Woman at the Well and Dinah
In John 4 Jesus goes through Samaria on His way to Galilee.
Jesus purposefully goes to the town of Sychar. Some Biblical scholars believe Sychar is the same as Shechem. Even if they are not the exact same town they are within a half mile of one another and sit between two hills (in a valley). This is where, in Genesis 34 Jacob sets up his household and family. He builds a well (33:19) which is later mentioned by the Woman at the Well.
While staying at Shechem, Dinah, Jacob’s only daughter, is abducted and raped by a Canaanite prince (Hivite) who’s name is also Shechem. When Jacob gets news of her rape he does nothing. This is important to note because later in Genesis 34 Jacob mourns so deeply for what he believes is the death of his son Joseph. He tears his clothes and refuses to be comforted. I believe the Bible wants us to see the difference.
It goes on to tell the story of how Dinah’s brothers wreck revenge over Shechem and the Hivite town. More innocents are hurt in this revenge so much so that Jacob has to move his family away from this area.
I believe the writers of the Bible mention this woman’s story so that she is known and so that atrocities to daughters are known and grieved.
Fast forward to the Woman at the Well who meets Jesus as He sits to wait for her. He speaks openly to her about theological things. He doesn’t shame her but points out she has had 5 husbands. As scholar Dr. Barr has pointed out, women can’t divorce a man in first century Israel. She probably was widowed several times and/or put away (divorced by a man). Jesus says the man she is with now is not her husband which may mean she no longer has a status as a wife but is a concubine. This takes the WAY in which Jesus brings her to the gospel such a different path. He is telling her He sees her life and He is with her now.
The Woman at the Well says, “Are you greater than our Father Jacob…” in fact, He is! He is a good, good father who loves His daughter. He has seen the plight of women just like Dinah and just like this woman. He meets them both to be truly known and loved there.
If you’d like more in depth look at Dinah and the Woman at the Well, please listen to Holy Curiosity and the work of Kat Armstrong.
I painted this with metal leaf then poured some patina over it to “eat” away at the metal leaf over time. It has taken several months to complete and I still went back over the painting just recently to highlight the droplets of water. It is a very rough texture and I liked that as a symbol of their lives. It can feel as if evil eats away at our stories. We become less and less beautiful. I also loved the idea of these women being poured INTO. This beautiful living water is pouring into their wells from the one who has the source of all Love.
