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34 Forsooth Dinah, the daughter of Leah, went out to see the women of that country.

And when Shechem, the son of Hamor (the) Hivite, the prince of that land, had seen her, he loved her, and he ravished her, and (he) slept with her, and oppressed the virgin by violence (and he oppressed the virgin with violence).

And his soul was bound fast with her, and he pleased her sorry with flatterings. (But his soul was bound fast to her, and he tried to appease her sorrow with flattery.)

And he went to Hamor, his father, and said, Take to me this damsel (for) a wife. (And he went to his father Hamor, and said, Get me this young woman for a wife.)

And when Jacob had heard this thing, while his sons were absent, and occupied in the feeding/in the pasturing of [the] sheep, he was still, till they came again (until they returned home).

Soothly when Hamor, the father of Shechem, was gone out to speak to Jacob,

lo! his sons came from the field. And when this thing that befelled was heard, they were wroth greatly; for he had wrought a foul thing in Israel, and he had done a thing unleaveful in the defouling of the daughter of Jacob. (lo! his sons came in from the field. And when they heard what had befallen, they were enraged; for Shechem had done a foul, or a vile, thing in Israel, and he had done an unlawful thing in the defiling of Jacob’s daughter.)

And so Hamor spake to them (And Hamor said to them), The soul of my son Shechem hath cleaved to your daughter; give ye her (for) a wife to him,

and (so) join we weddings together; give ye your daughters to us, and take ye our daughters (for yourselves),

10 and dwell ye with us; (yea,) the land is in your power; till ye, and make ye merchandise, and wield ye it (work ye it, and make ye merchandise, and possess ye it).

11 But also Shechem said to the father and brethren of her, Find I grace before you, and whatever things ye ordain I shall give; (And Shechem said to her father and her brothers, I pray that I find grace before you, and whatever things ye ask for, I shall give you;)

12 increase ye the dower, and ask ye (for) gifts, and I shall give willfully that that ye ask; only give ye this damsel (for) a wife to me. (increase ye the dowry, and ask ye for gifts, and I shall willingly give what ye ask; only give ye to me this young woman for a wife.)

13 The sons of Jacob answered in guile to Shechem and (to Hamor,) his father, and they were (made) fierce for the defouling of the maidenhood of their sister, (And Jacob’s sons answered guilefully, or deceitfully, to Shechem, and to his father Hamor, for they were enraged by the defiling of their sister’s maidenhood,)

14 We may not do this that ye ask, neither we may give our sister to a man uncircumcised, which thing is unleaveful and abominable with us. (and they said, We cannot do this thing that ye ask, for we cannot give our sister to an uncircumcised man, for such a thing is unlawful and abominable with us.)

15 But in this we shall be able to be bound in peace, if ye will be like us, and each of male kind be circumcised in you; (But by this we shall make a covenant with thee, if ye will be made like us, and each of your males be circumcised;)

16 then we shall give and take together our daughters and yours (then we shall give our daughters to you, and we shall take your daughters for ourselves); and we shall dwell with you, and we shall be one people.

17 Forsooth if ye will not be circumcised, (then) we shall take our daughter, and we shall go away.

18 The proffering of them pleased Hamor, and Shechem, his son, (And their proffer pleased Hamor, and his son Shechem,)

19 and the young waxing man delayed not, that not he fulfilled anon that that was asked; for he loved the damsel greatly, and he was (the most) noble in all the house of his father. (and the young man delayed not, but he fulfilled at once what was asked for; for he greatly loved the young woman, and he was the most noble in all of his father’s household.)

20 And they entered into the gate of the city, and spake to the people, (And so they went to the city gate, and said to the people,)

21 These men be peaceable, and will dwell with us; make they merchandise in the land, and till they it, which is large and broad, and hath need to tillers; we shall take their daughters to wives, and we shall give our daughters to them. (These men be peaceful, and will live with us; so let them make merchandise in the land, and let them work it, which is large and broad, and hath need of men to work it; and we shall take their daughters for our wives, and we shall give our daughters to them.)

