Genesis 34
34
1Dinah, the daughter whom Leah had borne to Jacob, went out to meet the women of that country. 2When Shechem the son of the Hivite Hamor and the country’s prince saw her, he took her, slept with her, and humiliated her. 3He was drawn to Dinah, Jacob’s daughter. He loved the young woman and tried to win her heart. 4Shechem said to his father Hamor, “Get this girl for me as my wife.” 5Now Jacob heard that Shechem defiled his daughter Dinah; but his sons were with the animals in the countryside, so he decided to keep quiet until they got back. 6Meanwhile, Hamor, Shechem’s father, went out to Jacob to speak with him. 7Just then, Jacob’s sons got back from the countryside. When they heard what had happened, they were deeply offended and very angry, because Shechem had disgraced Israel by sleeping with Jacob’s daughter. Such things are simply not done.
8Hamor said to them, “My son Shechem’s heart is set on your daughter. Please let him marry her. 9Arrange marriages with us: give us your daughters and take our daughters for yourselves. 10Live with us. The land is available to you: settle down, travel through it, and buy property in it.”
11Shechem said to Dinah’s father and brothers, “If you approve of me, tell me what you want, and I will give it to you. 12Make the bride price and marriage gifts as large as you like, and I will pay whatever you tell me. Then let me marry the young woman.”
13Jacob’s sons responded deviously to Shechem and his father Hamor because Shechem defiled their sister Dinah. 14They said to them, “We can’t do this, allowing our sisters to marry uncircumcised men, because it’s disgraceful to us. 15We can only agree to do this if you circumcise every male as we do. 16Then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters for ourselves. We will live with you and be one people. 17But if you don’t listen to us and become circumcised, we will take our daughter and leave.”
18Their idea seemed like a good one to Hamor and Hamor’s son Shechem. 19The young man didn’t waste any time doing this because he liked Jacob’s daughter so much. He was more respected than anyone else in his father’s household. 20Hamor and his son Shechem went to their city’s gate and spoke to the men of their city: 21“These men want peace with us. Let them live in the land and travel through it; there’s plenty of land for them. We will marry their daughters and give them our daughters. 22But the men will agree to live with us and become one people only if we circumcise every male just as they do. 23Their livestock, their property, and all of their animals—won’t they be ours? Let’s agree with them and let them live with us.” 24Everyone at the city gate agreed with Hamor and his son Shechem, so every able-bodied male in the city was circumcised.
25On the third day, when they were still in pain, two of Jacob’s sons and Dinah’s brothers Simeon and Levi took their swords, came into the city, which suspected nothing, and killed every male. 26They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with their swords, took Dinah from Shechem’s household, and left. 27When Jacob’s other sons discovered the dead, they looted the city that had defiled their sister. 28They took their flocks, their cattle, and their donkeys, whether in the city or in the fields nearby. 29They carried off their property, their children, and their wives. They looted the entire place. 30Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You’ve put me in danger by making me offensive to those who live here in the land, to the Canaanites and the Perizzites. I have only a few men. They may join forces, attack me, and destroy me, me and my household.”
31They said, “But didn’t he treat our sister like a prostitute?”
2011 Common English Bible. 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.