Today’s selected reading continues in the Old Testament book of Genesis which was written and recorded by Moses the servant of the Lord. More specially, today’s passage is found in chapters thirty four through thirty six. When you come to this particular portion of Scripture you will find yourself coming face to face with a passage that almost seems out of place within the narrative of the life of Jacob. If you begin reading with and from the first verse of the thirty-fourth chapter you will find a passage that deals exclusively with events which surrounded the only daughter which was born unto Jacob by his wife Leah. Beginning with the first verse of this particular chapter you will find find that Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bore unto Jacob went out to see the daughters of the land. Before we move any further into this particular passage you will find that this took place directly on the heels of Jacob having been reunited with his estranged brother Esau who he hadn’t seen for more than two decades. It was two decades Jacob served Laban his mother’s brother—service which not only resulted in four wives and twelve children thus far, but also great wealth and great prosperity. By the time the thirty-third chapter of the book of Genesis draws to a close it does so with Esau departing from his brother Jacob and returning on his way to Seir. As Esau departed and made his way back to Seir you will find that Jacob journeyed to Succoth and built a house for himself, and made booths for his cattle. If you continue reading in the final verses of the thirty-third chapter you will find Jacob came to Shalem which was a city of Shechem, which was in the land of Canaan when he came from Padan-Abram. It would be here in this place Jacob would pitch his tent before the city, and where he would purchase a piece of land where he had spread his tent, at the hand of children of Hamor, Shechem’s father. What’s interesting and unique about this particular reference is that as it concludes we find Jacob building and erecting an altar unto the Lord in this place and calling the name of that place “El-elohe-Israel,” which literally means “God the God of Israel.” We must remember that at this point and juncture within the narrative and life of Jacob he had wrestled with the angel by the Jabok River and not only experienced a physical transformation in his body, but he also experience his name being changed from Jacob to Israel. When Jacob made his way unto the land of his nativity and unto his father’s house, and when he made his way to come face to face with his estranged brother Esau who sought to kill him all those years earlier, you will find that he did so with a new name—quite possibly a new nature as well. At this point in the life of Jacob you will find him having left Padan-Aram and the house of his mother’s brother and making the journey back to his father’s house. It would be on this journey back to his father’s house that he would not only have to come face to face with himself and who he was, but he would also have to come face to face with his brother whom he had fled all those years earlier.

As you come to the thirty-fourth chapter of the book of Genesis you will find that in the place where Jacob had built a house, and in the place where he had built booths for his cattle, as well as in the place where he had built an altar and called it “God the God of Israel”—it would be there in that place where his daughter would fall victim to one of the natives of that area. The thirty-fourth chapter begins and opens with Moses describing how Dinah the daughter of Leah who was born unto Jacob went out to see the daughters of the land. Scripture is unclear why Dinah felt compelled to journey out to see the daughters of the land. Perhaps being the only daughter in the house of Jacob she felt she needed the companionship and fellowship with other women. It might very well be that growing up in a household that was dominated by men she simply needed a break from being around her brothers, and needed to venture out to create relationships with the daughters of the land. In all reality, we must logically conclude and deduce that when Dinah went out to see the daughters of the land she did so innocently enough purely seeking companionship, friendship, and possibly even relationship. There is not a doubt in my mind that when I read the opening verse of this chapter we find Dinah simply venturing out into the city and venturing out into the country looking to build relationships and foster communication with daughters who were her age. It might be that she was looking for others who had similar interests as hers, and she simply wanted to make friends. It might also be that she was interested in—and perhaps even needed—the companionship and fellowship of other women in her life. It was true that she had her mother Leah, Rachel, and both their hand maids, however, I would dare say that that female relationship simply wasn’t enough. Have you ever found yourself in that place? Have you ever found yourself in the place where what you have at home simply isn’t enough to satisfy and meet your needs? Have you ever felt yourself being in the midst of brethren, and even being in the midst of family, and yet you still feel completely alone, isolated and lonely. I sit here this afternoon and I can’t help but think within my heart and soul that the sole reason Dinah went out to see the daughters of the land was because she wanted something more than what she had at home. Perhaps Jacob who was loved by his mother while Esau was loved by Isaac had treated and responded to Dinah differently, and she felt she wasn’t loved the way she wanted to be. Perhaps she felt neglected and ignored in the house of her father, and in an attempt to experience the relationship she yearned for and desired she sought to go out among the daughters of the land. Scripture is unclear how long Dinah was away from and outside her father’s house, however, I can’t help but get the strong sense that what she in essence was doing was leaving her father’s house in order to find fellowship, relationship and companionship. While her father was making his way back to the house of his father after being away for so many years, she was looking for some sort of escape from the father’s house in order that she might experience relationship and connection she so desperately yearned for and desired.

