Genesis 34
34
The Rape of Dinah
1Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the women of the region. 2When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the region, saw her, he seized her and lay with her by force. 3And his soul was drawn to Dinah daughter of Jacob; he loved the girl, and spoke tenderly to her. 4So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this girl to be my wife.”
5Now Jacob heard that Shechem#34.5 Heb he had defiled his daughter Dinah; but his sons were with his cattle in the field, so Jacob held his peace until they came. 6And Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him, 7just as the sons of Jacob came in from the field. When they heard of it, the men were indignant and very angry, because he had committed an outrage in Israel by lying with Jacob's daughter, for such a thing ought not to be done.
8But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The heart of my son Shechem longs for your daughter; please give her to him in marriage. 9Make marriages with us; give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves. 10You shall live with us; and the land shall be open to you; live and trade in it, and get property in it.” 11Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, “Let me find favor with you, and whatever you say to me I will give. 12Put the marriage present and gift as high as you like, and I will give whatever you ask me; only give me the girl to be my wife.”
13The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully, because he had defiled their sister Dinah. 14They said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a disgrace to us. 15Only on this condition will we consent to you: that you will become as we are and every male among you be circumcised. 16Then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters for ourselves, and we will live among you and become one people. 17But if you will not listen to us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and be gone.”
18Their words pleased Hamor and Hamor's son Shechem. 19And the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he was delighted with Jacob's daughter. Now he was the most honored of all his family. 20So Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, saying, 21“These people are friendly with us; let them live in the land and trade in it, for the land is large enough for them; let us take their daughters in marriage, and let us give them our daughters. 22Only on this condition will they agree to live among us, to become one people: that every male among us be circumcised as they are circumcised. 23Will not their livestock, their property, and all their animals be ours? Only let us agree with them, and they will live among us.” 24And all who went out of the city gate heeded Hamor and his son Shechem; and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.
Dinah's Brothers Avenge Their Sister
25On the third day, when they were still in pain, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, took their swords and came against the city unawares, and killed all the males. 26They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went away. 27And the other sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and plundered the city, because their sister had been defiled. 28They took their flocks and their herds, their donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field. 29All their wealth, all their little ones and their wives, all that was in the houses, they captured and made their prey. 30Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me odious to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites; my numbers are few, and if they gather themselves against me and attack me, I shall be destroyed, both I and my household.” 31But they said, “Should our sister be treated like a whore?”
New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Genesis 34
34
1And Dina the daughter of Lia went out to see the women of that country.
2And when Sichem, the son of Hemor the Hevite, the prince of that land, saw her, he was in love with her: and took her away, and lay with her, ravishing the virgin.
3And his soul was fast knit unto her: and, whereas she was sad, he comforted her with sweet words.
4And going to Hemor his father, he said: Get me this damsel to wife.
5But when Jacob had heard this, his sons being absent, and employed in feeding the cattle, he held his peace till they came back.
6And when Hemor, the father of Sichem, was come out to speak to Jacob,
7Behold, his sons came from the field: and hearing what had passed, they were exceeding angry, because he had done a foul thing in Israel, and committed an unlawful act, in ravishing Jacob's daughter.
8And Hemor spoke to them; The soul of my son Sichem has a longing for your daughter; give her him to wife:
9And let us contract marriages one with another: give us your daughters, and take you our daughters,
10And dwell with us: the land is at your command, till, trade, and possess it.
11Sichem also said to her father and to her brethren: Let me find favor in your sight: and whatsoever you shall appoint I will give.
12Raise the dowery, and ask gifts, and I will gladly give what you shall demand: only give me this damsel to wife.
13The sons of Jacob answered Sichem and his father deceitfully, being enraged at the deflowering of their sister:
14We cannot do what you demand, nor give our sister to one that is uncircumcised, which with us is unlawful and abominable.
15But in this way may we be allied with you, if you will be like us, and all the male sex among you be circumcised:
16Then will we mutually give and take your daughters, and ours: and we will dwell with you, and will be one people:
17But if you will not be circumcised, we will take our daughter and depart.
18Their offer pleased Hemor, and Sichem his son.
19And the young man made no delay, but forthwith fulfilled what was required: for he loved the damsel exceedingly, and he was the greatest man in all his father's house.
20And going into the gate of the city, they spoke to the people:
21These men are peaceable and willing to dwell with us: let them trade in the land, and till it, which being large and wide wanteth men to till it. We shall take their daughters for wives, and we will give them ours.
22One thing there is for which so great a good is deferred: We must circumcise every male among us, following the manner of the nation.
23And their substance, and cattle, and all that they possess, shall be ours: only in this let us condescend, and by dwelling together, we shall make one people.
24And they all agreed, and circumcised all the males.
25And, behold, the third day, when the pain of the wound was greatest, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, the brothers of Dina, taking their swords, entered boldly into the city, and slew all the men:
26And they killed also Hemor and Sichem, and took away their sister Dina, out of Sichem's house.
27And when they were gone out, the other sons of Jacob came upon the slain; and plundered the city in revenge of the rape.
28And they took their sheep and their herds and their asses, wasting all they had in their houses and in the fields.
29And their children and wives they took captive,
30And when they had boldly perpetrated these things, Jacob said to Simeon and Levi: You have troubled me, and made me hateful to the Chanaanites and Pherezites, the inhabitants of this land. We are few: they will gather themselves together and kill me; and both I, and my house, shall be destroyed.
31They answered: Should they abuse our sister as a strumpet?
An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.