ייִדישער מחשבֿה אויף שמואל ב 6:20

Some problems in the text of the story: 1) Why was the city near which all this occurred not mentioned by name? Shechem is certainly not more than a reference to the city that belonged to Shechem, just like Ir David, or Ir Sichon? 2) Why is Dinah referred to as a daughter of Leah and Jacob? Was there then another Dinah? Why the repetition of Shechem's love and desire for Dinah? 3) The report about Chamor going to see Jacob, although no discussion takes place prior to the return of the brothers, seems out of order. The return of the brothers, and their anguish prior to the arrival of Chamor in their home would have seemed a more appropriate sequence of the reportage. Mentioning that sexual intercourse with the unmarried daughter of Jacob is inadmissible hardly needs emphasis, so why the line "and such a thing must not be done" (34,7)? 4) Why does Chamor start immediately talking about marriage, instead of first trying to assuage the brothers' feelings? Shechem also discusses only the future instead of expressing regret about what had happened. 5) The conditions imposed regarding circumcision of all the people of Chamor and Shechem seem loaded with unnecessary verbiage. 6) Why did Shimon and Levi pick the third day after circumcision to attack the city? Would the townspeople not be still weaker immediately after circumcision? 7) Why would the brothers loot the town if the object was merely to punish them for participation in an immoral act? The more we hear about the moral justification of their act, the less we can understand the monetary gain as an apparent objective. 8) Why did Jacob delay fulfilling the vow he had made at Looz, i.e. Bet El, after the dream with the ladder? 9) What were the alien deities that Jacob told his household members to get rid off? Why is the death of Deborah mentioned? 10) The last two words in 35,12 seem superfluous. What is the meaning of "G-d rose from the spot He had spoken with him" (35,13)? 11) Why did the midwife say to Rachel, "Do not be afraid," when it was obvious she was about to die? 12) The words "It happened while Jacob lived in that country" in 35,21 seem superfluous. We already know that he had pitched his tent in Migdal Eder. 13) Why is Reuben's indiscretion mentioned in the same verse as "Jacob had twelve sons?"