# 43 - The Tragedy of Dinah - In this episode of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein we confront the devastating consequences of violence, vengeance, and the pursuit of justice without mercy. This episode delves into one of the Bible's darkest chapters, exploring the complexities of human sin and the hope for divine restoration.
Episode 43 of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein is inspired by the Book of Genesis.
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For more information about Yael Eckstein and IFCJ visit https://www.ifcj.org/
Today's opening prayer is inspired by Psalm 75:7, “But God is the judge. He puts down one, and lifts up another.”
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Show Notes:
(02:12) Intro with Yael Eckstein
(03:44) The Tragedy of Dinah - Cinematic Retelling
(25:48) Reflection with Yael Eckstein
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Speaker 1: Previously on the chosen people.
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Speaker 2: Brother, come to my village.
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Speaker 3: Stay with me. We journey together. You go on ahead,
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Speaker 3: go at the pace that suits you, and we will
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Speaker 3: pay slowly behind until we meet you and see her.
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Speaker 4: We aren't going to see her, are we?
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Speaker 2: No, we are not.
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Speaker 5: What a shame.
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Speaker 4: It would have been nice to meet the twin who
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Speaker 4: took all the good nature.
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Speaker 1: The words stun that they.
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Speaker 2: Were true men set the course for suck off?
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Speaker 5: Why are we going there? Did God not tell you
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Speaker 5: to go to Bethel?
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Speaker 1: It didn't take long for the city of Shechem to
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Speaker 1: take notice. Haymour, the city's chief, came galloping with his
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Speaker 1: sons behind him. Jacob turned back to his family. His
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Speaker 1: eldest sons, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah stood behind him.
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Speaker 1: They were sizing up the sons of ham More, itching
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Speaker 1: for conflict. Jacob was done fighting. He wanted ease and peace.
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Speaker 1: He turned back to Hamel and extended his hand.
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Speaker 6: Name your price, one hundred pieces of silver up front
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Speaker 6: for the land, And if you don't prove yourself to
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Speaker 6: be good for our people, then I'll have my son's
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Speaker 6: come to shake more out of you. This is my
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Speaker 6: oldest Shechem, he'll be back to collect your rent. I
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Speaker 6: suggest treating him to a meal every now and again
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Speaker 6: when he visits. He's named after the city, and.
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Speaker 7: He will all be his one day, so you'll best
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Speaker 7: be good to him.
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Speaker 1: Sachem flashed a mocking smile. Jacob could feel his son's
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Speaker 1: tensing at the sight of him. Hamer and his sons
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Speaker 1: rode off. Jacob turned, looking at his family's balking glares.
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Speaker 1: Jacob wagged a finger and spoke to his boys.
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Speaker 2: Give that no reasons, do you hear me?
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Speaker 1: They nodded and left. Jacob sighed as he watched them go.
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Speaker 1: He knew he shouldn't be here, yet fear kept him
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Speaker 1: from moving forward. It would be his undoing.
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Speaker 8: When honor stained by violence, the hearts cry for justice
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Speaker 8: echoes through the valley of vengeance. Shallow my friends from
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Speaker 8: here in the Holy Land. I'm ya l Exstein with
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Speaker 8: the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Welcome to the
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Speaker 8: Chosen People. Each day we'll hear a dramatic story inspired
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Speaker 8: by the Bible, stories filled with timeless lessons of faith, love,
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Speaker 8: and the meaning of life. Through Israel's story, we find
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Speaker 8: this truth that we are all chosen for something great.
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Speaker 8: Today's story is dark, to say the least. But as
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Speaker 8: we've seen so many times so far, and we'll see
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Speaker 8: again and again, the Bible isn't the story of perfect
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Speaker 8: people acting perfectly. It's a story full of broken people
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Speaker 8: living in a broken world. And today's story is one
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Speaker 8: about how we face this brokenness. Some people withdraw when
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Speaker 8: faced with injustice. They might say nothing, they might do nothing,
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Speaker 8: and others take the opposite root. They become aggressive and
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Speaker 8: even violent, creating more pain. When we're faced with injustice,
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Speaker 8: we aren't called to be passive or overly aggressive. We
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Speaker 8: are called to comfort those who have been wronged and
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Speaker 8: to pursue justice for those who have done wrong. But
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Speaker 8: how do we find that balance? Well, maybe we'll learn
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Speaker 8: from today's Bible story. Inspired by Genesis thirty four.
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Speaker 1: This episode of The Chosen People with Yile Extein contains
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Speaker 1: explicit content that may be triggering for some listeners and
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Speaker 1: inappropriate for young children. Listener discretion is advised.
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Speaker 4: Over Here, Dinah enjoy a drink with us.
