Genesis 34

The Dinah Incident

1Now #Gen. 30:21Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. 2And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he #Gen. 20:2took her and lay with her, and violated her. 3His soul was strongly attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young woman and spoke kindly to the young woman. 4So Shechem #Judg. 14:2spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this young woman as a wife.”

5And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter. Now his sons were with his livestock in the field; so Jacob #2 Sam. 13:22held his peace until they came. 6Then Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him. 7And the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it; and the men were grieved and very angry, because he #Deut. 22:20–30; Josh. 7:15; Judg. 20:6had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, #Deut. 23:17; 2 Sam. 13:12a thing which ought not to be done. 8But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him as a wife. 9And make marriages with us; give your daughters to us, and take our daughters to yourselves. 10So you shall dwell with us, and the land shall be before you. Dwell and trade in it, and acquire possessions for yourselves in it.”

11Then Shechem said to her father and her brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give. 12Ask me ever so much #Ex. 22:16, 17; Deut. 22:29dowry and gift, and I will give according to what you say to me; but give me the young woman as a wife.”

13But the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father, and spoke #Gen. 31:7; Ex. 8:29deceitfully, because he had defiled Dinah their sister. 14And they said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is #Ex. 12:48uncircumcised, for #Josh. 5:2–9that would be a reproach to us. 15But on this condition we will consent to you: If you will become as we are, if every male of you is circumcised, 16then 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. 17But if you will not heed us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and be gone.”

18And their words pleased Hamor and Shechem, Hamor’s son. 19So the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacob’s daughter. He was #1 Chr. 4:9more honorable than all the household of his father.

20And Hamor and Shechem his son came to the #Gen. 19:1; 23:10; Ruth 4:1, 11; 2 Sam. 15:2gate 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. 22Only 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. 23Will not their livestock, their property, and every animal of theirs be ours? Only let us consent to them, and they will dwell with us.” 24And all who #Gen. 23:10, 18went out of the gate of his city heeded Hamor and Shechem his son; every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.

25Now it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of the sons of Jacob, #Gen. 29:33, 34; 42:24; 49:5–7Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword and came boldly upon the city and killed all the males. 26And they #Gen. 49:5, 6killed Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem’s house, and went out. 27The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and plundered the city, because their sister had been defiled. 28They took their sheep, their oxen, and their donkeys, what was in the city and what was in the field, 29and all their wealth. All their little ones and their wives they took captive; and they plundered even all that was in the houses.

30Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, #Gen. 49:6“You have #Josh. 7:25troubled me #Ex. 5:21; 1 Sam. 13:4; 2 Sam. 10:6by making me obnoxious among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; #Gen. 46:26, 27; Deut. 4:27; 1 Chr. 16:19; Ps. 105:12and since I am few in number, they will gather themselves together against me and kill me. I shall be destroyed, my household and I.”

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

Genesis 34

The Treachery of Jacob’s Sons

1Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out [unescorted] to visit the girls of the land. 2When Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince (sheik) of the land, saw her, he kidnapped her and lay [intimately] with her by force [humbling and offending her]. 3But his soul longed for and clung to Dinah daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke comfortingly to her young heart’s wishes. 4So Shechem said to his father Hamor, “Get me this young woman as a wife.” 5Now Jacob heard that Shechem had defiled (violated) Dinah his daughter; but his sons were in the field with his livestock, so Jacob said nothing until they came in. 6But Shechem’s father Hamor went to Jacob to talk with him. 7Now when Jacob’s sons heard of it they came in from the field; they were deeply grieved, and they were very angry, for Shechem had done a disgraceful thing to #This use of the word “Israel” implies that the family of Israel (Jacob) was developing into a distinct people or nation. They are recognized by Pharaoh as a separate nation in Ex 1:9.Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, for such a thing is not to be done.

8But Hamor conferred with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem [deeply] longs for your daughter [and sister]. Please give her to him as his wife. 9And [beyond that] intermarry with us; give your daughters to us [as wives] and take our daughters for yourselves. 10In this way you shall live with us; the country will be open to you; live and do business in it and acquire property and possessions in it.” 11Shechem also said to Dinah’s father and to her brothers, “Let me find favor in your sight, and I will give you whatever you ask of me. 12Demand of me a very large bridal payment and gift [as compensation for giving up your daughter and sister], and I will give you whatever you tell me; only give me the girl to be my wife.”

13Jacob’s sons answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, because Shechem had defiled and disgraced their sister Dinah. 14They said to them, “We cannot do this thing and give our sister [in marriage] to one who is not circumcised, because that would be a disgrace to us. 15But we will consent to you only on this condition: if you will become like us, in that every male among you consents to be circumcised, 16then we will give our daughters to you [in marriage], and we will take your daughters for ourselves, and we will live with you and become one people. 17But if you do not listen to us and refuse to be circumcised, then we will take our daughter [Dinah] and go.”

18Their words seemed reasonable to Hamor and his son Shechem, 19and the young man did not hesitate to do the [required] thing, for he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter. Now he was more respected and honored than all [others] in the household of his father. 20Then Hamor and Shechem his son came to the gate of their [walled] city [where the leading men would meet] and spoke with the men of the city, saying, 21“These men are peaceful and friendly with us; so let them live in the land and do business in it, for the land is large enough [for us and] for them; let us take their daughters for wives and let us give them our daughters [in marriage]. 22But only on this condition will the men consent to our request that they live among us and become one people: that every male among us become circumcised just as they are circumcised. 23Will not their cattle and their possessions and all their animals be ours [if we do this]? Let us consent [to do as they ask], and they will live here with us.” 24And every [Canaanite] man who went out of the city gate listened and considered what Hamor and Shechem said; and every male who #Lit went out of the gate of his city.was a resident of that city was circumcised.

25Now on the third day [after the circumcision], when all the men were [terribly] sore and in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s [full] brothers, took their swords, boldly entered the city [without anyone suspecting them of evil intent], and they killed every male. 26They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house [where she was staying], and left. 27Then Jacob’s [other] sons came upon those who were killed and looted the town, because their sister had been defiled and disgraced. 28They took the Canaanites’ flocks and their herds and their donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field; 29they looted all their wealth, and [took captive] all their children and their wives, even everything that was in the houses. 30Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have ruined me, making me a stench to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites! My men are few in number, and the men of the land will band together against me and attack me; I shall be destroyed, I and my household.” 31But they said, “Should he [be permitted to] treat our sister as a prostitute?”

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Genesis 34

Genesis 34