Redeeming Dinah: The Errors of Ron Williams, the IFB, and Gothard’s Esteem of Rabbinical Writing as Holy Writ

In Genesis 32:22, Jacob gathers his family up and takes them over the ford Jabbok, and all of his family is mentioned, except for Dinah. Rashi quotes from the Midrash (another text that is used to fill in the gaps in the Old Testament) which claims that Dinah was so beautiful that Jacob hid her in a box so that Esau would not want to take her for his own wife. God is claimed to have corrected Jacob, saying, “If thou hadst married off thy daughter in time she would not have been tempted to sin, and might, moreover, have exerted a beneficial influence upon her husband.” Presumably, God tells Jacob that Dinah would have made a good wife for Esau and would not have been available for Shechem to defile. Rashi adds this to build his argument that Dinah, though beautiful was manipulative and troublesome, something he claims about her mother which seems to be his opinion and little more. But this stands in contrast to Deuteronomy 24:16 which maintains that all individuals stand as culpable for their own sins, particularly sins that result in death. Rashi’s claims are also drawn into question because other Midrash texts claim that Dinah would have been six years old at the time she was hidden away in the box and that Esau would have been ninety seven years of age. It is highly unlikely that Esau would have been interested in a six year old as a mate.

And on another level, it all might depend on which proof texts you cherry pick. Rashi, the guy with a chip on his shoulder concerning Leah and Dinah offered Gothard something that fit his other odd doctrines. Why didn’t Gothard choose an alternate view that holds Dinah in high regard? Other Rabinnical writings claim that Jacob takes the daughter born of Dinah’s union with Shechem, placing her under a thorn bush after putting a necklace on her that says “Holy to God” and names her Asenath (“She belongs to her father”). In one account, Michael the Archangel takes her and carries her away to Egypt where she is found and raised by Potipheras, the priest of On. We read in Genesis that Asenath becomes the wife of Joseph and bears Manasseh and Ephriam (Genesis 41:45).

One could make the argument against Gothard’s claims that if you are going to accept a Rabbincal text as holy writ, why not pick this one that results in blessing and redemption? Tamar was twice Judah’s daughter-in-law and from her union with Judah, great blessings came. From a woman scorned and who was believed by Judah to be a prostitute, came twins that resulted from the union. One became the forefather of David the King of Israel, and from his house came Jesus the Messiah. Doesn’t this sound a bit like this story of Dinah’s daughter?

May I remind you that Rahab who was once known as a harlot in the book of Joshua is listed in a place of high honor. She’s listed among those in the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11:31 where she is known as one who believed God. And Mary Magdelene was the first evangelist. I read this great quote over on The Wartburg Watch this week:

To those of you who were at Hephzibah House and believe that some of what Ron Williams may have told you about who you are in Christ, I’ve got good news for you. There is no alternate plan of salvation for women, and great blessing has come through women whom people like Williams would otherwise throw away.

Matthew 9:36 says that Jesus looked out on the crowds and was moved with compassion because he saw people that had fainted (had lost heart and were with little hope) and were scattered abroad (cast down), like sheep without a shepherd. The word for our English of “scattered abroad” literally describes the way someone would throw trash away along the side of the road. I think that Williams was a cruel excuse for a shepherd for many, and there are many who believe that because of how cruel he was, that Jesus is not a good shepherd. But that’s not true. I think that Jesus is broken hearted for the girls who were at Hephzibah House and He looks out upon everyone who was there and sees girls who were treated like trash in His Name and were left little or with no hope. If I weep, I think that He weeps, too. My heart aches and aches. How must He who knows how many hairs you have on your head and is moved with compassion when a sparrow falls from the sky.