I read the account of Dinah going out to see the daughters of the land and I can’t help but come face with someone who desired to leave her father’s house—even if it was only for a short period of time—in order that she might experience relationship, connection and fellowship with other women. While on the surface it might not seem like anything worth considering or even mentioning, I would dare say that what we find and what we read in this particular portion of Scripture is a truly remarkable and wonderful picture of those who might very well leave home in order that they might seek connection and relationship which they aren’t experiencing, and which they haven’t found in the place you would think it would be the most. If we are being honest with ourselves, as well as with the living God we must admit that there are times when the place we should find and should experience connection and relationship is the home, and yet it is in that place of family and brethren where we feel the most alone and most isolated. Perhaps Dinah felt like an outcast in a house that was dominated by her brothers, as the emphasis was on the nations of the earth being blessed through the seed of Abraham which was passed down to his son Isaac, which was in turn passed down to Jacob, and which was passed down through his twelve sons who were born unto him. Dinah was the sole daughter or Jacob, and there is not a doubt in my mind that there in the midst of her father’s house she felt neglected, she felt alone, she felt ignored, she felt isolated, and perhaps even like she was an outcast. It would be in this place as her father was preparing to be reunited with his father that she departed from that house in search of something that had been missing—perhaps something that was never really there. I can’t help but get the strong sense within my heart and mind that what we find and what we read in this passage of Scripture is a truly wonderful and remarkable picture of one who lived and dwelt in her father’s house, and yet it would be there in her father’s house she felt the most alone, the most ignored, the most isolated, and the most rejected. In all reality, I would dare say that this reality can even be present within the Father’s house in our generation today. There are men and women who are a part of their Father’s house week in and week out, and yet there in the midst of their Father’s house they feel isolated, they feel alone, they feel like an outcast, and they feel as though they are missing something they desperately want and desire. I am completely and utterly convinced there are men and women who—although thy might not be leaving the Father’s house in terms of leaving and departing from the church —are looking outside the Father’s house for the relationship, the connection and the companionship they so desperately yearn for and desire. I firmly believe that while there are men and women who are a part of a body and who are a part of a church, and who do in fact enter into the house of their Father week after week, and yet they still feel isolated, alone, and as though they are missing something they so desperately yearn for and desire.

Upon reading the account of Dinah going out to see the daughters of the land I can’t help but see a picture of one who was going out into the land—one who quite possibly was going out into the world—in order that she might find relationship, connection and companionship with others who were like her. In all reality, we must understand that this is simple enough, and that there is absolutely nothing that is inherently wrong with her wanting to go out and see the daughters of the land. I don’t know what the social climate was like during those days, and I don’t know if it was safe for Dinah to have journeyed away from her father’s house without being accompanied by another, but we can pretty much guess and assume that when she went out to see the daughters of the land she went by herself. What we must recognize and must understand is that we can’t fault Dinah for wanting to go out to see the daughters of the land, for she was most likely seeking something she was missing and something she didn’t have within the house of her father. It was true she was surrounded by her brothers, and it was true that there were women in the house of Jacob, and yet I believe with everything inside me that Dinah—being the only daughter of Jacob—felt completely alone and isolated. Would it shock and surprise you to know that it is possible to be in the company of brethren, and it is possible to be in the company of others and yet still feel completely alone and isolated? Would it completely and utterly shock you to think about and consider that you can be in a room or city full of people and yet still feel completely and utterly alone and lonely? There is not a doubt in my mind that we can be in the company of others—even in the company of brethren—and yet still feel completely alone and very much like an outsider. It is possible to be in the company of others—perhaps even the company of those who might very well love and care for you—and yet deep within your heart and soul you feel alone and lonely. Oh, I can’t help but wonder how many men and women are in the house of their Father right now in these days and in this generation, and yet they feel completely and utterly alone and isolated. I can’t help but wonder how many men and women might very well be in the house of their Father, and yet that which they are desperately longing and yearning for they aren’t finding. Now it is true that in some cases the reason for this boils down to their own desire and willingness to put themselves out there and engage in relationships and fellowship with others. There are men and women among us—I include myself in this statement—who worship in the house of their Father week after week, and yet they are afraid and unwilling to put themselves out there in order that they might establish relationships with those in the body of Christ. What’s more, is that there are those among us—myself also included in this—who are afraid of pursuing relationships within the house of the Father because of previous and past experiences which have given them many scars, wounds and bruises. There are men and women who are a part of the body of Christ and who enter into the Father’s house week after week, and yet they are so afraid and unwilling to put themselves out there as it pertains to relationships, and as as result they are left feeling alone, isolated and as though they are an outsider.

