I had it in my heart to do a Bible study on the soul.  Our soul is not our spirit.  Our soul is three parts – mind, will and emotions.  So, I took my concordance off the book shelf and began to look up scriptural references to the soul.  I did not get very far in my research before an Old Testament documentation in the life of Jacob charged into my heart.  I found the story of Dinah, the only daughter of Jacob.  Dinah was the seventh child by Leah, preceded in birth order by six sons. 

This story happens after Jacob had satisfied his obligation to his father-in-law, Laban.  Jacob had left the home of his father-in-law, taking with him his family, livestock and possessions.  It happened after his reconciliation with his brother, Esau, and also after the incident where Jacob wrestled with the Lord all night.  Jacob traveled, with his entire household, to the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan.  Having pitched his tent outside of the city, he purchased the parcel of land where he had pitched his tent.  The first thing Jacob did after purchasing the land was to build an altar there, naming it El Elohe Israel, which means the God of Israel.  Jacob was a man of God in all he did… Usually….

One day, his only daughter, Dinah went out to see the daughters of the new land.  While she was away from home, Shechem, son of Hamor the Hivite, and a prince saw Dinah.  He took Dinah and violated her.  His soul (mind, will & emotions) was strongly attracted to Dinah and he loved her.  (Genesis 34:3) He spoke kindly to Dinah.  Scripture does not say so, but I believe Dinah loved him too.  Shechem asked his father, Hamor, to get Dinah for his wife.  In that culture, “get” meant to arrange a marriage.

So, Hamor went to speak with Jacob to arrange a marriage.  Jacob and his eleven sons had already heard what Shechem had done with his daughter and all were upset and angry.  But, Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter.  Please give her to him as a wife.”  Hamor went on to propose that they all live in peace, with commerce and marriages among both the peoples.  Then Shechem asked Jacob for favor and whatever Jacob asked as dowry, he will give – just please give Dinah to him for a wife. 

Instead of waiting for Jacob to answer, Jacob’s sons tell Shechem and Hamor that they cannot give their sister to one who is uncircumcised, but on one condition they will consent.  The sons of Jacob proposed that if every male in the city of Shechem would be circumcised, then they would give their daughters to them and take their daughters from them and they would all become one people.  It sounded good, so Shechem immediately did as asked because he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter. (Genesis 34:19) Also, Hamor and Shechem met with the men of the city and shared the arrangement with them and the condition that every male be circumcised.  So the men reasoned among themselves.  They reasoned that Jacob’s livestock, property and every animal belonging to Jacob would be theirs as well, so they consented to the circumcisions.  Jacob was a very wealthy man.

Here, I am wondering why Jacob said nothing and why he stood back and allowed his sons to bargain for Jacob’s only daughter.  Was Jacob seeking the wisdom of the Lord while his sons plunged forward?  Then, when the proposal of Jacob’s sons was on the table, Jacob still said nothing.  So now I am thinking that, as sometimes happens to Godly people, an immediate solution to a difficult problem can look like God has already answered their prayer.  The solution looks really good, so it must have come from God.  Right???  WRONG!!!   Be careful…

On the third day, Simeon and Levi, sons of Leah and Jacob, brothers of Dinah went boldly into the city and killed all of the males.  The males were an easy target because they were in pain from the circumcisions.  They also killed Hamor and Shechem, then took Dinah from Shechem’s house.  What a rage these two young men must have been feeling because they also plundered the city, taking livestock, women and children. 

Finally, Jacob gets his tongue and lets Simon and Levi know the damage they have done to themselves and their family.  They have been made “obnoxious among the inhabitants of the land? And now Jacob’s life and lives of those he loves has been put in danger.  Levi & Simeon’s response?  “Should he treat our sister like a harlot?”

Of course, God told Jacob to move on…

In this story, we see several soulish behaviors.  We see lust, anger, greed, revenge, murder…just to name a few.  Sound familiar?  These are just a few of the “works of the flesh”; therefore, we could say that our soul is the “flesh”.

“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are:  adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”  Galatians 5:19-21

To complicate the soul issue is the fact that we are also two-part:  soul (flesh) and spirit.   What would the outcome of this story have been if the fruits of the spirit had been employed?

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  Against such there is no law.  And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”  Galatians 5:22-25

None of the men in this story sought God’s will.  The way to know God’s will is to line it up with scripture.  Everyone was looking at the situation from a different angle.  Shechem wanted what he wanted when he wanted it.  Hamor wanted what his son wanted.  Dinah’s brothers wanted revenge.  The men of the city of Shechem wanted what Jacob had.  We don’t know what Jacob wanted because he never opened his mouth until after the carnage.  I’ll probably never know why……

And I wonder….  Whatever happened to Dinah?
Darlene