Genesis 34

Dinah Defiled

1Leah’s daughter#Gn 30:21 Dinah, whom Leah bore to Jacob, went out to see some of the young women of the area. 2When Shechem — son of Hamor the Hivite, who was the region’s chieftain — saw her, he took her and raped her. 3He became infatuated with Jacob’s daughter Dinah. He loved the young girl and spoke tenderly to her.#34:3 Lit spoke to her heart 4“Get me this girl as a wife,”#Jdg 14:2 he told his father.

5Jacob heard that Shechem had defiled his daughter Dinah, but since his sons were with his livestock in the field, he remained silent until they returned. 6Meanwhile, Shechem’s father Hamor came to speak with Jacob. 7Jacob’s sons returned from the field when they heard about the incident. They were deeply grieved and very angry, for Shechem had committed an outrage against Israel by raping Jacob’s daughter,#Dt 22:20–30; Jdg 20:6; 2Sm 13:12 and such a thing should not be done.

8Hamor said to Jacob’s sons, “My son Shechem has his heart set on your#34:8 The Hb word for your is pl, showing that Hamor is speaking to Jacob and his sons. daughter. Please give her to him as a wife. 9Intermarry with us; give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves. 10Live with us. The land is before you. Settle here, move about, and acquire property in it.”

11Then Shechem said to Dinah’s father and brothers, “Grant me this favor,#34:11 Lit “May I find favor in your eyes and I’ll give you whatever you say. 12Demand of me a high compensation#34:12 Or bride-price, or betrothal present and gift; I’ll give you whatever you ask me. Just give the girl to be my wife!”

13But Jacob’s sons answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully because he had defiled their sister Dinah. 14“We cannot do this thing,” they said to them. “Giving our sister to an uncircumcised man is a disgrace to us. 15We will agree with you only on this condition: if all your males are circumcised as we are.#Gn 17:23–27 16Then we will give you our daughters, take your daughters for ourselves, live with you, and become one people. 17But if you will not listen to us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and go.”

18Their words seemed good to Hamor and his son Shechem. 19The young man did not delay doing this, because he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter. Now he was the most important in all his father’s family. 20So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate of their city#Ru 4:1; 2Sm 15:2 and spoke to the men of their city.

21“These men are peaceful toward us,” they said. “Let them live in our land and move about in it, for indeed, the region is large enough for them. Let’s take their daughters as our wives and give our daughters to them. 22But the men will agree to live with us and be one people only on this condition: if all our men are circumcised as they are. 23Won’t their livestock, their possessions, and all their animals become ours? Only let’s agree with them, and they will live with us.”

24All the men#Gn 23:10 who had come to the city gates listened to Hamor and his son Shechem, and all those men were circumcised. 25On the third day, when they were still in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi,#Gn 49:5–7 Dinah’s brothers, took their swords, went into the unsuspecting city, and killed every male. 26They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with their swords, took Dinah from Shechem’s house, and went away. 27Jacob’s sons came to the slaughter and plundered the city because their sister had been defiled. 28They took their flocks, herds, donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field. 29They captured all their possessions, dependents, and wives and plundered everything in the houses.

30Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me,#Jos 7:25 making me odious to the inhabitants of the land,#Ex 5:21; 1Sm 13:4; 2Sm 10:6 the Canaanites and the Perizzites.#Gn 13:7; 34:2 We are few in number; if they unite against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed.”#Gn 46:26–27; Dt 4:27; 1Ch 16:19; Ps 105:12

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

Bereshis 34

1And Dinah Bat Leah, which she bore unto Ya'akov, went out to see the Banot HaAretz.

2And when Shechem Ben Chamor the Chivi (Hivite), Nasi HaAretz, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and violated her.

3And his nefesh had deveykus unto Dinah Bat Ya'akov, and he loved the na'arah, and spoke to the lev hanaarah.

4And Shechem spoke unto Chamor aviv, saying, Get me this yaldah as isha.

5And 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.

6And Chamor avi Shechem went out unto Ya'akov to speak with him.

7And 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.

8And Chamor spoke with them, saying, The nefesh of beni (my son) Shechem longeth for your bat; now give her him as isha.

9So intermarry with us, and give your banot unto us, and take benoteinu (our banot) unto you.

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

11And 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.

12Ask 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.

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

14And 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;

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

16Then 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.

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

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

19And 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.

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

21These 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.

22Only 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).

23Shall 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.

24And 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.

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

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

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

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

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

30And Ya'akov said to Shim'on 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.

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

Choose your language

CSB

Genesis 34

Bereshis 34