Genesis 33–34; Job 23–24; Proverbs 3:13-18;
Commentary on Genesis 33–34
To the surprise of absolutely everyone, the reencounter of Esau and Jacob is warm and friendly, and the brothers are reconciled.
Shechem, the son of Hamor, a Hivite, rapes Dinah, son of Jacob. After that, Shechem wanted to make Dinah a maid of his wife, so Hamor tries to make a peaceful deal between the Hivites and Israel by intermarriage.
The brothers of Dinah lie, saying that they accept it, on the condition that Hamor gets all the men of the city to be circumcised, and Hamor convinces them.
Simeon and Levi (also daughters of Leah, as Dinah), while the men of the city were wounded by circumcision, revenge Dinah’s rape by attacking the city and killing Hamor and Shechem. They recover their sister and plunder the city’s resources. Jacob is fearful of reprisals by the Canaanites.
Notes: Sometimes, it seems that there is a fusion between individuals and nations, such as Shechem is the name of a person, but also of the city.
How could just two men slay all of a city?
Commentary on Job 23–24
Job is confident that, if he could state his case to God, he would be acquitted. Job affirms Divine Sovereignty (Job 23:13): God does what he wants, and Job is scared of what he has on his plans for him.
Job sees God as paying no attention to the suffering of innocent people when He permits it to continue. This is also seen as a refutation of the temporal retributive principle. He also points that the wicked exploit the vulnerable without retribution and sometimes live long lives, which refutes his friends also.
Commentary on Proverbs 3:13-18
Wisdom is more valuable than temporal goods and brings happiness and peace.