Dinah was the only daughter of Jacob and her name is mentioned only once in the Bible (Genesis 30:21). She was born to Leah as Leah’s seventh child and Jacob’s eleventh child. She was the last born of Leah and Jacob and her name Dinah means “avenged” or “judged”. Dinah is the feminine form of Dan and both have their roots in the Hebrew word “din” which means to “judge” or “plead”.

It is plausible that Leah may have so named her daughter, Dinah, for she may have felt avenged by the Lord as her husband Jacob did not love her as much as he did love Leah’s sister, Rachel. Later we shall see how Dinah was avenged for the crime of Shechem the Hivite against her, wherein her brothers, Simeon and Levi took matters into their own hands.

Points to ponder:
God is judge. It is he who avenges. When life seems to unjust to us, let us rely on him to avenge and not take matters into our own hands. Jesus is the Judge over all for the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son (John 5:22) and we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; so that every one will be “judged” according to what we have done; good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:10). Those who have walked according to the Spirit of God and not according to the flesh, to them who are in Christ Jesus, to them there is no condemnation when Christ the Judge judges (Romain 8:1).

Genesis 30:21 (KJV)
21 And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah.

John 5:22 (KJV)
22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

2 Corinthians 5:10 (KJV)
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Romans 8:1 (KJV)
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.