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Speaker 1: Dinah flashed an innocent smile, looked to her left and right,
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Speaker 1: then approached with a slight skip in her step. She
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Speaker 1: loved visiting the city of Shechem. It was bursting at
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Speaker 1: the seams with a chaotic energy that made her feel alive.
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Speaker 1: There were new things to learn around every corner. She
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Speaker 1: had spent her whole life dwelling intense, moving pasture to
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Speaker 1: pasture at her father's will. The buildings and homes made
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Speaker 1: of stone and wood gave her an odd sense of
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Speaker 1: power and control, But Dinah was terribly naive. She pranced
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Speaker 1: around the city like the plains outside Lavin's camp. She
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Speaker 1: was unaware of what lurked in the shadows, stalking like
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Speaker 1: a liar.
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Speaker 4: Dinah, we were just talking about you. You must settle
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Speaker 4: a debate for us.
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Speaker 2: What is it you?
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Speaker 5: Hebrews have more sheep than the gods themselves.
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Speaker 9: Tell us which grass is best for greasing?
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Speaker 5: Uh, well, that depends in winter. The coarse grass underneath
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Speaker 5: the poplar groves makes the sheep nice and fertile for
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Speaker 5: a good spring.
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Speaker 4: Oh, please tell us more about the grass. Leave out nothing.
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Speaker 1: Dinah realized they were teasing her, but couldn't muster up
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Speaker 1: the courage to defend herself. She winced in embarrassment, then
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Speaker 1: feigned a smile.
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Speaker 5: Oh, yes, well, I really hate all that nonsense. Why
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Speaker 5: do you think I spent so much time here?
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Speaker 1: Uh?
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Speaker 4: The wine, the men. I doubt Dina's ever betted a man.
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Speaker 4: She's a Hebrew. They keep everything hidden under sheep's woolen
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Speaker 4: til they're married.
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Speaker 9: What a bore.
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Speaker 4: I know she's wasting her beauty. She's lucky to have
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Speaker 4: it in the first place. Have you seen her mother?
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Speaker 9: Well, I leave the poor girl alone, Dinah turned.
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Speaker 1: It was Shechem, son of Chief Haymore. He wasn't named
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Speaker 1: Shechem for nothing. He was heir to the city and
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Speaker 1: walked around as such. He was a wiry man with
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Speaker 1: a thin beard and wisps of hair falling to his side.
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Speaker 1: Dinah wasn't sure what to make of him, but the
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Speaker 1: other girls swooned in his presence, most likely because of
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Speaker 1: the large purse strapped to the side of his belt.
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Speaker 1: Shechem was notorious for buying the companionship of every eligible
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Speaker 1: girl in the city. He was kind to Dinah whenever
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Speaker 1: they crossed paths. The attention made Dinah feel nice, although
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Speaker 1: sometimes his lingering eyes made her uncomfortable.
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Speaker 9: Dinah, would you like to take a stroll with me
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Speaker 9: and escape these petty and insufferable girls?
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Speaker 7: Oh?
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Speaker 5: I really must be heading home.
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Speaker 9: Then I will escort you.
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Speaker 3: Come.
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Speaker 9: Let's walk together.
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Speaker 5: As you say, my lord.
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Speaker 1: Shehem held out his arm for Dinah. She accepted gesture
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Speaker 1: with a nervous smile. They left the busy streets and
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Speaker 1: walked down a narrow, cobbled stairway leading to the city's gates.
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Speaker 1: Shechem was a perfect gentleman as they walked, asking Dinah
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Speaker 1: earnest questions.
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Speaker 9: Tell me, Dinah, how has your family adjusted to being
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Speaker 9: this close to the city. I can imagine it being
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Speaker 9: quite a shock.
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Speaker 5: My father enjoys the business connections. He plans to gain
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Speaker 5: more wealth through trading until we settle near Bethel.
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Speaker 9: And what are your brothers? They are rather a feral lot,
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Speaker 9: aren't they.
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Speaker 5: Ah, Yes, well, my brothers certainly like visiting, but they
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Speaker 5: don't know how to comport themselves.
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Speaker 9: They lack the refinement you have, Dinah. You're a rare
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Speaker 9: and elegant creature. You have the grace of a lady.
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Speaker 1: Shechem stopped underneath the shadow of a stone archway. He
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Speaker 1: raised a hand to Dinah's cheek. His eyes were wide
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Speaker 1: and dark, taking all of her in. Dinah felt as
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Speaker 1: if he were undressing her with his gaze. She wanted
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Speaker 1: to pull away, but she didn't.
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Speaker 9: Dinah, you are radiant and deserve to be cherished.
