Genesis 34 is up there with one of the most difficult, perplexing, and saddening passages of Scripture in the Bible. Jacob's pathetic and apathetic response to his daughter's assault is just unfathomable. Jacob's son's response to her assault is inexcusable. But when you take a look at the chapter, while not excusable, the son's response is understandable.

Yet, it is also a warning to us on how to avoid such behavior, persevere the purity of the community of God's people, and how a local church should respond today when evil arises in our own community of believers.