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Dinah Is Defiled

34 Now Dinah, the daughter of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. When Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the land, saw her, he took her and lay with her and defiled her. He was very smitten by Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke kindly to her. Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this girl for my wife.”

Now Jacob heard that Shechem had violated his daughter Dinah, but his sons were with his livestock in the field, so Jacob held his peace until they came.

Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to commune with him. The sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it, and the men were grieved and were very disturbed, because Shechem had disgraced Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, a thing that should not be done.

Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. I pray that you will give her to him to marry. Make marriages with us, and give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves. 10 You may dwell with us, and the land will be before you. Dwell and trade in it and get possessions in it.”

11 Shechem said to her father and to her brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give. 12 You can make the dowry and gift I must bring high, and I will give according to what you say to me. Just give me the girl to marry.”

13 The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, because he had defiled Dinah their sister. 14 They said to them, “We cannot do this. To give our sister to one who is uncircumcised would be a disgrace to us. 15 But we will consent to you in this: If you will become as we are, that is, every one of your males be circumcised, 16 then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people. 17 But if you will not listen to us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter, and we will leave.”

18 Their words pleased Hamor and Shechem, Hamor’s son. 19 The young man did not delay to do the thing, because he wanted Jacob’s daughter. Now he was more respected than all the household of his father. 20 So Hamor and Shechem his son came to the gate of their city, and they spoke with the men of their city, saying, 21 “These men are at peace with us. Therefore let them dwell in the land and trade in it. For the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters as our wives, and let us give them our daughters. 22 Only on this condition will the men consent to dwell with us and be one people: if every male among us will be circumcised as they are circumcised. 23 Will not their livestock and their possessions and every animal of theirs be ours? Only, let us agree with them, and they will dwell with us.”

24 All who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and Shechem his son, and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.

25 On the third day, when they were in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took their swords and went to the unsuspecting city and killed all the males. 26 They killed Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword and took Dinah out of the house of Shechem and departed. 27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain and looted the city, because they had defiled their sister. 28 They took their flocks and their herds, their donkeys and whatever was in the city and in the fields. 29 They took captive and looted all their wealth, all their little ones, and their wives, even all that was in each house.

30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me revolting among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites. Our being few in number, they will gather themselves together against me and slay me, and I will be destroyed, both I and my household.”

31 But they said, “Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?”

The Rape of Dinah and the Massacre at Shechem

34 Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. And Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her. And he took her and lay with her and raped her. And his soul clung to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke tenderly[a] to the girl. So Shechem said to Hamor his father, saying, “Get this girl for me as a wife.”

And Jacob heard that Dinah his daughter had been defiled, but his sons were with his flocks in the field. And Jacob kept silent until they came. And Hamor, father of Shechem, went out to Jacob to speak with him. And the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it. And the men were distressed and very angry because he had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by having sexual relations with the daughter of Jacob—something that[b] should not be done. And Hamor spoke with them saying, “Shechem my son is in love with[c] your daughter. Please give her to him for a wife. Make marriages with us. Give us your daughters and take our daughters for yourselves. 10 You shall dwell with us and the land shall be before you; settle and trade in it, and acquire property in it.” 11 Then Shechem said to her father and to her brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will do. 12 Make the bride price and gift as high as you like;[d] I will give what you say to me. But give me the girl as a wife.” 13 Then the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and his father Hamor speaking deceitfully, because he had defiled Dinah their sister. 14 And they said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to a man who is uncircumcised, for that is a disgrace for us. 15 Only on this condition will we give consent to you; if you will become like us—every male among you to be circumcised. 16 Then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take for ourselves your daughters, and we will live with you and become one family. 17 But if you will not listen to us, to be circumcised, then we will take our daughters and we will go.” 18 And their words were good in the eyes of Hamor and in the eyes of Shechem, the son of Hamor. 19 And the young man did not delay to do the thing, for he wanted the daughter of Jacob. Now he was the most honored of his father’s house. 20 Then Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of their city, and they spoke to the men of their city, saying, 21 “These men are at peace with us. Let them dwell in the land and let them trade in it. Now, behold, the land is broad enough for them.[e] Let us take their daughters as wives, and let us give our daughters to them. 22 Only on this condition will they give consent to us, to live with us and to become one family—when every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised. 23 Will not their livestock and their property and all their animals be ours? Only let us give consent to them so they will live among us.” 24 And all those who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and Shechem. Every male was circumcised, all those who went out of the gate of his city. 25 And it happened that on the third day, while they were in pain, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, the brothers of Dinah, each took his sword and came against the unsuspecting city and killed all the males. 26 They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the edge of the sword, and they took Dinah from the house of Shechem and went out. 27 The other sons of Jacob came upon the slain and plundered the city, because they had defiled their sister. 28 They took their flocks and their cattle and their donkeys, and whatever was in the field. 29 They captured and plundered all that was in the houses—all their wealth, their little ones, and their women. 30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me, making me stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites! I am few in number! If they gather against me and attack me, I will be destroyed—I and my household!” 31 But they said, “Shall he treat our sister like a prostitute?”

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 34:3 Literally “to the heart”
  2. Genesis 34:7 Literally “and thus”
  3. Genesis 34:8 Literally “his soul longs for”
  4. Genesis 34:12 Literally “Increase upon me very bride price and gift”
  5. Genesis 34:21 Literally “broad on sides before them”