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Speaker 5: Thank you, Shechem h that is kind.
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Speaker 9: I must confess. I can't stop thinking about you. I
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Speaker 9: long to be with you, Dinah. I only pray you
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Speaker 9: return my affection.
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Speaker 5: I'm not sure what to say.
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Speaker 9: I must have you, Dinah. I will die if I don't.
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Speaker 1: Shechem squeezed Dinah's arm and brought her body close to his.
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Speaker 1: He leaned in to smell her hair. Dinah could feel
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Speaker 1: his body tense with desire. She was terrified, wanting nothing
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Speaker 1: else but to melt so she could escape his grip.
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Speaker 1: Please let me go.
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Speaker 9: You're hurting me. You are the one who has hurt me.
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Speaker 9: Every day.
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Speaker 1: You have been hurting me.
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Speaker 9: I ache with desire. I keel over at night, fantasizing
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Speaker 9: about what I'd like to have you. I've watched you, Dinah.
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Speaker 9: I've watched your coming and going. I've watched you draw
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Speaker 9: water from the well and dance under the lanterns. Each
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Speaker 9: moment I don't have you as painful. I shall be
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Speaker 9: rid of that pain today.
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Speaker 1: Please no, Shechem ignored Dinah's please for mercy, he seized
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Speaker 1: her against the jagged stone walls and violated her. Shechem,
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Speaker 1: like many young, rich rulers of his time, knew if
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Speaker 1: he wanted something, he needed just take it for himself,
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Speaker 1: and he wanted Dinah. He burned with a self serving
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Speaker 1: and violent desire. Flailing and fighting, Dinah realized there would
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Speaker 1: be nobody there to help her. Shechem humiliated Dinah in
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Speaker 1: the shadows. Dinah was humiliated and defiled, Yet instead of
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Speaker 1: releasing her with threats, Shecham spoke tenderly and with gentleness.
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Speaker 9: You are fair, sweet Dinah. I shall have you as
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Speaker 9: my wife. You will be wet underneath lanterns and stars.
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Speaker 9: Our children will rule this city.
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Speaker 1: Dinah was speechless, paralyzed, and humiliated.
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Speaker 9: There is no need to say anything, my dear, love
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Speaker 9: can be overwhelming. Return to your tent, but do not
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Speaker 9: enjoy it.
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Speaker 7: Love.
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Speaker 9: Soon you will be with me in a palace.
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Speaker 1: Shechem kissed Dinah. His thin, wiry chin hair rubbed against
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Speaker 1: Dinah's cheek, which was wet with tears. Shechem pranced away,
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Speaker 1: satisfied with himself. Dinah lay there for a long while,
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Speaker 1: cold and broken. Her sobbing echoed off the dark stone
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Speaker 1: walls of the city. After an hour or so of
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Speaker 1: holding herself, she hoppled back home. Simeon grunted in frustration,
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Speaker 1: coiling and uncoiling some rope to try and get it
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Speaker 1: perfectly taught. He cursed under his breath, vowing to give
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Speaker 1: up each time. Before trying again, Levi chuckled at his older.
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Speaker 2: Brother, you're gonna give me the roper not.
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Speaker 4: Your hands are like.
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Speaker 7: Carrots, yes, but my fists are like stones. Get away
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Speaker 7: and leave me to my work.
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Speaker 1: Simeon shocked Levi, getting him a swift slap upside the head.
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Speaker 1: In return, the two wrestled in the dirt for a moment.
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Speaker 1: Reuben approached and kicked them both.
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Speaker 2: Oy ill, just corral free sheep. It got past the
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Speaker 2: crude fences you idiots built. That's carrot fingers over here.
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Speaker 2: I paid him three shekels to do my portion of
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Speaker 2: the fence.
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Speaker 7: If you had paid me for it would have been
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Speaker 7: done better.
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Speaker 1: The brothers continued to tease, jab and argue, as brothers do.
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Speaker 1: The sons of Lea were close bound to each other
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Speaker 1: by a bond beyond blood. They were sons of Leah
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Speaker 1: the Loveless. They all had chips on their shoulders. They
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Speaker 1: were born with a certain rage that couldn't be quelled.
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Speaker 1: They disagreed often, but were undyingly loyal. Their jesting was
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Speaker 1: brought to an abrupt halt when they saw their sister,
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Speaker 1: Dinah hobble down the road, weeping uncontrollably.
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Speaker 7: Dinah, what happened?
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Speaker 1: Levi removed his cloak and wrapped it around her. They
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Speaker 1: sat beside her, trying to decipher her incoherent sobs. That's
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Speaker 1: when they noticed all the signs. The haggard hair, the
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Speaker 1: torn gown, the blood. Simeon snarled as his mind filled
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Speaker 1: in the blanks. With an intense, low growl, he asked
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Speaker 1: three simple words.
