Lea's Daughter Dinah: Unknown Variants of Genesis 34 in the Oc-tateuch Manuscripts
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33831/jws.v25i1.491Keywords:
Byzantine art, Byzantine manuscripts, Octateuchs, Old Testamanet womenAbstract
Genesis 34, an obscure narrative in the Torah, tells the story of Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah. The biblical story unfolds as Dinah goes out to see the local girls, a seemingly innocent act, and her life is thrown into darkness when Shechem, the prince of the land, harasses her. The following chain of events involves Dinah's brothers, Simeon and Levi, and their cunning deception of Shechem and his clan, revenge, and confrontation with their father, Jacob.
This study examines the complex layers of Genesis 34, exploring its disconnection from the broader Genesis narrative and the absence of moral clarity or divine presence in the text. The narrative raises unanswered questions about Dinah's fate, the consequences of vengeance on Shechem, and God's silence throughout the events. Including this story in Bible has puzzled early commentators, prompting them to reflect on the moral lesson and overall message intended to be drawn from it.
The article has two parts. The first part analyses the sources from the period between 1000 and 1300 CE that mentions the story of Dinah and gives an idea about the interpretations and reflections of this episode in the Bible at that time. In the second part, the study analyses the illustrations of Dinah in the Middle Byzantine Octateuch manuscripts, shedding light on the visual interpretations and representations of the story in the context of medieval art.
As the study progresses, it attempts to unravel the mystery surrounding Dinah's story, exploring its significance, moral implications and potential cultural or historical implications. The juxtaposition of textual and visual analyses adds depth to the exploration of this biblical narrative and invites readers to reflect on the ongo-ing enigma of Genesis 34 and its complex lessons.
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