Abstract
In this article the author deals with the question whether Genesis 34 can be meaningfully read as part of the Christian Bible. Douglas S.
Earl has offered an interpretation of this passage which fails to find any Christian significance in it. The author of this article presents a different view, with an emphasis on the literary ambiguity of the characters in the story.
It is argued that the ambiguous view of the characters in the story reflects the ambiguous perspective of the narrative regarding the life of the patriarchs in the land of the Canaanites. It is further argued that this ambiguity can be relevant when the story is read by the church, and when the church eflects on its relationship with the surrounding world.