22 One thing is, for which so great good is delayed; if we circumcise our males, and follow the custom of the folk, (But before that they will live with us, and we become one people, there is one thing which they require us to do; we must first circumcise all our males, and so follow this folk’s custom,)

23 both their substance, and sheep, and all things which they wield, shall be ours; only assent we in this, that we dwell together, and make one people. (then their chattel, and sheep, and all the things which they possess, shall be ours; so let us assent in this matter, so that we can all live together, and be one people.)

24 And all (the) men assented, and (so) all [the] males were circumcised.

25 And lo! in the third day, when the sorrow of [the] wounds was most grievous, two sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, [the] brethren of Dinah, took swords, and entered into the city boldly; and when all [the] males were slain, (And lo! on the third day, when the pain from their wounds was most grievous, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took swords, and boldly entered into the city, and killed all the males;)

26 they killed Hamor and Shechem together, and took Dinah, their sister, from the house of Shechem. And when they were gone out, (and they killed Hamor and Shechem, and took away their sister Dinah from Shechem’s house. And when they had left the city,)

27 [the] other sons of Jacob felled in on the slain men, and rifled the city, for the vengeance of [the] defouling of the virgin (to take vengeance for their sister’s defiling).

28 And they wasted the sheep of those men, and droves of oxen, and asses, and all things that were in the houses and fields, (And they destroyed the sheep of those men, and their herds of oxen, and their donkeys, and all the things that were in their houses and in their fields,)

29 and (they) led away (as) prisoners the little children, and [the] wives of those men. And when these things were done hardily (And when these things were fully done),

30 Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me, and have made me hateful to (the) Canaanites and Perizzites, [the] dwellers of this land; we be few, [and] they shall be gathered together (against me), and shall slay me, and I shall be done away, and mine house. (Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have brought in trouble on me, and have made me to be hated by the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the inhabitants of this land; yea, we be few, and now they shall be gathered together against me, and shall slay me, and I and all of my household, or all of my family, shall be done away.)

31 Simeon and Levi answered, Whether they ought to mis-use our sister as a whore? (And Simeon and Levi answered, Should they be allowed to mis-use our sister like a whore?)

The Dinah Incident

34 Now (A)Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he (B)took her and lay with her, and violated her. His soul [a]was strongly attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young woman and spoke [b]kindly to the young woman. So Shechem (C)spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this young woman as a wife.”

And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter. Now his sons were with his livestock in the field; so Jacob (D)held[c] his peace until they came. Then Hamor the 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 grieved and very angry, because he (E)had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, (F)a thing which ought not to be done. But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him as a wife. And make marriages with us; give your daughters to us, and take our daughters to yourselves. 10 So you shall dwell with us, and the land shall be before you. Dwell and trade in it, and acquire possessions for yourselves in it.”

11 Then Shechem said to her father and her brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give. 12 Ask me ever so much (G)dowry[d] and gift, and I will give according to what you say to me; but give me the young woman as a wife.”

13 But the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father, and spoke (H)deceitfully, because he had defiled Dinah their sister. 14 And they said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is (I)uncircumcised, for (J)that would be a reproach to us. 15 But on this condition we will consent to you: If you will become as we are, if every male of you is 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 heed us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and be gone.”

18 And their words pleased Hamor and Shechem, Hamor’s son. 19 So the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacob’s daughter. He was (K)more honorable than all the household of his father.

20 And Hamor and Shechem his son came to the (L)gate of their city, and 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 indeed the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters to us as wives, and let us give them our daughters. 22 Only on this condition will the men consent to dwell with us, to be one people: if every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised. 23 Will not their livestock, their property, and every animal of theirs be ours? Only let us consent to them, and they will dwell with us.” 24 And all who went out of the gate of his city heeded Hamor and Shechem his son; every male was circumcised, all who (M)went out of the gate of his city.

25 Now it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of the sons of Jacob, (N)Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword and came boldly upon the city and killed all the males. 26 And they (O)killed Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem’s house, and went out. 27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and plundered the city, because their sister had been defiled. 28 They took their sheep, their oxen, and their donkeys, what was in the city and what was in the field, 29 and all their wealth. All their little ones and their wives they took captive; and they plundered even all that was in the houses.

30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, (P)“You have (Q)troubled me (R)by making me obnoxious among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; (S)and since I am few in number, they will gather themselves together against me and kill me. I shall be destroyed, my household and I.”

