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Never Heard of Dinah

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 25, 1916

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 93, No. 26.

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Never Heard of Dinah

By F. D. Starr

F. D. STARR
“Did Jacob have any daughters?” was the question raised by a student in a Bible class recitation. She knew very well, of course, about Jacob’s twelve sons, but did not know he had any daughter. She had never heard of Dinah.
The story is briefly told in Genesis 34: “And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.” Poor Dinah! The remainder of the chapter tells the consequence of Dinah’s friendship with the ungodly. Not only did the daughters of the land receive her attention, but the sons of the land; the young Shechem in particular became much interested in her, and enamored with her attractiveness. So there followed a seduction, a proposed marriage, and a wholesale slaughter—all occasioned by this unfortunate act of this careless daughter of Israel in mingling with worldly society.
Her course has since been often followed, and when such a fair damsel is seen imitating the foolish virgin of patriarchal times, the suggestion comes to the mind of the observer, Surely she has never heard of Dinah, else how could she venture to take the fatal, downward path that Dinah took?
“To see the daughters of the land!” The next thing is to imitate the daughters of the land. If the daughters of the land wear finger rings, bracelets, corsets, low-necked and sleeveless dresses, then the daughters of Israel who have never heard of Dinah, or who are determined to follow fashion no matter what the consequence may be, will of course imitate the conduct so abhorrent to the Lord. Poor souls that never heard or heeded the history of Dinah!
Why should not that story, written for our admonition, find its place along with the story of Joseph, of Samson, or of David? Why should not serious attention be given to what the Lord says about the daughters of Zion who are imitating the daughters of the land in their worldly attire? See Isaiah 3.
The following from “Patriarchs and Prophets,” page 204, will be read with interest and profit:—
“The history of Jacob and his sons at Shechem ended in violence and bloodshed. The one daughter of the household had been brought to shame and sorrow, two brothers were involved in the guilt of murder, a whole city had been given to ruin and slaughter, in retaliation for the lawless deed of one rash youth. The beginning that led to results so terrible was the act of Jacob’s daughter, who ‘went out to see the daughters of the land,’ thus venturing into association with the ungodly. He who seeks pleasure among those that fear not God, is placing himself on Satan’s ground, and inviting his temptations.
“The treacherous cruelty of Simeon and Levi was not unprovoked; yet in their course toward the Shechemites they committed a grievous sin. They had carefully concealed from Jacob their intentions, and the tidings of their revenge filled him with horror. Heart-sick at the deceit and violence of his sons, he only said, ‘Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land. . . . I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.’ But the grief and abhorrence with which he regarded their bloody deed is shown by the words in which, nearly fifty years later, he referred to it, as he lay upon his deathbed in Egypt: ‘Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honor, be not thou united. . . . Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel.’”
Terrible results indeed of seeking pleasure among those that fear not God!
Spokane, Wash.