Genesis 34

Dinah and the Shechemites

1Now Dinah, the daughter Leah had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the women of the land. 2When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the ruler of that area, saw her, he took her and raped her. 3His heart was drawn to Dinah daughter of Jacob; he loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her. 4And Shechem said to his father Hamor, “Get me this girl as my wife.”

5When Jacob heard that his daughter Dinah had been defiled, his sons were in the fields with his livestock; so he did nothing about it until they came home.

6Then Shechem’s father Hamor went out to talk with Jacob. 7Meanwhile, Jacob’s sons had come in from the fields as soon as they heard what had happened. They were shocked and furious, because Shechem had done an outrageous thing in#34:7 Or against Israel by sleeping with Jacob’s daughter—a thing that should not be done.

8But Hamor said to them, “My son Shechem has his heart set on your daughter. Please give her to him as his wife. 9Intermarry with us; give us your daughters and take our daughters for yourselves. 10You can settle among us; the land is open to you. Live in it, trade#34:10 Or move about freely; also in verse 21 in it, and acquire property in it.”

11Then Shechem said to Dinah’s father and brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and I will give you whatever you ask. 12Make the price for the bride and the gift I am to bring as great as you like, and I’ll pay whatever you ask me. Only give me the young woman as my wife.”

13Because their sister Dinah had been defiled, Jacob’s sons replied deceitfully as they spoke to Shechem and his father Hamor. 14They said to them, “We can’t do such a thing; we can’t give our sister to a man who is not circumcised. That would be a disgrace to us. 15We will enter into an agreement with you on one condition only: that you become like us by circumcising all your males. 16Then we will give you our daughters and take your daughters for ourselves. We’ll settle among you and become one people with you. 17But if you will not agree to be circumcised, we’ll take our sister and go.”

18Their proposal seemed good to Hamor and his son Shechem. 19The young man, who was the most honored of all his father’s family, lost no time in doing what they said, because he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter. 20So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate of their city to speak to the men of their city. 21“These men are friendly toward us,” they said. “Let them live in our land and trade in it; the land has plenty of room for them. We can marry their daughters and they can marry ours. 22But the men will agree to live with us as one people only on the condition that our males be circumcised, as they themselves are. 23Won’t their livestock, their property and all their other animals become ours? So let us agree to their terms, and they will settle among us.”

24All the men who went out of the city gate agreed with Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male in the city was circumcised.

25Three days later, while all of them were still in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took their swords and attacked the unsuspecting city, killing every male. 26They put Hamor and his son Shechem to the sword and took Dinah from Shechem’s house and left. 27The sons of Jacob came upon the dead bodies and looted the city where#34:27 Or because their sister had been defiled. 28They seized their flocks and herds and donkeys and everything else of theirs in the city and out in the fields. 29They carried off all their wealth and all their women and children, taking as plunder everything in the houses.

30Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me obnoxious to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people living in this land. We are few in number, and if they join forces against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed.”

31But they replied, “Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?”

The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®

Learn More About New International Version

Bereshis 34

1And Dinah Bat Leah, which she bore unto Ya'akov, went out to see the Banot HaAretz.

2And when Shechem Ben Chamor the Chivi (Hivite), Nasi HaAretz, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and violated her.

3And his nefesh had deveykus unto Dinah Bat Ya'akov, and he loved the na'arah, and spoke to the lev hanaarah.

4And Shechem spoke unto Chamor aviv, saying, Get me this yaldah as isha.

5And Ya'akov heard that he had made his bat Dinah tameh; now his banim were with his mikneh in the sadeh; and Ya'akov held his peace until they were come.

6And Chamor avi Shechem went out unto Ya'akov to speak with him.

7And the Bnei Ya'akov came from the sadeh when they heard it; and the anashim were grieved, and they were in wrath greatly, because he had wrought nevalah (folly, disgrace, outrage) against Yisroel in lying with Bat Ya'akov; which thing ought not to be done.

8And Chamor spoke with them, saying, The nefesh of beni (my son) Shechem longeth for your bat; now give her him as isha.

9So intermarry with us, and give your banot unto us, and take benoteinu (our banot) unto you.

10And ye shall dwell with us; and HaAretz shall be before you; dwell and trade therein, and get you possessions therein.

11And Shechem said unto her av and unto her achim, Let me find chen (grace) in your eyes, and what ye shall say unto me I will give.

12Ask me never so much mohar (bride price, dowry) and mattan (gift), and I will pay according as ye shall say unto me; but give me the na'arah as isha.

13And the Bnei Ya'akov answered Shechem and Chamor aviv in mirmar (deceit) and spoke because he had made Dinah their achot tameh;

14And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give achoteinu (our sister) to ish that is arelah (uncircumcised); for that would be a cherpah (reproach, disgrace) unto us;

15But in this will we consent unto you: If ye will become like us, that every zachar of you be circumcised;

16Then will we give benoteinu unto you, and we will take your banot to us, and we will dwell among you, and we will become as Am Echad.

17But if ye will not pay heed unto us, to become circumcised; then will we take biteinu (our daughter), and we will go.

18And their words pleased Chamor, and Shechem Ben Chamor.

19And the na'ar deferred not to do the thing, because he had delight in Bat Ya'akov; and he was more respected than kol Bais Aviv.

20And Chamor and Shechem bno came unto the Sha'ar of their city, and they spoke with the anashim of their city, saying,

21These anashim are shlemim (peaceable) with us; therefore let them settle in HaAretz, and let them trade therein for HaAretz, hinei, it is plenty of room for them; let us take their banot to us as nashim, and let us give them benoteinu.

22Only herein will the anashim consent unto us for to dwell with us, to be Am Echad, if every zachar among us be circumcised, just as they are nimolim (ones being circumcised).

23Shall not their mikneh and their property and every behemah of theirs be ours? Only let us consent unto them, and they will settle among us.

24And unto Chamor and unto Shechem bno paid heed all that went out of the Sha'ar of his city; and every zachar was circumcised, all that went out of the Sha'ar of his city.

25And it came to pass on the Yom HaShlishi, when they were in pain, that two of the Bnei Ya'akov, Shim'on and Levi, achei Dinah, took each ish his cherev, and came upon the Ir betach (boldly, confidently), and they slaughtered kol zachar.

26And they slaughtered Chamor and Shechem bno with the edge of the cherev, and took Dinah from the Bais Shechem and left.

27The Bnei Ya'akov came upon the chalalim (dead ones, slain ones), and plundered the Ir, because they had made their achot tameh.

28They seized their tzon, and their bakar, and their chamorim, and that which was in the Ir, and that which was in the sadeh,

29And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their nashim they carried off and plundered even all that was in the bais.

30And Ya'akov said to Shim'on and Levi, Ye have brought trouble on me to make me a stench among the inhabitants of HaAretz, among the Kena'ani and the Perizzi; and I being few in mispar, they shall gather themselves together against me, and attack me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my bais.

31And they said, Should he deal with achoteinu like with zonah?

THE ORTHODOX JEWISH BIBLE

Learn More About The Orthodox Jewish Bible