Although what Jacob had at Shechem was good, he still needed the dealing in his circumstances (34:1-31) because he had not yet come back to Bethel. Jacob must have been very happy and content in Shechem, which means "shoulder" and signifies strength. After Abraham arrived in Shechem, he was strengthened. Jacob's experience must have been the same. Jacob even purchased a parcel of land there and spread his tent on it (33:19). Surely he was strengthened to live there as one of God's called ones. But he had not yet attained God's goal. One day, something suddenly happened: his only daughter, Dinah, was defiled (34:1-2). At that time, Jacob had eleven sons and one daughter. If he had had eleven daughters and one son, the situation would have been much different. For one of eleven daughters to be defiled would have meant a great deal less than for his only daughter to be defiled. It was a most serious thing for Jacob's only daughter to be defiled.
This unusual and extraordinary happening must have been of God. Dinah went to see the daughters of the land (34:1). If she had not done this, she never would have been defiled. By going to see the daughters of the land, she found herself in difficulty, and this unfortunate event took place. Do you think that this was an accident? Jacob and his household might have thought it was, but in God's eyes it was not; it took place under His sovereign hand. This does not mean that God intended that Jacob's daughter be defiled. It means that this unfortunate occurrence transpired under the sovereign hand of God to perfect Jacob, His chosen one.
The principle is the same today. God had a purpose with Jacob and He certainly has a purpose with every one of us, His called ones. God's purpose with Jacob was not that Jacob might follow his forefather's footsteps, erect a tent, build an altar, be strengthened, and be settled. None of these is the fulfillment of God's purpose. In brief, God's purpose is to have His house on earth, to build Bethel here on earth. Shechem was good for Jacob, but it could never satisfy God's desire. Therefore, while Jacob was settled, satisfied, and happy, this unfortunate event happened to him.
If Jacob had had eleven daughters and just one son, the one son would have been unable to do anything about this and could have caused no difficulty. But when the one daughter of Jacob was defiled, all of his sons rose up (vv. 7-31). They could not tolerate this. Eventually, two of Jacob's sons, Simeon and Levi, slew all the males in the city of Shechem and plundered the city. Consider Jacob's situation. He was the one who had been chosen and called by God and he was God's testimony on earth. He was following the track of the pioneer of God's called ones, living in a tent and worshipping God by an altar. He was the unique testimony of God on earth. But look at what happened! His only daughter was defiled. How could this happen to a man who had just begun to live the life of God's called ones, the life of a tent with an altar? If I had been Jacob, I probably would have been doubtful, saying, "What is this? I love the Lord more than ever. As soon as I begin to have a proper life, following the footsteps of Abraham, this happens to me. Why?"
Following their father's deceptive methods, Jacob's sons devised a scheme to get revenge. They accepted the claim of Hamor and Shechem in a deceptive way, saying that Shechem and Hamor could take Dinah on the condition that all the males among them be circumcised (vv. 13-17). This proposal was pleasing to Hamor and Shechem, and they promptly accepted it (vv. 18-19). Then, on the third day, when all the males were sore from the circumcision, Simeon and Levi, brothers of Dinah, "took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males. And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went out" (vv. 25-26). After this, they went on to plunder the city and to seize all the sheep, oxen, asses, wealth, wives, and children. They even plundered everything that was in the house (vv. 27-29). Jacob refers to this slaughter in 49:5-7.