As I read the account of Dinah going out to see the daughters of the land I can’t help but see in her one who needed to leave her father’s house in order that she might find what she perhaps so wanted and desperately yearned for her entire life. I see in Dinah one who felt compelled to leave the house of her father in order that she might find connection and relationship in the midst of the daughters of the land—those who of course were outside the covenant and those who were outside the promise. In Dinah we find one who felt the need to depart from her father’s house and venture among the daughters of the land in order that she might find that type of relationship she had been missing—perhaps all her life. We aren’t clear or at all certain how old Dinah was at this point in her life, but I would dare say that it is possible that she went out to see the daughters of the land to encounter something she had been missing her entire life. Growing up in the house that was dominated by brothers, and growing up in a house where the dominating talk was about the seed through which all nations would be blessed, Dinah felt rejected, and perhaps even despised a little. Scripture is unclear as to what emotions and what thoughts went through the heart and mind of Dinah, however, we can be fairly sure and certain that what she was looking for she had not found within the house of her father. Oh within the account and narrative of Dinah we find one who in her innocence sought out connection, sought out friendship, sought out relationship, and sought out companionship with others. Oh I feel the need to state that there was absolutely nothing wrong with Dinah seeking out and seeking after connection and relationship—and there certainly wasn’t anything wrong with her wanting to see the daughters of the land and interact with them face to face. We aren’t sure and we don’t know from Scripture, but perhaps Dinah had had previous interactions with the daughters of the land, and this was one of her many journeys and trips to interact with the daughters of the land. We aren’t sure whether or not this was the first time she went out to see the daughters of the land, or whether this was the fifth, tenth, twentieth, or hundredth time she had gone out unto them to see them, but what we can be sure of is that she went out to see them in order that she might engage in conversation, experience connection, and enjoy relationship with others—perhaps even others who were her own age, or others who had a similar situation as hers living in a house dominated by men, or perhaps even others who shared the same interests as her. We learn from this passage of Scripture that Dinah went out to see the daughters of the land, and we can deduce from this reality that it is quite possible that she felt inferior to her brothers who undoubtedly would have dominated the house of Jacob. Oh, I wonder what it was like for Dinah growing up with eleven brothers—six of which were born by her mother. All her life Dinah had grown up with six brothers who were born of her mother, and five others who were born from the other women who were also wives of Jacob. Eventually there would come yet another son who would be born to Rachel before she died in childbirth, thus making twelve sons in total who were born unto Jacob. For Dinah, she spent her entire life surrounded by her brothers, and perhaps even living in their shadow, and we aren’t given any clue or any indication what her relationship was like with them.