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Speaker 7: Who did this shackle o'h?
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Speaker 1: Kill him?
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Speaker 7: Not? If I kill him first, Let's figure more out
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Speaker 7: before we draw suits.
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Speaker 1: I knew you'd say that, coward.
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Speaker 7: You're built like a ball, but I swear you have
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Speaker 7: the spine of a chicken.
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Speaker 1: Please hold you back home.
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Speaker 7: Of course, sweet sister, come here.
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Speaker 1: Simeon wrapped Diner in his arms and carried her to
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Speaker 1: Lea's tent. She was mortified to hear about what happened
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Speaker 1: to her daughter. She bathed her, fed her, and tucked
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Speaker 1: her into bed. Simeon and Levi stayed outside her tent
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Speaker 1: all night, refusing to leave her side. Leah stared intensely
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Speaker 1: at her husband, her scowl illuminated in the candlelight within
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Speaker 1: his tent.
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Speaker 4: What are you going to do about what happened to Dinah?
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Speaker 2: What can I do? Shechem is the son of the
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Speaker 2: most powerful man in the region.
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Speaker 4: We shouldn't even be here. God told you to settle
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Speaker 4: in Bethel.
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Speaker 2: I know, but I thought we could be here for
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Speaker 2: a while to group. I thought it would be good
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Speaker 2: for us.
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Speaker 4: Good for you, maybe, But you've left the rest of
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Speaker 4: us vulnerable to the city. Your daughter was raped, Jacob.
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Speaker 2: Keep your voice down.
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Speaker 4: So we're going to pretend like this didn't happen. You're
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Speaker 4: going to do.
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Speaker 7: Nothing for now?
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Speaker 4: Yes, we do nothing very well. And how are you
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Speaker 4: going to keep our sons from taking action?
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Speaker 2: They wouldn't do anything without my command?
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Speaker 4: Okay, Jacob, whatever you say, I'll let you find out
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Speaker 4: on your own just how little you know about your
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Speaker 4: own children.
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Speaker 1: Leah left, shaking her head. Jacob remained where he stood
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Speaker 1: for a long while, ashamed. His anger boiled against Shechem.
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Speaker 1: He wanted to tear the boy Limb from Limb and
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Speaker 1: burn the city to the ground, but if he retaliated,
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Speaker 1: he risked a war he couldn't win, so Jacob resigned
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Speaker 1: to forgetting it ever happened. He blew out his candle
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Speaker 1: and slept in a pool of his own shame. The
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Speaker 1: next morning, Jacob rose and chopped wood in silence, the
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Speaker 1: woods splittingsily under Jacob's swing. He was growing old, but
00:15:14
Speaker 1: still had the strength of a mountain lion. He channeled
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Speaker 1: his rage to the firewood, hoping his sons were finding
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Speaker 1: similar ways to quell their fury. He feared Lea was right.
00:15:26
Speaker 1: Simeon and Levi were born violent, they wanted any excuse
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Speaker 1: to sharpen their swords. Jacob's fear became all the more
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Speaker 1: palpable when he heard a shofar blow in the distance.
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Speaker 1: Parading up the road with a procession of gifts and
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Speaker 1: pomp behind him was Haymoor. He rode on a charcoal
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Speaker 1: black horse adorned with purple frays. His dark beard shimmered
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Speaker 1: from expensive oils. Beside him was his scoundrel of a son, Shechem.
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Speaker 1: Jacob bore his teeth at the sight of them, but
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Speaker 1: knew he had to be tactful. He drew a deep
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Speaker 1: breath and slammed his axe against the wood.
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Speaker 2: Nymore, so, what do I owe this illustrious visit?
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Speaker 7: Love and honor, Jacob, Love and honor my son.
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Speaker 6: Shechem has expressed a desire to marry your daughter, Dinah.
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Speaker 2: Is that so?
00:16:24
Speaker 1: Jacob saw Leah exit her daughter's tent and cross her arms.
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Speaker 1: She said nothing, and she dared not, but Jacob knew
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Speaker 1: her thoughts.
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Speaker 6: Oh yes, Shekeem's soul longs for your daughter.
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Speaker 7: Jacob.
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Speaker 6: Let us consider a marriage, and all my land can
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Speaker 6: be opened up to you for trade and property and farming.
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Speaker 6: It'll be great, It'll be stupendous.
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Speaker 9: What do you say, sheckem good and fair, Jacob, Let
00:16:53
Speaker 9: me find favor in your eyes. Dinah is a treasure.
