Genesis 34
34
The Treachery of Jacob’s Sons
1Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out [unescorted] to visit the girls of the land. 2When Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince (sheik) of the land, saw her, he kidnapped her and lay [intimately] with her by force [humbling and offending her]. 3But his soul longed for and clung to Dinah daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke comfortingly to her young heart’s wishes. 4So Shechem said to his father Hamor, “Get me this young woman as a wife.” 5Now Jacob heard that Shechem had defiled (violated) Dinah his daughter; but his sons were in the field with his livestock, so Jacob said nothing until they came in. 6But Shechem’s father Hamor went to Jacob to talk with him. 7Now when Jacob’s sons heard of it they came in from the field; they were deeply grieved, and they were very angry, for Shechem had done a disgraceful thing to #This use of the word “Israel” implies that the family of Israel (Jacob) was developing into a distinct people or nation. They are recognized by Pharaoh as a separate nation in Ex 1:9.Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, for such a thing is not to be done.
8But Hamor conferred with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem [deeply] longs for your daughter [and sister]. Please give her to him as his wife. 9And [beyond that] intermarry with us; give your daughters to us [as wives] and take our daughters for yourselves. 10In this way you shall live with us; the country will be open to you; live and do business in it and acquire property and possessions in it.” 11Shechem also said to Dinah’s father and to her brothers, “Let me find favor in your sight, and I will give you whatever you ask of me. 12Demand of me a very large bridal payment and gift [as compensation for giving up your daughter and sister], and I will give you whatever you tell me; only give me the girl to be my wife.”
13Jacob’s sons answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, because Shechem had defiled and disgraced their sister Dinah. 14They said to them, “We cannot do this thing and give our sister [in marriage] to one who is not circumcised, because that would be a disgrace to us. 15But we will consent to you only on this condition: if you will become like us, in that every male among you consents to be circumcised, 16then we will give our daughters to you [in marriage], and we will take your daughters for ourselves, and we will live with you and become one people. 17But if you do not listen to us and refuse to be circumcised, then we will take our daughter [Dinah] and go.”
18Their words seemed reasonable to Hamor and his son Shechem, 19and the young man did not hesitate to do the [required] thing, for he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter. Now he was more respected and honored than all [others] in the household of his father. 20Then Hamor and Shechem his son came to the gate of their [walled] city [where the leading men would meet] and spoke with the men of the city, saying, 21“These men are peaceful and friendly with us; so let them live in the land and do business in it, for the land is large enough [for us and] for them; let us take their daughters for wives and let us give them our daughters [in marriage]. 22But only on this condition will the men consent to our request that they live among us and become one people: that every male among us become circumcised just as they are circumcised. 23Will not their cattle and their possessions and all their animals be ours [if we do this]? Let us consent [to do as they ask], and they will live here with us.” 24And every [Canaanite] man who went out of the city gate listened and considered what Hamor and Shechem said; and every male who #Lit went out of the gate of his city.was a resident of that city was circumcised.
25Now on the third day [after the circumcision], when all the men were [terribly] sore and in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s [full] brothers, took their swords, boldly entered the city [without anyone suspecting them of evil intent], and they killed every male. 26They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house [where she was staying], and left. 27Then Jacob’s [other] sons came upon those who were killed and looted the town, because their sister had been defiled and disgraced. 28They took the Canaanites’ flocks and their herds and their donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field; 29they looted all their wealth, and [took captive] all their children and their wives, even everything that was in the houses. 30Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have ruined me, making me a stench to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites! My men are few in number, and the men of the land will band together against me and attack me; I shall be destroyed, I and my household.” 31But they said, “Should he [be permitted to] treat our sister as a prostitute?”
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Genesis 34
34
The Treachery of Jacob’s Sons
1Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to #34:1 Lit seevisit the daughters of the land. 2When Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he took her and lay with her and raped her. 3But #34:3 Lit His soul clunghe was deeply attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and #34:3 Lit spoke to the heart of the girlspoke tenderly to her. 4So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this young woman as a wife.” 5Now Jacob heard that he had defiled his daughter Dinah; but his sons were with his livestock in the field, so Jacob said nothing until they came in. 6Then Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him. 7Now the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard about it; and the men were grieved, and they were very angry because he had done a #34:7 Lit senselessdisgraceful thing in Israel by #34:7 I.e., violating hersleeping with Jacob’s daughter, for such a thing ought not to be done.
8But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter; please give her to him #34:8 Lit for a wifein marriage. 9And intermarry with us; give your daughters to us and take our daughters for yourselves. 10So you will live with us, and the land shall be #34:10 Lit before youopen to you; live and trade in it and acquire property in it.” 11Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, “Let me find favor in your sight, and I will give whatever you tell me. 12Demand of me ever so much bridal payment and gift, and I will give whatever you tell me; but give me the girl #34:12 Lit for a wifein marriage.”
13But Jacob’s sons answered Shechem and his father Hamor with deceit, because he had defiled their sister Dinah. 14They said to them, “We cannot do this thing, that is, give our sister to a man who is uncircumcised, for that would be a disgrace to us. 15Only on this condition will we consent to you: if you will become like us, in that every male of you will be circumcised, 16then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters for ourselves, and we will live with you and become one people. 17But if you do not listen to us to be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and go.”
18Now their words seemed #34:18 Lit goodreasonable to Hamor and Shechem, Hamor’s son. 19The young man did not delay to do #34:19 Lit the thingthis, because he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter. Now he was more respected than all the household of his father. 20So Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of their city and spoke to the people of their city, saying, 21“These men are #34:21 Lit peacefulfriendly to us; therefore let them live in the land and trade in it, for behold, the land is #34:21 Lit wide of hands before themlarge enough for them. We will take their daughters #34:21 Lit to us for wivesin marriage, and give our daughters to them. 22Only on this condition will the men consent to us to live with us, to become one people: that every male among us be circumcised just as they are circumcised. 23Will their livestock and their property and all their animals not be ours? Let’s just consent to them, and they will live with us.” 24All who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and to his son Shechem, and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.
25Now it came about on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of Jacob’s sons—Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers—each took his sword and came upon the city undetected, and killed every male. 26They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem’s house, and left. 27Jacob’s sons came upon those killed and looted the city, because they had defiled their sister. 28They took their flocks, their herds, and their donkeys, and that which was in the city and that which was in the field; 29and they captured and looted all their wealth and all their little ones and their wives, even everything that was in the houses. 30Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me repulsive among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and #34:30 Lit I, few in numbersince my men are few in number, they will band together against me and #34:30 Lit strikeattack me, and I will be destroyed, I and my household!” 31But they said, “Should he #34:31 Or maketreat our sister like a prostitute?”
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