With all of this being said it is absolutely necessary that we learn and recognize from this passage of scripture that when Dinah went out to see the daughters of the land she found herself being violated by another man. Having grown up surrounded by men, and having grown up surrounded by brothers, she went out to see the daughters of the land, and in the midst of going out to see the daughters of the land she would find herself being taken by force and defiled by Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite who was prince of the country. In essence what happened to Dinah was she went out to see the daughters of the land and while going out to see the daughters of the land was raped by Shechem who had not only defiled her, but had also taken away her innocence. As a result of of her going out to meet and see the daughters of the land she was raped, and undoubtedly experienced incredible and tremendous emotional wounds and scars. WOUNDED WHILE SEEKING RELATIONSHIP! SCARRED WHILE SEEKING CONNECTION! While it is true that in Dinah we see a picture of those who perhaps leave the father’s house in order that they might seek out connection, communication, relationship, and companionship with others, we also see in the account of Dinah a picture of those who in the process of seeking out relationship have found themselves wounded and scarred. Through the account and narrative of Dinah we come face to face with those who have sought relationship with others, and in the midst of seeking out relationship have found themselves being hurt and experiencing much pain and sorrow within their hearts and lives. We dare not miss and lose sight of this tremendous and incredible reality, for there is not a doubt in my mind there are men and women among us who in the process of seeking relationship and connection with others have found themselves being hurt, wounded, bruised and scarred. There are men and women among us in this generation—even men and women among us in the house of the living God—who have found themselves being hurt, and perhaps even betrayed by those who seemed to have violated them. Through the account of Dinah I find myself coming face to face with those among us who have tried their hand at relationships, and in the process of trying their hand at relationships they found themselves experiencing trauma, heartache and even heartbreak. There are men and women who have tried desperately to find connection and relationship and fellowship with others, and in the process of trying to experience fellowship and relationship with others, they have found themselves coming face to face with another, or others who have wounded them deeply. Oh how many men and women among us in the father’s house are carrying deep emotional and mental wounds and scars because they have been hurt by others who perhaps haven’t stolen their innocence, but those who have robbed them of their joy, robbed them of their happiness and robbed them of their peace. Oh how many men and women among us—even within the Father’s house—are living and moving with tremendous and deeply emotional wounds and scars because in the process of looking for and seeking out relationships they have been hurt, wounded, bruised and scarred by others who have showed little if any regard for them.

I am convinced that the account of Dinah is the account and story of countless men and women among us who in the process of trying their hand at relationships have found themselves experiencing great loss, great hurt, and great pain at the hands of others. What Scripture isn’t clear about, and what Scripture doesn’t explain is what happened to Dinah after this. What did Dinah do knowing that she had been defiled and that she had her innocence robbed and stolen by another? How did Dinah cope with the reality of being defiled and polluted in such a way as there was another who showed absolutely no regard for her or her emotions or needs? How do you cope with having another show absolutely no regard or respect for you or who you are or what you want, and as a direct result of their indecency and indiscretion, you have found yourself wounded and scarred at their expense and at their hands? If it was in fact possible that Dinah felt alone, neglected, ignored, and even perhaps as an outcast in the house of her father, I can’t help but wonder what it must have felt like after she was defiled by Shechem who was prince of the country. Undoubtedly as prince of the country Shechem felt entitled to take and have whatever he wanted and could do whatever he wanted. There is not a doubt in my mind that Shechem felt completely and totally entitled to do whatever he pleased, and do whatever he wanted to with Dinah, for he was prince of the country, and Jacob and his household were strangers and sojourners in the land. After all—why couldn’t he have what he wanted and what his heart longed for? There was absolutely nothing that was stopping or would stop him from taking what he wanted and from doing as he pleased. Unfortunately Dinah found herself on the wrong end of the entitlement and desire of another, and as a result of being in this place she found herself wounded and scarred. This actually leads me to something that is actually quite astounding and quite interesting, for it can be incredibly dangerous when desire and entitlement collide within the heart and soul of one, as they can act impulsively and compulsively and do what they want without thinking about the impacts and effects it can and will have on others. I am completely and absolutely convinced that desire and entitlement can be an incredibly dangerous mixture—particularly when it is found in one who lacks discipline and one who lacks self control. What’s more, is that desire and entitlement can be and incredibly dangerous mixture when it is found within the heart and life of one who is not emotionally, or even spiritually mature to handle such realities within themselves. Shechem felt entitled because he was prince of the country, and undoubtedly he desired Dinah because of her outward beauty, and as a direct result of this mixture he went in unto her and violated her without showing any regard for her emotions, her thoughts, or her feelings. Undoubtedly he cared absolutely nothing for what such an act would and could do to her, and was concerned about himself and himself alone. As a direct result of his selfish, self-seeking and self-serving act Dinah found herself having her innocence taken away from her, and found herself being emotionally and mentally wounded, scarred, and bruised. What happened to her was going to be something she would have to live with for the rest of her life and would have to choose what she would do with it and how she would handle it.