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Speaker 9: I would pay a hefty price to have her.
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Speaker 7: How hefty price?
00:17:01
Speaker 1: Jacob turned. Simeon, Levi, Reuben, and Judas stood behind him,
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Speaker 1: arms tense and ready to fight. Jacob did his best
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Speaker 1: to hide his panic. He turned to Haymour and shekehem.
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Speaker 3: Gentlemen, surely you've met my four oldest sons. They are
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Speaker 3: very protective of their sister.
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Speaker 9: Gentlemen, name your price and I will pay it.
00:17:26
Speaker 1: Jacob turned to Simeon. He was surprisingly cool and calm.
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Speaker 1: Simeon tilted his head and twitched his nose. Jacob could
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Speaker 1: tell something was afoot in the back of Simeon's mind,
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Speaker 1: but dared not ask in front of their guests.
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Speaker 7: There are eleven of us sons. Some of us have
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Speaker 7: daughters of our own, almost of age. Why not strike
00:17:45
Speaker 7: a treaty between us? We were just suggesting this to
00:17:49
Speaker 7: your father. You have a wise son, Jacob.
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Speaker 2: Indeed I do.
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Speaker 1: Simeon flashed a smile at his father. For a moment,
00:17:58
Speaker 1: it was as if Jacob was looking into a broken mirror.
00:18:01
Speaker 1: Simeon was scheming something, but this wasn't a scheme of
00:18:05
Speaker 1: stew or sheep. Simeon had violence in mind.
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Speaker 7: It would disgrace us to give our sister to someone uncircumcised.
00:18:14
Speaker 7: Were sons of Abraham? After all, there are standards we
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Speaker 7: must keep. Our only condition is that you and all
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Speaker 7: your men be circumcised. Then we will give all our
00:18:25
Speaker 7: daughters to be with your men in marriage, and we
00:18:28
Speaker 7: can become one people, sharing in all things. What do
00:18:32
Speaker 7: you say?
00:18:33
Speaker 1: These words pleased Haymour and Shechem. Not only did Shechem
00:18:37
Speaker 1: get his desire, but every man would get a wife,
00:18:41
Speaker 1: and the region would get to share in Jacob's vast resources.
00:18:45
Speaker 1: Yet they rejoiced naively. Jacob's sons would not forgive what
00:18:49
Speaker 1: Shechim had done to their sister. On the third day,
00:18:55
Speaker 1: the city lay in an uneasy silence, the kind that
00:18:58
Speaker 1: clung to the air like a lingering fog. The sun
00:19:02
Speaker 1: was sinking low, bleeding its last light across the city.
00:19:05
Speaker 1: As it dipped toward the western horizon, the heat of
00:19:09
Speaker 1: the day met the cool breath of evening in a
00:19:12
Speaker 1: strange embrace, an omen perhaps of the violence that hung
00:19:16
Speaker 1: in the balance. The men of the land, weary and sore,
00:19:20
Speaker 1: lay still in their beds, nursing the wounds from their circumcisions.
00:19:24
Speaker 1: Pain g noordered them, but they bore it with grim resolve,
00:19:28
Speaker 1: knowing that suffering was the price for more livestock, more women,
00:19:32
Speaker 1: more power. They slept, their dreams painted with visions of
00:19:36
Speaker 1: young wives, the soft clamor of coins, and the steady
00:19:40
Speaker 1: bleating of sheep. As the sun finally yielded to the night,
00:19:44
Speaker 1: the moon cast its pallid beams behind a shroud of
00:19:48
Speaker 1: dark clouds, a harbinger of what was to come. The
00:19:51
Speaker 1: courtyard of Haymour's home was left unguarded, unmanned, as if
00:19:56
Speaker 1: fated self had turned a blind eye. In the heavy
00:19:59
Speaker 1: stillnes of the night, two figures moved with purpose. Cloaked
00:20:03
Speaker 1: in shadow and armed with steel. Simeon and Levi, sons
00:20:08
Speaker 1: of Jacob, approached with swords in hand, their faces set
00:20:12
Speaker 1: in grim determination.
00:20:15
Speaker 7: Are you ready, Levi?
00:20:17
Speaker 9: Ready?
00:20:17
Speaker 7: Brother?