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

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 34:3 Lit. clung to
  2. Genesis 34:3 tenderly
  3. Genesis 34:5 kept silent
  4. Genesis 34:12 bride-price

34 And Dinah Bat Leah, which she bore unto Ya’akov, went out to see the Banot HaAretz.

And when Shechem Ben Chamor the Chivvi (Hivite), Nasi HaAretz, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and violated her.

And his nefesh had deveykus unto Dinah Bat Ya’akov, and he loved the na’arah, and spoke to the lev hanaarah.

And Shechem spoke unto Chamor aviv, saying, Get me this yaldah as isha.

And Ya’akov heard that he had made his bat Dinah tameh; now his banim were with his mikneh in the sadeh; and Ya’akov held his peace until they were come.

And Chamor avi Shechem went out unto Ya’akov to speak with him.

And the Bnei Ya’akov came from the sadeh when they heard it; and the anashim were grieved, and they were in wrath greatly, because he had wrought nevalah (folly, disgrace, outrage) against Yisroel in lying with Bat Ya’akov; which thing ought not to be done.

And Chamor spoke with them, saying, The nefesh of beni (my son) Shechem longeth for your bat; now give her him as isha.

So intermarry with us, and give your banot unto us, and take benoteinu (our banot) unto you.

10 And ye shall dwell with us; and HaAretz shall be before you; dwell and trade therein, and get you possessions therein.

11 And Shechem said unto her av and unto her achim, Let me find chen (grace) in your eyes, and what ye shall say unto me I will give.

12 Ask me never so much mohar (bride price, dowry) and mattan (gift), and I will pay according as ye shall say unto me; but give me the na’arah as isha.

13 And the Bnei Ya’akov answered Shechem and Chamor aviv in mirmar (deceit) and spoke because he had made Dinah their achot tameh;

14 And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give achoteinu (our sister) to ish that is arelah (uncircumcised); for that would be a cherpah (reproach, disgrace) unto us;

15 But in this will we consent unto you: If ye will become like us, that every zachar of you be circumcised;

16 Then will we give benoteinu unto you, and we will take your banot to us, and we will dwell among you, and we will become as Am Echad.

17 But if ye will not pay heed unto us, to become circumcised; then will we take biteinu (our daughter), and we will go.

18 And their words pleased Chamor, and Shechem Ben Chamor.

19 And the na’ar deferred not to do the thing, because he had delight in Bat Ya’akov; and he was more respected than kol Bais Aviv.

20 And Chamor and Shechem bno came unto the Sha’ar of their city, and they spoke with the anashim of their city, saying,

21 These anashim are shlemim (peaceable) with us; therefore let them settle in HaAretz, and let them trade therein for HaAretz, hinei, it is plenty of room for them; let us take their banot to us as nashim, and let us give them benoteinu.

22 Only herein will the anashim consent unto us for to dwell with us, to be Am Echad, if every zachar among us be circumcised, just as they are nimolim (ones being circumcised).

23 Shall not their mikneh and their property and every behemah of theirs be ours? Only let us consent unto them, and they will settle among us.

24 And unto Chamor and unto Shechem bno paid heed all that went out of the Sha’ar of his city; and every zachar was circumcised, all that went out of the Sha’ar of his city.

25 And it came to pass on the Yom HaShlishi, when they were in pain, that two of the Bnei Ya’akov, Shimon and Levi, achei Dinah, took each ish his cherev, and came upon the Ir betach (boldly, confidently), and they slaughtered kol zachar.

26 And they slaughtered Chamor and Shechem bno with the edge of the cherev, and took Dinah from the Bais Shechem and left.

27 The Bnei Ya’akov came upon the chalalim (dead ones, slain ones), and plundered the Ir, because they had made their achot tameh.

28 They seized their tzon, and their bakar, and their chamorim, and that which was in the Ir, and that which was in the sadeh,

29 And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their nashim they carried off and plundered even all that was in the bais.

30 And Ya’akov said to Shimon and Levi, Ye have brought trouble on me to make me a stench among the inhabitants of HaAretz, among the Kena’ani and the Perizzi; and I being few in mispar, they shall gather themselves together against me, and attack me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my bais.

31 And they said, Should he deal with achoteinu like with zonah?