,
Speaker 8: is to delineate between the child and their behavior or misbehavior,
Speaker 8: and who they really are. We have to separate what
Speaker 8: they're doing from who they are. I'm sure that all
Speaker 8: of us as parents have had to clarify to our
Speaker 8: children at one point or another in a heated moment,
Speaker 8: I'm not mad at.
Speaker 9: You, I'm mad at what you did.
Speaker 8: We see this same reaction later in Genesis from Jacob,
Speaker 8: the father of Dina and her vengeful brothers. As he
Speaker 8: lay on his deathbed, Jacob gave an overview of the
Speaker 8: twelve tribes and his blessing for each one. In Genesis
Speaker 8: forty nine, when he got to Simeon and Levy, Jacob said, quote,
Speaker 8: curse be their anger so fierce, and their fury so
Speaker 8: cruel end quote. The great saij Rashi points out that
Speaker 8: even as he rebuked his two sons, Jacob didn't curse them.
Speaker 8: He cursed their anger. Isn't that a great example for
Speaker 8: all of us today as we guide our children or
Speaker 8: grandchildren or other young loved ones, or as we interact
Speaker 8: with others like friends and neighbors. The people we meet
Speaker 8: each day, it's so important to remember to love the person,
Speaker 8: even if we might not like, and even try to
Speaker 8: correct their actions. When we're able to tell someone that
Speaker 8: they did something wrong with the foundation of love. It
Speaker 8: will get through a lot more clear, and it won't
Speaker 8: corrode our hearts with hatred. Let's all be more like Jacob,
Speaker 8: this patriarch of the Chosen People. But despite the positive
Speaker 8: example we receive from Jacob, long after this Bible story ends,
Speaker 8: it's still a very dark and disturbing episode, isn't it.
Speaker 8: Once again, the Bible doesn't hide the imperfections and the
Speaker 8: flawed humanity of its heroes. Yes, Schrem had committed an
Speaker 8: unspeakable act was understandable, and as a father and a
Speaker 8: flawed human, Jacob's resigned acceptance of Simeon and Levy's play
Speaker 8: was understandable. His beloved daughter had been assaulted. But the
Speaker 8: whole cell violence that Simeon and Levy unleashed was not acceptable.
Speaker 8: And this is because, as God's chosen people, Jacob and
Speaker 8: his family were meant to be an example of morality
Speaker 8: and proper behavior, even to pagan tribes. Actually, they were
Speaker 8: meant to be an example, especially to those who did
Speaker 8: not believe in the God of Israel. Our sages tell
Speaker 8: us that because of this act, the tribes of Simeon
Speaker 8: and Levy were deprived of overall leadership of the chosen people,
Speaker 8: and the lesson for us is that, as God's chosen
Speaker 8: people today, we must follow a higher standard, a holy standard,
Speaker 8: and set an example for others in everything we do,
Speaker 8: especially when we're angry of a godly way of living,
Speaker 8: because vengeance is not ours to dish out, and human vengeance,
Speaker 8: as seen in the actions of Dina's brothers, only leads
Speaker 8: to further cycles of violence and pain. Human vengeance is
Speaker 8: all too often a temporary, flawed solution to a deeper problem.
Speaker 8: God's justice, though, seeks restoration and righteousness. It's a justice
Speaker 8: that aims to heal, to bring shalom, to bring peace.
Speaker 8: So while it's often difficult to do, let's trust in
Speaker 8: God's justice rather than taking matters into our own hands.
Speaker 8: Because God sees every wrong, every tear, and every cry
Speaker 8: for help, and he responds. He acts righteously and justly
Speaker 8: when we are wronged. Our impulse may be to strike
Speaker 8: back to even this score, but the Bible shows us
Speaker 8: another path, one of forgiveness, of mercy, and trust in
Speaker 8: God's justice and his plan. Because God's justice brings restration,
Speaker 8: not retribution. God's justice heals, It brings wholeness. It reflects
Speaker 8: God's perfect heart. So as we navigate our broken world,
Speaker 8: let's all be instruments of His peace, his justice, and
Speaker 8: his love. May the Lord bless you and keep you.
Speaker 8: May the Lord make his face shine upon you and
Speaker 8: be gracious to you. May the Lord turn his face
Speaker 8: towards you and give you peace. Yivarechra hashmv schmrra yeah
Speaker 8: heir hashempanave elerara yie sa hashempanavelehrah Amen.
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Speaker 1: Max Bard, Zach Shellabager and Ben Gammon are the executive
Speaker 1: producers of the Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, Edited by
Speaker 1: Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by
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