00:20:19
Speaker 1: Remember no mercy, only judgment. There would be no parley,
00:20:26
Speaker 1: no chance for bargains or pleas the time for words
00:20:30
Speaker 1: had long passed. With the ferocity born of righteous wrath,
00:20:34
Speaker 1: the brothers stormed the palace. One by one. They burst
00:20:38
Speaker 1: open doors, their swords flashing in the dim light, finding
00:20:42
Speaker 1: the throats of Haymour's men with ruthless precision. Some tried
00:20:46
Speaker 1: to flee, but their steps were crippled by the wounds
00:20:49
Speaker 1: inflicted days before. It had all been planned, cripple the
00:20:53
Speaker 1: men first, make them weak, then strike when they could
00:20:56
Speaker 1: barely stand. Simeon and Levi move like wolves in the
00:21:01
Speaker 1: fold their swords, seeing a song of vengeance. They left
00:21:05
Speaker 1: a trail of blood in their wake, crimson pools staining
00:21:08
Speaker 1: the stone floors. Simeon kicked open the door to Haniel's chamber,
00:21:12
Speaker 1: where the old man stirred, his eyes wide with fear.
00:21:16
Speaker 6: What is the meaning of this?
00:21:18
Speaker 7: I'm a simple man him or I don't need to
00:21:22
Speaker 7: prep you with some speech about honor. You wouldn't understand anyway.
00:21:27
Speaker 1: Prepared to die, Simeon slashed Haymow's throat. Hamo grasped at
00:21:34
Speaker 1: his neck, desperately trying to scream. He couldn't. He keeled
00:21:38
Speaker 1: over in his bed and died, just one left. They
00:21:45
Speaker 1: did not burst through Shechem's door as they had the others. Instead,
00:21:49
Speaker 1: they opened it quietly, stepping inside, as if they had
00:21:53
Speaker 1: all the time in the world. Dinah lay beside Shechem,
00:21:57
Speaker 1: her presence a silent witness to what was to come.
00:22:01
Speaker 1: Shechhem's eyes widened at the sight of the brothers. Drenched
00:22:05
Speaker 1: in the blood of his kin. He tried to rise,
00:22:08
Speaker 1: but Payne glanced through him, forcing him back onto the bed.
00:22:12
Speaker 9: I heard this's going on out there? What have you done?
00:22:15
Speaker 1: Levi moved to Dinah's side, taking her hand and leading
00:22:19
Speaker 1: her from the room with a gentle touch that belied
00:22:22
Speaker 1: the violence of the night. Simeon remained, his gaze fixed
00:22:26
Speaker 1: on Shechem with a cold intensity. He tapped his sword
00:22:30
Speaker 1: on the stone floor and slowly approached.
00:22:33
Speaker 7: We Hebrews aren't perfect. Follow my father around for a
00:22:38
Speaker 7: day and you'll realize that we aren't perfectly upright men.
00:22:42
Speaker 7: But we do have honor. That's something that seems so
00:22:46
Speaker 7: foreign to you Canaanites.
00:22:49
Speaker 9: Is this about your sister? I paid you handsomely for her.
00:22:55
Speaker 7: Oh, dear Shechhem, you haven't paid nearly what you Oh.
00:23:01
Speaker 7: Dinah told me what you did to her. She told
00:23:05
Speaker 7: me what you did and how you did it, and
00:23:09
Speaker 7: where you did it. The price for that is more
00:23:14
Speaker 7: than some gold or land.
00:23:18
Speaker 9: Name your price and I will pay it.
00:23:20
Speaker 2: I'm glad you asked.
00:23:23
Speaker 1: Simeon's voice was almost gentle as he placed the tip
00:23:26
Speaker 1: of his sword against Shechem's chest.
00:23:29
Speaker 7: The price is your life.
00:23:32
Speaker 1: He drove the blade deep the isle, cut him from
00:23:36
Speaker 1: flesh and burn. Sheckem gasped, choking on blood, his eyes
00:23:40
Speaker 1: darting to the door where Dinah stood with Levi watching.
00:23:44
Speaker 1: The prince's breath hitched, drowned in the blood that filled
00:23:48
Speaker 1: his lungs, and then he was still. When it was done,
00:23:52
Speaker 1: the brothers took all that remained, the wealth, the children,
00:23:56
Speaker 1: the women, all that was in the houses they captured
00:23:59
Speaker 1: and carried away. Mercy was a word that held no
00:24:03
Speaker 1: meaning for them. As dawn broke over the plains, Simeon
00:24:09
Speaker 1: and Levi returned with Dinah, blood still wet on their
00:24:13
Speaker 1: faces and tunics. Jacob was waiting for them, his face
00:24:16
Speaker 1: a storm of fury and fear.
00:24:19
Speaker 2: Foolish boys, what have you done?
00:24:22
Speaker 7: What you should have done?
00:24:25
Speaker 2: We gave Shechem and his entire household what they deserved. Idiots,
00:24:31
Speaker 2: do you have any idea what trouble you've caused? You've
00:24:34
Speaker 2: made us a stink to the Chanaanites and Perizites. They
00:24:37
Speaker 2: outnumber us ten to one. What will we do if
00:24:41
Speaker 2: they decide to retaliate?
