It was only through the policy
of David that Caleb, Othniel, Jerachmeel, and the rest of the
Kenites who had their homes in the Negeb became completely
incorporated with Judah, so that Hebron became at last the capital
of that tribe. Its oldest seats, however, lay further to the
north, in the region of Tekoa, Bethlehem, Baal Judah.
It harmonises well with this view to suppose that Simeon
and Levi must have made at the same time their attempt to
effect a settlement in the hill country of Ephraim. One
of their families, Dinah bath Leah, met with a favourable
reception in the town of Shechem, and began to mix freely with
its population, and thus the way was paved for the establishment
of peaceable relations between the old inhabitants of the land
and the new importations. But these relations were brought to
an end by the two brothers who, in concert it must be supposed
with their sister, fell upon the Shechemites and massacred
them. The final result proved disastrous. The Canaanites
of the surrounding country united against them and completely
destroyed them. There can be no doubt as to the trustworthiness
of the somewhat enigmatical records of those events which are
given in Gen.
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