INTRODUCTION: Read Genesis 34:25-29
1. The sons of Jacob grew up in a world of winner-take-all attitudes in the company of Laban the Syrian.
1) As they grew to maturity they ignored the lessons of faith learned by Abraham and lived like the world around them where might made right and the “golden” rule was whoever has the gold makes the rules.
2) The record of the immorality of Jacob’s sons begins with Reuben lying with Bilhah, Jacob’s concubine (Genesis 35:22). The consequence of this action was that Reuben lost his first-born status (Genesis 49:3-4).
3) Simeon and Levi showed their cruelty when they slaughtered all the men of Shalem when one of them had defiled Dinah, their sister (Genesis 34:25-26).
4) They sold their brother into Egyptian slavery because of their envy of him (Genesis 37:28).
5) Judah fathered a child by Tamar, his daughter-in-law, when she dressed like a harlot and propositioned him (Genesis 38:15-18).