Quotes About Conflict

Meanwhile, Shechemís father Hamor came to speak with Jacob.

But because Shechem had defiled their sister Dinah, Jacobís sons answered him and his father Hamor deceitfully.

But if you will not agree to be circumcised, then we will take our sister and go.”

Three days later, while they were still in pain, two of Jacobís sons (Dinahís brothers Simeon and Levi) took their swords, went into the unsuspecting city, and slaughtered every male.

They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with their swords, took Dinah out of Shechemís house, and went away.

They took their flocks and herds and donkeys, and everything else in the city or in the field.

They carried off all their possessions and women and children, and they plundered everything in their houses.

Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble upon me by making me a stench to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people of this land. We are few in number; if they unite against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed.”

While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his fatherís concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it. Jacob had twelve sons:

This is the account of Jacob. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he was tending the flock with his brothers, the sons of his fatherís wives Bilhah and Zilpah, and he brought their father a bad report about them.

When Josephís brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.

Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.

He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had:

“Do you intend to reign over us?” his brothers asked. “Will you actually rule us?” So they hated him even more because of his dream and his statements.

And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept in mind what he had said.

Now Josephís brothers saw him in the distance, and before he arrived, they plotted to kill him.

When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue Joseph from their hands. “Let us not take his life,” he said.

“Do not shed his blood. Throw him into this pit in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this so that he could rescue Joseph from their hands and return him to his father.

So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the robe of many colors he was wearing—

Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him; for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And they agreed.

returned to his brothers, and said, “The boy is gone! What am I going to do?”

Then they took Josephís robe, slaughtered a young goat, and dipped the robe in its blood.

Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be confined so that the truth of your words may be tested. If they are untrue, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!”

They did not realize that Joseph understood them, since there was an interpreter between them.