00:24:43
Speaker 7: And what should we have done? Father?
00:24:45
Speaker 2: Tell me refrain from being stupid. But it seems it
00:24:48
Speaker 2: was too hard a task for you.
00:24:51
Speaker 7: So you would have had Dinah shipped off like a
00:24:54
Speaker 7: mayor to that monster. You would have had her ravaged
00:24:57
Speaker 7: day and night in the chambers of that scoundrel, just
00:25:01
Speaker 7: so you wouldn't have to stir the pot. You're despicable
00:25:06
Speaker 7: and a coward.
00:25:07
Speaker 2: Mind your tongue, Simeon.
00:25:10
Speaker 7: As you wish.
00:25:11
Speaker 1: Father Jacob stood alone, fists clenched, teeth grinding. A storm
00:25:18
Speaker 1: of emotions wared within him. Shame at his son's greater
00:25:22
Speaker 1: sense of honor, terror at the prospect of the city's vengeance,
00:25:26
Speaker 1: Guilt for bringing his family into this place of doom
00:25:29
Speaker 1: instead of leading them straight to Bethel. He was a
00:25:32
Speaker 1: man caught between the duty of a father and the
00:25:35
Speaker 1: fear of a leader, and in that moment, the weight
00:25:40
Speaker 1: of both threatened to crush him.
00:25:50
Speaker 8: The story of Dina, the story of a woman violated,
00:25:54
Speaker 8: of brothers enraged, and of a city left devastated. It's
00:25:58
Speaker 8: a dark, unsettling chair of scripture. You feel the weight
00:26:02
Speaker 8: of injustice, the anger, the grief, and you might have
00:26:06
Speaker 8: questions such as, why is this in the Bible? What
00:26:10
Speaker 8: are we supposed to learn from this? Isn't it easy
00:26:13
Speaker 8: to feel lost in the horror of it all and
00:26:15
Speaker 8: to question the presence of a loving God in such
00:26:18
Speaker 8: a brutal tale. But as we've already seen and we'll
00:26:23
Speaker 8: surely see again, the Bible doesn't shy away from the
00:26:26
Speaker 8: messiness of life. It confronts us with the brokenness of
00:26:30
Speaker 8: our world, and in doing so, it whispers of our
00:26:34
Speaker 8: need for redemption, for healing, for God who walks with
00:26:39
Speaker 8: us through the darkness, who brings justice and mercy. So
00:26:44
Speaker 8: even as we wrestle with these ancient stories, we find
00:26:48
Speaker 8: a glimmer of hope, a promise that God sees, that
00:26:52
Speaker 8: he knows, and that somehow He is doing all things
00:26:57
Speaker 8: for good the world. The Bible was one of honor
00:27:01
Speaker 8: and shame. Every action, word, and glance carried great weight
00:27:06
Speaker 8: in ancient society. So Dina's violation was not just an
00:27:10
Speaker 8: assault on her it was an assault on her family's honor.
00:27:15
Speaker 8: This act brought shame not only to Dina, but to
00:27:18
Speaker 8: her father, Jacob, and to her brothers. And it's through
00:27:22
Speaker 8: Dina's story and the actions of her brothers and her
00:27:26
Speaker 8: father that we learn a couple of lessons for today.
00:27:30
Speaker 8: As a parent, I am constantly trying to find the
00:27:33
Speaker 8: balance between authority and affection, a struggle that many of
00:27:37
Speaker 8: you can probably relate to. But one thing that I
00:27:40
Speaker 8: learned from my Abba, my father of a real Exstine's
00:27:43
Speaker 8: blessed memory, while watching him parent me and my two sisters,
00:27:47
Speaker 8: is to delineate between the child and their behavior or misbehavior,
00:27:54
Speaker 8: and who they really are. We have to separate what
00:27:57
Speaker 8: they're doing from who they are. I'm sure that all
00:28:02
Speaker 8: of us as parents have had to clarify to our
00:28:06
Speaker 8: children at one point or another in a heated moment,
00:28:10
Speaker 8: I'm not mad at.
00:28:11
Speaker 9: You, I'm mad at what you did.
00:28:14
Speaker 8: We see this same reaction later in Genesis from Jacob,
00:28:18
Speaker 8: the father of Dina and her vengeful brothers. As he
00:28:21
Speaker 8: lay on his deathbed, Jacob gave an overview of the
00:28:24
Speaker 8: twelve tribes and his blessing for each one. In Genesis
00:28:28
Speaker 8: forty nine, when he got to Simeon and Levy, Jacob said, quote,
00:28:32
Speaker 8: curse be their anger so fierce, and their fury so
00:28:36
Speaker 8: cruel end quote. The great saij Rashi points out that
00:28:41
Speaker 8: even as he rebuked his two sons, Jacob didn't curse them.
