CHAPTER 34
When Shechem
son
of Hamor
the Hivite,
the prince
of the region,
saw her,
he took
her
and lay
with her
by force.
And his soul
was drawn
to Dinah,
the daughter
of Jacob.
He loved
the young girl
and spoke to her tenderly.
Jacob
heard
that
Shechem had defiled
his daughter
Dinah,
but since his sons
were
with
his livestock
in the field,
he
held his peace
until
they returned.
When Jacob’s
sons
heard what had happened,
they returned
from
the field.
They were filled with
grief
and fury,
because
Shechem had committed
an outrage
in Israel
by lying
with
Jacob’s
daughter—
a thing
that should not
be done.
But Hamor
said
to them,
“My son
Shechem
longs for
your daughter.
Please
give
her
to him
as his wife.
You may settle
among us,
and the land
will be
open to you.
Live here,
move about freely,
and acquire your own property.”
Then Shechem
said
to
Dinah’s father
and brothers,
“Grant me this favor,
and I will give
you whatever
you ask.
Demand
a high
dowry
and an expensive gift,
and I will give you
whatever
you ask.
Only give
me
the girl
as my wife!”
But because
Shechem had defiled
their sister
Dinah,
Jacob’s
sons
answered
him
and his father
Hamor
deceitfully.
“We cannot
do
such
a thing,”
they said.
“To give
our sister
to
an uncircumcised man
would be a disgrace
to us.
We will consent
to this
on one
condition,
that you become
circumcised
like us—
every one of
your males.
Then we will give
you
our daughters
and
take
your daughters
for ourselves.
We will dwell
among you
and become
one
people.
The young man,
who was
the most respected
of all
his father’s
household,
did not
hesitate
to fulfill
this request,
because
he was delighted
with Jacob’s
daughter.
“These
men
are at peace
with us.
Let them live
and trade
in our land;
indeed,
it
is large
enough for them.
Let us take
their daughters
in marriage
and give
our daughters to them.
But only
on this condition
will the men
agree
to dwell
with us
and be
one
people:
if all
our men
are circumcised
as
they are.
Will not
their livestock,
their possessions,
and all
their
animals become ours?
Only
let us consent
to them,
and they will dwell
among us.”
All the men
who went out
of the city
gate
listened
to
Hamor
and his son
Shechem,
and every
male
of the city
was circumcised.
Three
days later,
while
they were
still in pain,
two
of Jacob’s
sons
(Dinah’s
brothers
Simeon
and Levi)
took
their swords,
went
into
the unsuspecting
city,
and slaughtered
every
male.
They killed
Hamor
and his son
Shechem
with their swords,
took
Dinah
out of Shechem’s
house,
and went away.
Jacob’s
other sons
came
upon
the slaughter
and looted
the city,
because
their sister
had been defiled.
They carried off
all
their possessions
and
women
and
children,
and they plundered
everything
in their houses.
Then Jacob
said
to
Simeon
and Levi,
“You have brought trouble
upon me
by making me repugnant
to the Canaanites
and Perizzites,
the people
of this land.
We
are few
in number;
if they unite
against me
and attack me,
I
and my household
will be destroyed."