Genesis 34

Dinah Is Defiled

1#Ge 30:21Now Dinah, the daughter of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. 2When Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the land, saw her, he took her and lay with her and defiled her. 3He was very smitten by Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke kindly to her. 4#Jdg 14:2Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this girl for my wife.”

5Now 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.

6Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to commune with him. 7#Jdg 20:6; Dt 22:21The 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.

8Hamor 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. 9Make marriages with us, and give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves. 10#Ge 13:9; 20:15You may dwell with us, and the land will be before you. Dwell and trade in it and get possessions in it.”

11#Ge 33:15Shechem 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#Ex 22:16–17You 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.”

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

18Their words pleased Hamor and Shechem, Hamor’s son. 19#1Ch 4:9The 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#Ru 4:1So 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. 22Only 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. 23Will 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#Ge 23:10All 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#Ge 49:5–7; 29:33–34On 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. 26They killed Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword and took Dinah out of the house of Shechem and departed. 27The sons of Jacob came upon the slain and looted 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 fields. 29They took captive and looted all their wealth, all their little ones, and their wives, even all that was in each house.

30#Ex 5:21; 1Sa 13:4Then 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.”

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

B'resheet (Gen) 34

1(v) One time Dinah the daughter of Le’ah, whom she had borne to Ya‘akov, went out to visit the local girls; 2and Sh’khem the son of Hamor the Hivi, the local ruler, saw her, grabbed her, raped her and humiliated her. 3But actually he was strongly attracted to Dinah the daughter of Ya‘akov; he fell in love with the girl and tried to win her affection. 4Sh’khem spoke with his father Hamor and said, “Get this girl for me; I want her to be my wife.”

5When Ya‘akov heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter, his sons were with his livestock in the field; so Ya‘akov restrained himself until they came. 6Hamor the father of Sh’khem went out to Ya‘akov to speak with him 7just as Ya‘akov’s sons were coming in from the field. When they heard what had happened, the men were saddened and were very angry at the outrage this man had committed against Isra’el by raping Ya‘akov’s daughter, something that is simply not done. 8But Hamor said to them, “My son Sh’khem’s heart is set on your daughter. Please give her to him as his wife; 9and intermarry with us: give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves. 10You will live with us, and the land will be available to you — you’ll live, do business and acquire possessions here.”

11Then Sh’khem said to her father and brothers, “Only accept me, and I will give whatever you tell me. 12Ask as large a bride-price as you like, I’ll pay whatever you tell me. Just let me marry the girl.” 13The sons of Ya‘akov answered Sh’khem and Hamor his father deceitfully, because he had defiled Dinah their sister. 14They said to them, “We can’t do it, because it would be a disgrace to give our sister to someone who hasn’t been circumcised. 15Only on this condition will we consent to what you are asking: that you become like us by having every male among you get circumcised. 16Then we’ll give our daughters to you, and we’ll take your daughters for ourselves, and we’ll live with you and become one people. 17But if you won’t do as we say and get circumcised, then we’ll take our daughter and go away.” 18What they said seemed fair to Hamor and Sh’khem the son of Hamor, 19and the young man did not put off doing what was asked of him, even though he was the most respected member of his father’s family, because he so much wanted Ya‘akov’ s daughter.

20Hamor and Sh’khem his son came to the entrance of their city and spoke with its leading men: 21“These people are peaceful toward us; therefore let them live in the land and do business in it; for, as you can see, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters as wives for ourselves, and we’ll give them our daughters. 22But the people will consent to live with us and become one people only on this condition: that every male among us gets circumcised, as they themselves are circumcised. 23Won’t their cattle, their possessions and all their animals be ours? Only let’s consent to do what they ask, and then they will live with us.” 24Everyone going out the city’s gate listened to Hamor and Sh’khem his son; so every male was circumcised, every one that went out the gate of the city.

25On the third day after the circumcision, when they were in pain, two of Ya‘akov’s sons, Shim‘on and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took their swords, boldly descended on the city and slaughtered all the males. 26They killed Hamor and Sh’khem his son with their swords, took Dinah out of Sh’khem’s house, and left. 27Then the sons of Ya‘akov entered over the dead bodies of those who had been slaughtered and plundered the city in reprisal for defiling their sister. 28They took their flocks, cattle and donkeys, and everything else, whether in the city or in the field, 29everything they owned. Their children and wives they took captive, and they looted whatever was in the houses.

30But Ya‘akov said to Shim‘on and Levi, “You have caused me trouble by making me stink in the opinion of the local inhabitants, the Kena‘ani and the P’rizi. Since I don’t have many people, they’ll align themselves together against me and attack me; and I will be destroyed, I and my household.” 31They replied, “Should we let our sister be treated like a whore?”

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Genesis 34

B'resheet (Gen) 34