LIVING WITH THE SCARS! LIVING WITH THE WOUNDS! LIVING WITH THE PAIN! LIVING WITH THE MEMORIES! As I sit her this afternoon I can’t help but think to myself that what Dinah experienced would stay with her for the rest of her life. Having her innocence stolen, and having her body physically violated and polluted would be something she would have to live and deal with for the rest of her life, and she would have to find a way to deal and cope with the hurt and pain that would come with it. The interesting thing I can’t help but ask myself is how this would impact her relationship with others—perhaps her relationship with her brothers, her relationship with her father, and even her relationship with men in general. How would what happened between her and Shechem impact and affect her ability to open up and put herself out there again, and would she remain closed off and reserved for quite some time. We aren’t given any clue or indication as to how long it might have taken Dinah to overcome and deal with this experience, or even if she was able to get over it. Scripture reveals absolutely nothing concerning what the remaining part of Dinah’s life was like, and whether or not her relationships would be impacted and affected moving forward. What I can without a doubt express is that there are men and women who have been wounded by another who has robbed and stolen something from them, and as a direct result of that experience, they have found it difficult to experience and enjoy relationships with others. There are men and women who have been so emotionally wounded and scarred by others who have showed absolutely no care or regard for them, and as a result of the hurt and pain they experienced they have a hard time dealing with others. Undoubtedly Dinah might very well have found it difficult to trust anyone else again, and perhaps even experienced a great difficult opening herself up to another. Pause for a moment and consider the fact that to truly experience the type of emotional and mental healing she would need from this experience, she would need to open about what happened, and would even need to speak about this with the man who would end up being her husband. We aren’t sure whether or not Dinah married, but what we can be sure is that she would have undoubtedly been faced with a tremendous decision whether or not she would share this experience with her husband and the man she would spend her life with. Oh how incredibly difficult it is to open up about the hurts, the pains, the wounds and the scars we have experienced within our lives, and how incredibly difficult it can sometimes be to move on from the hurt and pain others have caused and produced within our hearts and lives. If we are being honest with ourselves we must admit that if we have indeed and have in fact experienced such a traumatic experience within our hearts and lives, and if we have been hurt, or wounded, or betrayed, or violated, or mistreated, or anything else you can think of—the hardest thing to do is to move on from it and to allow ourselves to trust again, to love again, and to put ourselves out there again.

I can’t help but wonder if after this experience Dinah took a considerable amount of time before she even thought or considered going out to see the daughters of the land. I sit here this afternoon and can’t help but wonder within my heart and mind if Dinah found it so incredible difficult to leave her father’s house, and to put herself out there again because she had to contend and deal with the emotions which were raging deep inside her. What’s more, is I am sure that if she did venture out of her father’s house she would quite possibly be haunted by what had taken place within her life, and how there was another who had violated her and had robbed her of her innocence, her joy, and the like. Within the account of Dinah we come face to face with the awesome and incredible reality that there are those among us in this generation who are living with tremendous wounds, scars and bruises because of those who have inflicted hurt and pain within and upon them. There are men and women among us—myself included in this statement—who find it incredibly hard to put themselves out there because of how they were hurt and wounded while in the place of seeking out relationship. What I can’t get over when reading the account of this passage of Scripture is how it is a tremendous picture of those who set out to experience and enjoy relationship and fellowship with others, and in the process of doing so they have found themselves being wounded by others. Much like the bride in Song of Solomon who was wounded and scarred when she went out to find her beloved, there are men and women who have found themselves experiencing great sorrow, great anguish, and great grief because they were hurt and wounded by another—perhaps even others—who showed little if any regard for them, their feelings, their thoughts, and even their emotions. Perhaps the single greatest question we must ask ourselves is if we are in fact and if we have in fact found ourselves in this place and in this position—are we willing to try putting ourselves out there again in order that we might once more experience and enjoy fellowship and relationship. Are we willing to allow ourselves to experience the healing we so desperately need in order that we might once more find the courage to put ourselves out there and enjoy fellowship and relationships with others? Are we willing to allow ourselves—not necessarily to forget about what happened to us, but to be able to move on with the grace and strength to experience and enjoy relationships once more? Are we willing to allow ourselves to trust again, and to give ourselves to others in relationship, in communication, in companionship and connection? The narrative and account of Dinah is that of one who went out to enjoy and experience fellowship and relationship, and in the midst of going out to experience fellowship and relationship found herself being wounded, mistreated, violated and even taken advantage of by another. Oh that we would read the narrative and account of Dinah and for those who are brave actually admit within themselves, to others, and especially in the presence of the living God that they are indeed and they are in fact Dinah.

