Daily Devotion Monday Motivation | February 16, 2026
Happy Monday! It’s time for your daily devotion. The Bible doesn’t shy away from controversy. It’s filled with imperfect people who do bad things, and innocent people who encounter bad situations. Without extreme detail, it records raw, real events, leaving it up to you to discern the messages and learn the lessons they teach.
Jacob’s Daughter
Jacob’s twelve sons are well documented in the Bible, with two more added. In Genesis 48:5, Jacob tells Joseph that his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, “shall be mine.” So there are many sons, but only one daughter. Genesis 34 introduces Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah.
At this time, Jacob and his family are living in the Hivite’s country. In verse 1, Dinah goes out, apparently alone, to visit the other young women in the land. She encounters Shechem, the prince of the country, who rapes her. Afterwards, he proclaims his love for her and in verse 4, he tells his father, “Get me this damsel to wife.” In your daily devotion, recall that in 1 Corinthians 13:5, Paul says love doesn’t behave itself unseemly or seek its own.
A Stealthy Attack
Dinah’s voice isn’t heard, although it can be assumed she’s devastated. When Jacob hears, he’s angry, but waits for his sons to return from the field before saying anything. They’re outraged. Meanwhile, Hamor, Shechem’s father, visits Jacob on Shechem’s behalf and proposes a marriage alliance, and one between Jacob and his people. He promises a large dowry and gifts, anything to get Dinah for his son and unite with Israel as one people.
Jacob’s sons deceitfully tell him that all their males must be circumcised. They do so, but while they’re recovering, Simeon and Levi attack. Verse 25 reveals they “took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.” After killing Hamor and Shechem, they took Dinah out of Shechem’s house and left. Jacob rebukes them for compromising his safety in the land. In verse 31, they respond unremorsefully. In today’s daily devotion, know that sometimes tragic things happen to God’s people, but trust God’s vengeance.
No Vindication
In 35:1, God directs Jacob to go to Bethel, and “the terror of God” fell on the surrounding cities, and they don’t pursue them. Dinah, who’d been taken from her family, is now safe. Hamar and Shechem were conniving to ally with God’s people. Shechem saw an opportunity to unite with them through Dinah, whose name means “judged” or “vindicated,” and seized it forcefully. Today, in your daily devotion, know that God doesn’t vindicate anyone through words, negotiation, flattery, or money.
Hamar offered to buy Dinah, a daughter of God, who wasn’t for sale. Instead of approaching her respectfully, verse 2 says, “Shechem saw, took, lay with, and defiled her.” He tried to attain God’s things by worldly methods, but they’re only attained through faith and obedience to God. Shechem is judged, not vindicated, and he, Hamor, and the men of the city all fall together. In this daily devotion, always check your motives and methods when it comes to the things of God.
Only Through Christ
In Monday’s daily devotion, Dinah is a survivor who lives past Shechem’s wickedness. Acts 8:18-20 exposes Simon, a man who sees the power of the Holy Spirit and offers Peter money to purchase it. Instead, he’s rebuked for thinking he can buy the things of God. Paul teaches in Galatians 5:2-4 that justification isn’t through circumcision but through Christ. In your daily devotion, rejoice in Jesus Christ, the only Door to alliance with God.
