Dinah

Technical Profile

Name Meaning: From Hebrew דִּינָה (Dinah), related to דִּין (din, “to judge/vindicate”)
Period/Era: Patriarchal Period
Main References: Genesis 30:21; 34:1–31; 46:15
Key Connections: Jacob (father), Leah (mother), Simeon and Levi (brothers), Shechem son of Hamor (Hivite)

Who was Dinah?

Dinah was the daughter born to Jacob and Leah and is named among Jacob’s children.
She is the central figure in the Genesis account involving Shechem and the ensuing conflict.
Her story is set within Jacob’s household during Israel’s ancestral period.

Key Events & Achievements

Event 1: Dinah is born to Jacob and Leah as part of the growing covenant family (Genesis 30:21).
Event 2: She is taken and violated by Shechem, prompting negotiations between Jacob’s family and the men of the city (Genesis 34:1–24).
Event 3: Simeon and Levi attack Shechem’s city after the agreement, and Dinah is brought out from Shechem’s house (Genesis 34:25–31).

Life Lesson & Legacy

Dinah’s account highlights how family honor and intergroup relations could intensify conflict within the patriarchal narratives of Genesis.

Key Verse

"And Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the women of the land." — Genesis 34:1, ESV

Quizzes

Answer the questions below. When you choose an option, you will see the result and an explanation.

1. Who were Dinah’s parents?

2. After the agreement was made with the men of the city, what did Simeon and Levi do?