What does the Bible say about the defilement of sin?

Scripture reveals that sin is not merely failing to obey God but results in our souls being defiled, which means they are afflicted and humiliated. Genesis 34 illustrates this through the story of Dinah, whose defilement by Shechem symbolizes the deeper spiritual reality of how sin corrupts and pollutes our relationship with God. Romans 3:23 states that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, emphasizing our need for cleansing from this defilement, a need we cannot meet on our own.