Chapter 19—The Return to Canaan
This chapter is based on
Genesis 34
;
35
;
37
.
Crossing the Jordan, “Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem,
which is in the land of Canaan.”
Genesis 33:18
, R.V. Thus the patri-
arch’s prayer at Bethel, that God would bring him again in peace to
his own land, had been granted. For a time he dwelt in the vale of
Shechem. It was here that Abraham, more than a hundred years before,
had made his first encampment and erected his first altar in the Land of
Promise. Here Jacob “bought the parcel of ground where he had spread
his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for
a hundred pieces of money. And he erected there an altar, and called
it El-elohe-Israel” (
verses 19, 20
)—“God, the God of Israel.” Like
Abraham, Jacob set up beside his tent an altar unto the Lord, calling
the members of his household to the morning and the evening sacrifice.
It was here also that he dug the well to which, seventeen centuries
later, came Jacob’s Son and Saviour, and beside which, resting during
the noontide heat, He told His wondering hearers of that “well of water
springing up into everlasting life.”
John 4:14
.
The tarry 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
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the tidings of their revenge filled him with horror. Heartsick at the
deceit and violence of his sons, he only said, “Ye have troubled me to
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