Shortcomings

Genesis 34-38 deals mainly with the failures of Jacob's sons. Simeon and Levi massacre the men of Shechem; Reuben sleeps with Jacob's concubine Bilhah; Joseph is sold into slavery by his brothers; and Judah marries a Canaanite woman, has two sons who act wickedly and die, and ends up getting his son's wife pregnant. Yet God is still merciful to them, and does not take away their blessing, though they have yet to learn how truly merciful God is to them.