Day 34 – February 3, 2021

Genesis 34

The Violation of Dinah

1 Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.

2 But when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, a ruler of the land, saw her, he took her, lay with her, and violated her.†

3 Now his soul was strongly attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young woman and sought to win her heart.

4 Then Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get this young woman as a wife for me.”

5 But Jacob heard Hamor’s son had defiled Dinah his daughter. Now his sons were with his cattle in the field; so Jacob held his peace until they came.

6 Then Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him.

7 Now the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it; and the men were stunned and extremely grieved, because he had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, something that should never have happened.

8 But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “My son Shechem is passionately in love with your daughter. Give her to him as a wife.†

9 Make marriages with us; give us your daughters, and take our daughters for your sons.

10 Dwell among us, and behold, the land before you is spacious. Dwell therein and trade, and acquire possessions in it.”

11 Then Shechem said to her father and her brothers, “Let me find grace in your eyes, and we will give whatever you ask.

12 Make the dowry as great as you wish, and I will give it; only give me this young woman as a wife.”

13 But the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father, and spoke deceitfully to them, because he had defiled Dinah their sister.

14 So Simeon and Levi, the brothers of Dinah and the sons of Leah, said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to a man who is uncircumcised, for that would be a reproach to us.

15 But on this condition we will consent to you, if you will become as we are, if every male of you is circumcised,

16 then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to us; and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people.

17 But if you will not heed us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughters and be gone.”

18 Now their words pleased Hamor and Shechem, Hamor’s son.

19 So the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacob’s daughter. He was the most esteemed of all those in his father’s house.

20 And Hamor and Shechem his son came to the gate of their city, and spoke with the men of their city, saying,

21 “These men are at peace with us. Therefore let them dwell in the land and trade in it. For indeed, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters as wives, and let us give them our daughters.

22 Only on this condition will the men consent to dwell with us, to be one people, if every male among us is circumcised, as they are circumcised.

23 Will not their livestock, their property, and every animal of theirs be ours? Only let us consent to them, and they will dwell with us.”

24 Thus all who went out of the gate of their city heeded Hamor and Shechem his son; every male was circumcised in the flesh.

25 Now it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, two sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword and came boldly upon the city and killed all the males.

26 They also killed Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem’s house, and went out.

27 Then the sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and plundered the city in which Dinah their sister had been defiled.

28 They took their sheep, their oxen, and their donkeys, what was in the city and what was in the field;

29 and took captive all their wives, their children, and their servants and plundered whatever was in the city and in the houses.

30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You made me an object of hatred, so as to be evil to all the inhabitants of the land, both among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and since I am few in number, they will gather themselves together against me and kill me. I shall be destroyed, my household and I.”

31 But they said, “Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?”†

Psalms 33

1 By David; when he changed his countenance before Abimelech, who let him go, and he departed. †

2 I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. 

3 My soul shall be praised in the Lord; Let the gentle hear, and be glad. 

4 Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together. 

5 I sought the Lord, and He heard me; And He delivered me from all my sojourning. 

6 Come to Him, and be enlightened, And your face shall never be ashamed. 

7 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, And saved him from all his afflictions. 

8 The Angel of the Lord shall encamp around those who fear Him, And He will deliver them. 

9 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who hopes in Him. 

10 Fear the Lord, you His saints, For there is no want for those who fear Him. 

11 Rich men turned poor and went hungry; But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing. (Pause)

Proverbs of Solomon 6

32 Shall anyone bind fire to his bosom And his garments not burn?† 

33 Or will anyone walk about on coals of fire And not burn his feet? 

34 Likewise is the one who goes in to a married woman; He shall not be guiltless, nor any who touch her. 

35 It is not surprising if anyone who steals is caught, For he steals that he may fill his hungry soul; 

36 But if he is caught, he will repay sevenfold, And by giving all his goods, he shall deliver himself.

Matthew 22

Who Enters into the Kingdom?

1 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said:†

2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son,

3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come.

4 Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” ’†

5 But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business.

6 And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. 

7 But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.†

8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.

9 Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’

10 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment.†

12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless.

13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”†

A Trap for Jesus

15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk.†

16 And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men.

17 Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test Me, you hypocrites?

19 Show Me the tax money.” So they brought Him a denarius.

20 And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?”

21 They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

22 When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.