What you find in the account and narrative of Dinah as she was violated and mistreated by another is the reality of her brothers learning what had happened to her and deciding to take matters into their own hands to avenge their sister. As you continue reading that which is found within this passage you will find that the sons of Jacob and brothers of Dinah acted deceitfully in that they agreed on the surface to their request to give Dinah unto Shechem in marriage, and that they would take their daughters in marriage, but only if they were circumcised. If you read the words which are found within this passage of Scripture you will find it written that when and after Shechem, his father and the men of the city had been circumcised and were after three days sore, Simeon and Levi took each man their sword and came upon the city boldly and slew all the males. What’s more, is that you will find and read that they slew Hamor and Shechem him son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house and went out. Furthermore, the sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister. They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field, and all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house. What’s quite interesting is how Jacob spoke unto Simeon and Levi condemning them for their actions against Shechem and Hamor, as well as all the men of the city. The interesting thing about what we find in this passage of Scripture is that while this is the first time Levi would take up the sword in a mission of righteousness and judgment—it would not be the first. If you transition to the thirty-second chapter of the book fo Exodus you will find the account of the golden calf, and how after Moses had destroyed the golden calf and made the people to drink their sin, he asked who among them was on the Lord’s side. In response to Moses’ question and cry the tribe of Levi declared emphatically and boldly that they were the Lord’s. As a direct result of this, the tribe of Levi would once more take up the sword—this time not to avenge one who was defiled and polluted, but rather to put to death according to the will of God those who had defiled themselves with the golden calf. The sword of Levi would first manifest itself in the earth in order that it would come against those who defiled the house of Jacob, and this sword would manifest itself again in the earth against those who defiled the house of Jacob through worship of the golden calf. It is quite interesting and intriguing to think about and consider the fact that the sword of Levi was first manifested in the earth to defend and avenge his sister who had been raped and violently mistreated, and it would be manifested again in the earth in the midst of those who had defiled themselves with the golden calf in the wilderness. Oh that we would recognize and understand this tremendous and incredible reality, for it is actually quite interesting to think about and consider the fact that the sword of Levi would manifest itself in the earth first during the days of Levi, and second during the days of the tribe of Levi in the wilderness after they had come out of the wilderness.

It’s incredibly intriguing to think about and consider the fact that within this passage of Scripture we find Dinah seeking out relationship and connection, and through no fault of her own she would find herself being defiled, mistreated and taken advantage of. Oh that we would read the words and account of this passage of Scripture and that we would understand the significance of what is found, for there are countless men and women who themselves are no different than Dinah. Although such men and women have not been raped in the natural and physical sense, they have nonetheless been mistreated and wounded—much like the bride of the beloved in the Song of Solomon. This passage is an incredible picture of those who have given themselves to relationship and connection—only to find themselves having been taken advantage of, mistreated, wounded, bruised, scarred and abused. We must read this passage through the lens of our own experiences and that which we have found ourselves facing and experiencing, for within this passage we are confronted with the fact that we are Dinah. I read this passage and I must consider the fact that I myself and Dinah, for I myself have tried my hand at relationships only to find myself being wounded, betrayed, abandoned, neglected, and the like. I myself have found it incredibly difficult to trust and even respect others because of experiences in my past. I have found it incredibly difficult to put myself out there because of the wounds and scars I have experienced within and throughout my life. The question is not whether or not we can or even will forget about what we have gone through or experienced, but whether or not we are willing to through the grace and strength of Christ move on and move forward in our lives. Do you find it difficult to trust others in your life right now? Do you find it difficult to respect others? Do you find it difficult to love others? Do you find it difficult to put yourself out there because of that which you have experienced within your life? This passage is a clear and powerful picture of one who went out to the daughters of the land to enjoy fellowship and relationship—undoubtedly to find among the daughters of the land something she wasn’t finding in the father’s house. What’s so absolutely incredible about this is that although she might very well have not found that which she was looking for in the house of her father, and although she might very well have faced and experienced hurt and pain at the hands and expense of Shechem, there were those in her father’s house and there were brothers who loved and cared enough for and about her to avenge her and even come to her rescue. Oh that we would recognize and understand that within this passage is also a wonderful and powerful picture of those within the father’s house, and those brothers who are willing to take note of what we have gone through and experienced and support us in the midst of it. Oh it is true that those in the Father’s house among us might not put others to the sword, but they will and can nonetheless come alongside us and help us through the process, rescue us from our prison of torment, shame, hurt, and pain, and even bring about righteousness in the earth.