Through the Bible: Day #34

It is vital that we spend time in God’s Word.

But it’s not always easy.

We read a chapter and we don’t know what to get out of it or even how to start to understand it.

I thought I could try to help you get a little something out of what you are reading by providing you with some questions to ask as you look at the text.  Good questions are a good start to understanding. Sometimes there will be more questions, sometimes less.

You can do this!

So, get a notebook, a pen, your Bible, and if you would like some help, take some time to answer the questions, and you may be surprised by all God teaches you.

Genesis 34

1. We've been getting to know Jacob and his family. Overall, it's not been amazing. Jacob has really been a schemer and a deceiver, and yet God keeps being faithful to His promises and accomplishing His plan in spite of Jacob.
2. In this chapter, we get a story about one of his daughters. What does Dinah do at the beginning of this chapter? What do you think that means she was doing in your own words?
3. Something terrible happens. What does Shechem do when he sees her?
4. The writer tells us in verse 3, what surprising thing, however?
5. When Jacob hears about what happened to Dinah, what does he do? What does what you are reading tell you about Jacob as a father?
6. How is the sons of Jacob's response different than their fathers?
7. What does Hamor tell them he wants them to do and why?
8. How did Jacob's sons answer them?
9. What do they promise them they will do if they get circumcised? Look at the end of verse 16 especially.
10. What does Hamor think will be the result of this plan? See especially verse 23.
11. When Hamor and his people do agree with their plan, what do Jacob's sons do instead of intermarrying with them?
12. What does Jacob say about what they have done? What do you think about Jacob's response?
13. This is an intense chapter. There are some really bad things that happen in this chapter. It's amazing in this sinful world that God is still faithful to His promises, and that He's able to use people like this to accomplish His promises. If God can take this kind of evil and accomplish good in the end, then you know He can still do that in your life as well.