GENESIS
Chapters 34 and 35
If you don’t have a Bible handy, click this link for Genesis Chapter 34 and Chapter 35.
Chapter 34
Verses 1-3 Shechem commits a crime against Dinah.
Verse 4 Shechem wants to marry Dinah.
Verse 5 Jacob learns of the crime against his daughter.
Verses 6-12 Shechem’s father asks Jacob to give Dinah to his son as a wife.
Verses 13-17 The sons of Jacob make an agreement with Shechem’s father.
Verses 18-24 Shechem and his dad present the agreement to the men of their city and all agree.
Verses 25-29 While the men of the city were recovering from the circumcisions, Simeon and Levi kill every male in the city. They take the women and children hostage and plunder all their goods.
Verses 30-31 Jacob is not happy with Simeon and Levi and he fears for his life.
Chapter 35
Verse 1 God tells Jacob to go to Bethel.
Verses 2-4 Jacob tells his family and all in his house to get rid of the idols and purify themselves.
Verses 5-7 Jacob travels to Bethel in safety.
Verse 8 Rebekah’s nurse dies.
Verses 9-10 God tells Jacob his name is now Israel.
Verses 11-15 The promises given to Abraham and Isaac are also given to Jacob.
Verses 16-20 Rachel dies in childbirth as she gives birth to Benjamin.
Verses 21-22 Reuben sleeps with Bilhah (Rachel’s maidservant).
Verses 23-26 A list of the 12 sons and who their mothers were.
Verses 27-29 Isaac dies. Jacob and Esau bury their father.
Discussion:
-- Have you been the victim of a crime? How did you handle it? Did you avenge yourself by committing a crime against that person? Did you take the law into your own hands?
-- Dinah was hanging out with the wrong people. Does that justify what happened to her?
-- Who do you blame when bad things happen to you? Do you forgive those who have wronged you?
-- Jacob was more concerned with his reputation than his daughter’s. What should he have done?
-- The 2 brothers killed all the males in that city – did that punishment fit the crime?
-- Jacob orders the family to “clean up”. Was that enough? Did anyone confess their sin or ask for forgiveness?
Children Discussion:
-- What kind of punishment should you get when you disobey? Time out? Spanking? Loss of privileges?
-- Does punishment help you to obey?
-- Is it better to just obey?
