A Mini Novel, Dinah – Trapped

Dinah awoke with her brothers voices. They were returning from herding the flocks, and it was a joy when they returned. Sometimes they were gone many days and even weeks herding the flocks in the field.

- Dinah! Dinah! Where do you think you are going like that? - Said Leah

- Mother my brothers are here, I want to give them a hug!

- I know my daughter! But you are no longer a little girl, you are a young woman! You can no longer run out anyway you want and dressed like that!

While Leah spoke Dinah looked at her nightclothes, a simple tunic of white linen.

- But mom I always went out this way to see my brothers!

- Yes my daughter but you have grown! And it's time to learn to behave. Come here close to me! - Said Leah making a hand signal for Dinah to sit.

Leah was a very loving mother and loved her daughter; whenever she looked at Dina’s beautiful face she thanked God for the beauty He had given her daughter. But at the same time; as a mother, her heart felt concerned, because Dinah was a very restless and curious girl.

- You are very beautiful my daughter! And you're a special girl! You belong to a family that God has chosen! Remember the story that your father always tells you of Abraham and Isaac?

- Yes mother - said Dinah attentive to the words of her mother, while she made her a beautiful braid.

- One day my daughter your father will choose a man who believes in our God to be your husband! - Dinah smiled and lowered her head; her face was red with embarrassment.

- Yes dear! A man who loves you and makes you very happy and someone you can give many children. Therefore you should behave and save yourself for this day! I want the best for you! - Dinah hugged her mother tightly, and kissed her tenderly.

- Well now you just need to change those clothes! - Leah said helping Dinah to put on a light blue dress.

- Now you can leave the tent to see your brothers!

Dinah ran out, but as she left the tent she remembered that she had to be different, she stopped running and walked in the direction of her brothers.

- Dinah! - Cried Reuben Dinah’s older brother, while he carried her in his arms and twirled her, circling endlessly. Dinah laughed with happiness she knew that her brothers loved her very much.

The following day Dinah was sitting next to Zilpah making bread and the two were having fun throwing flour in each other’s faces, but when Dinah looked towards the field she saw that her father was talking to her mother and her Aunt Rachel, and he seemed nervous. Dinah was filled with curiosity and walked toward them hidden among the dry bushes so they wouldn’t see her. She could not hear very well what the matter was, but understood that it was something God had spoken to her father. Dinah got up running from the bushes and returned to the camp before her parents arrived.

That night Jacob gathered his whole family and told them everything that was happening and that they would leave to a new land.

So Dinah arrived with her parents and the whole family to the city of Shechem, and pitched camp near the grounds that her father had purchased from Hamor.

Hamor was the principal of the city and he had a son, Shechem, he was a tall, strong young man, very good looking, but very womanizer and took advantage of the position that he had as the son of the most important man in town.

Dinah was euphoric, in new place, were everything was different. Time to set up the tents and put everything in place, there were many things to organize. While the men were responsible for setting up the tents and making sure they won’t fall, the women stretch out the curtains inn the inside and arranged the objects.

Dinah seemed a little distant, she was observing what was around,-Dinah! Come help! Leah Yelled, a little impatient.

"I'm going mother”, she said running but looking back.

Some days passed and Dinah walked restless and thought to herself; "Oh, I'm very curious to know the girls here in the land of Shechem, who knows their life is probably more fun and less monotonous than mine, If I go, no one will notice”, she looked around and without seeing no one around, she escaped alone..

Have you seen Dina? her mother asked her servants.

"No, madam, she probably went walking a little."

"Hum, I don’t like her walking around alone, we don’t know anyone yet, it can be dangerous," said Leah concerned.

Dinah seemed to have no fear, as she entered the city, she was delighted because everything was new to her and quite different to what her eyes were accustomed to see, but she did not realize the danger she faced.

Walking alone in the midst of strangers and heathen people was risky, but curiosity led her to feel the need to go and take a "peek" into the world. Dinah was very beautiful and called the eyes of the people from the town.

"Who is that girl?" Asked Shechem; the son of the prince of that land.

"I do not know sir, I never seen her here before, she seems to be a foreign."

Danger was approaching, Dinah, was now alone and innocent among wolves and did not know how to defend yourself.

She couldn’t imagine what was about to happen, she was trapped....

(Continues)