00:28:46
Speaker 8: He cursed their anger. Isn't that a great example for
00:28:51
Speaker 8: all of us today as we guide our children or
00:28:54
Speaker 8: grandchildren or other young loved ones, or as we interact
00:28:58
Speaker 8: with others like friends and neighbors. The people we meet
00:29:02
Speaker 8: each day, it's so important to remember to love the person,
00:29:07
Speaker 8: even if we might not like, and even try to
00:29:10
Speaker 8: correct their actions. When we're able to tell someone that
00:29:16
Speaker 8: they did something wrong with the foundation of love. It
00:29:19
Speaker 8: will get through a lot more clear, and it won't
00:29:23
Speaker 8: corrode our hearts with hatred. Let's all be more like Jacob,
00:29:29
Speaker 8: this patriarch of the Chosen People. But despite the positive
00:29:33
Speaker 8: example we receive from Jacob, long after this Bible story ends,
00:29:37
Speaker 8: it's still a very dark and disturbing episode, isn't it.
00:29:41
Speaker 8: Once again, the Bible doesn't hide the imperfections and the
00:29:43
Speaker 8: flawed humanity of its heroes. Yes, Schrem had committed an
00:29:49
Speaker 8: unspeakable act was understandable, and as a father and a
00:29:55
Speaker 8: flawed human, Jacob's resigned acceptance of Simeon and Levy's play
00:30:00
Speaker 8: was understandable. His beloved daughter had been assaulted. But the
00:30:06
Speaker 8: whole cell violence that Simeon and Levy unleashed was not acceptable.
00:30:12
Speaker 8: And this is because, as God's chosen people, Jacob and
00:30:15
Speaker 8: his family were meant to be an example of morality
00:30:19
Speaker 8: and proper behavior, even to pagan tribes. Actually, they were
00:30:25
Speaker 8: meant to be an example, especially to those who did
00:30:29
Speaker 8: not believe in the God of Israel. Our sages tell
00:30:33
Speaker 8: us that because of this act, the tribes of Simeon
00:30:37
Speaker 8: and Levy were deprived of overall leadership of the chosen people,
00:30:42
Speaker 8: and the lesson for us is that, as God's chosen
00:30:46
Speaker 8: people today, we must follow a higher standard, a holy standard,
00:30:52
Speaker 8: and set an example for others in everything we do,
00:30:56
Speaker 8: especially when we're angry of a godly way of living,
00:31:02
Speaker 8: because vengeance is not ours to dish out, and human vengeance,
00:31:08
Speaker 8: as seen in the actions of Dina's brothers, only leads
00:31:11
Speaker 8: to further cycles of violence and pain. Human vengeance is
00:31:17
Speaker 8: all too often a temporary, flawed solution to a deeper problem.
00:31:23
Speaker 8: God's justice, though, seeks restoration and righteousness. It's a justice
00:31:30
Speaker 8: that aims to heal, to bring shalom, to bring peace.
00:31:35
Speaker 8: So while it's often difficult to do, let's trust in
00:31:38
Speaker 8: God's justice rather than taking matters into our own hands.
00:31:43
Speaker 8: Because God sees every wrong, every tear, and every cry
00:31:48
Speaker 8: for help, and he responds. He acts righteously and justly
00:31:55
Speaker 8: when we are wronged. Our impulse may be to strike
00:31:58
Speaker 8: back to even this score, but the Bible shows us
00:32:02
Speaker 8: another path, one of forgiveness, of mercy, and trust in
00:32:08
Speaker 8: God's justice and his plan. Because God's justice brings restration,
00:32:16
Speaker 8: not retribution. God's justice heals, It brings wholeness. It reflects
00:32:23
Speaker 8: God's perfect heart. So as we navigate our broken world,
00:32:29
Speaker 8: let's all be instruments of His peace, his justice, and
00:32:35
Speaker 8: his love. May the Lord bless you and keep you.
00:32:39
Speaker 8: May the Lord make his face shine upon you and
00:32:42
Speaker 8: be gracious to you. May the Lord turn his face
00:32:46
Speaker 8: towards you and give you peace. Yivarechra hashmv schmrra yeah
00:32:52
Speaker 8: heir hashempanave elerara yie sa hashempanavelehrah Amen.
00:33:03
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00:33:22
Speaker 1: producers of the Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, Edited by
00:33:26
Speaker 1: Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by
00:33:31
Speaker 1: Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold,
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00:33:40
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00:33:44
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