Genesis 34

Dinah Is Raped

1Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, went to visit some of the women who lived nearby. 2She was seen by Hamor's son Shechem, the leader of the Hivites, and he grabbed her and raped her. 3But Shechem was attracted to Dinah, so he told her how much he loved her. 4Shechem even asked his father to arrange for him to marry her.

5Meanwhile, Jacob heard what had happened. But his sons were out in the fields with the cattle, so he did not do anything at the time. 6Hamor arrived at Jacob's home 7just as Jacob's sons were coming in from work. When they learned that their sister had been raped, they became furiously angry, because nothing is more disgraceful than rape, and it must not be tolerated.

8Hamor said to Jacob and his sons:

My son Shechem really loves Dinah. Please let him marry her. 9Why don't you start letting your families marry into our families and ours marry into yours? 10You can share this land with us. Move freely about until you find the property you want; then buy it and settle down here.

11Shechem added, “Do this favor for me, and I'll give whatever you want. 12Ask anything, no matter how expensive. I'll do anything, just let me marry Dinah.”

13Jacob's sons wanted to get even with Shechem and his father because of what had happened to their sister. 14So they tricked them by saying:

You're not circumcised!#34.14 You're not circumcised: Israelite boys were circumcised when they were eight days old, and no uncircumcised man could be part of the people of Israel. It would be a disgrace for us to let you marry Dinah now. 15But we will let you marry her, if you and the other men in your tribe agree to be circumcised. 16Then your families can marry into ours, and ours can marry into yours, and we can live together like one nation. 17But if you don't agree to be circumcised, we'll take Dinah and leave this place.

18Hamor and Shechem liked what was said. 19Shechem was the most respected person in his family, and he was so in love with Dinah that he hurried off to get everything done. 20The two men met with the other leaders of their city and told them:

21These people really are friendly. Why not let them move freely about until they find the property they want? There's enough land here for them and for us. Then our families can marry into theirs, and theirs can marry into ours.

22We have to do only one thing before they will agree to stay here and become one nation with us. Our men will have to be circumcised just like theirs. 23Just think! We'll get their property, as well as their flocks and herds. All we have to do is to agree, and they will live here with us.

24Every grown man followed this advice and got circumcised.

Dinah's Brothers Take Revenge

25Three days later the men who had been circumcised were still weak from pain. So Simeon and Levi,#34.25 Simeon and Levi: Dinah's full brothers. two of Dinah's brothers, attacked with their swords and killed every man in the town, 26including Hamor and Shechem. Then they took Dinah and left. 27Jacob's other sons came and took everything they wanted. All this was done because of the horrible thing that had happened to their sister. 28They took sheep, goats, donkeys, and everything else that was in the town or the countryside. 29After taking everything of value from the houses, they dragged away the wives and children of their victims.

30Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “Look what you've done! Now I'm in real trouble with the Canaanites and Perizzites who live around here. There aren't many of us, and if they attack, they'll kill everyone in my household.”

31They answered, “Was it right to let our own sister be treated that way?”

Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)

Learn More About Contemporary English Version Interconfessional Edition

Genesis 34

The Defiling of Dinah

1Now #ch. 30:21Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the women of the land. 2And when Shechem the son of #Acts 7:16Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he seized her and lay with her and humiliated her. 3And his soul was drawn to Dinah the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her. 4So Shechem #[Judg. 14:2]spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this girl for my wife.”

5Now Jacob heard that he had defiled his daughter Dinah. But his sons were with his livestock 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. 7The sons of Jacob had come in from the field as soon as they heard of it, and the men were indignant and #ch. 49:7 very angry, because he #Josh. 7:15; Judg. 20:6 had done an outrageous thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, #ver. 31; ch. 20:9; 2 Sam. 13:12for such a thing must not be done.

8But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for your#34:8 The Hebrew for your is plural here daughter. Please give her to him to be his wife. 9Make marriages with us. Give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves. 10You shall dwell with us, and #ch. 13:9; 20:15 the land shall be open to you. Dwell and #ver. 21; ch. 42:34 trade in it, and #ch. 47:27get property in it.” 11Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, #See ch. 33:15“Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give. 12Ask me for as great a #Ex. 22:16, 17; 1 Sam. 18:25; [Deut. 22:29]bride-price#34:12 Or engagement present and gift as you will, and I will give whatever you say to me. Only give me the young woman 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 #Josh. 5:9that would be a disgrace to us. 15Only on this condition will we agree with you—that you will become as we are by every male among you being circumcised. 16Then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to ourselves, and we will dwell with you and become one people. 17But if you will not listen to us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter, and we will be gone.”

18Their words pleased Hamor and Hamor’s son Shechem. 19And the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacob’s daughter. Now #[1 Chr. 4:9]he was the most honored of all his father’s house. 20So Hamor and his son Shechem #See Ruth 4:1came to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, saying, 21“These men are at peace with us; let them dwell in the land and #ver. 10; ch. 42:34trade in it, for behold, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters as wives, and let us give them our daughters. 22Only on this condition will the men agree to dwell with us to become one people—when every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised. 23Will not their livestock, their property and all their beasts be ours? Only let us agree with them, and they will dwell with us.” 24And all who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male was circumcised, all who #[ch. 23:10]went out of the gate of his city.

25On the third day, when they were sore, two of the sons of Jacob, #See ch. 49:5-7 Simeon and Levi, #ch. 29:33, 34; 30:21Dinah’s brothers, took their swords and came against the city while it felt secure 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. 27The sons of Jacob came upon the slain and plundered the city, because they had defiled their sister. 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 plundered.

30Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, #Josh. 7:25 “You have brought trouble on me #Ex. 5:21; 1 Sam. 13:4; 27:12; 2 Sam. 10:6; 16:21; 1 Chr. 19:6 (Heb.) by making me stink to the inhabitants of the land, #ch. 13:7; 15:20, 21 the Canaanites and the Perizzites. #1 Chr. 16:19; Ps. 105:12My 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 he treat our sister like a prostitute?”

Learn More About English Standard Version 2016