Genesis 34 (JPS)

1And Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.Now Dinah, the daughter Leah had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the daughters of the land.

2And Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her; and he took her, and lay with her, and humbled her.When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the region, saw her, he took her and lay with her by force.

3And his soul did cleave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spoke comfortingly unto the damsel.And his soul was drawn to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young girl and spoke to her tenderly.

4And Shechem spoke unto his father Hamor, saying: 'Get me this damsel to wife.'So Shechem told his father Hamor, “Get me this girl as a wife.”

5Now Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter; and his sons were with his cattle in the field; and Jacob held his peace until they came.Jacob heard that Shechem had defiled his daughter Dinah, but since his sons were with his livestock in the field, he remained silent about it until they returned.

6And Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto Jacob to speak with him.Meanwhile, Shechem’s father Hamor came to speak with Jacob.

7And the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it; and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought a vile deed in Israel in lying with Jacob's daughter; which thing ought not to be done.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.

8And Hamor spoke with them, saying 'The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter. I pray you give her unto him to wife.But Hamor said to them, “My son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him as his wife.

9And make ye marriages with us; give your daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto you.Intermarry with us; give us your daughters and take our daughters for yourselves.

10And ye shall dwell with us; and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein.'You may settle among us, and the land will be open to you. Live here, move about freely, and acquire your own property.”

11And Shechem said unto her father and unto her brethren: 'Let me find favour in your eyes, and what ye shall say unto me I will give.Then Shechem said to Dinah’s father and brothers, “Grant me this favor, and I will give you whatever you ask.

12Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me; but give me the damsel to wife.'Demand a high dowry and an expensive gift, and I will give you whatever you ask. Only give me the girl as my wife!”

13And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father with guile, and spoke, because he had defiled Dinah their sister,But because Shechem had defiled their sister Dinah, Jacob’s sons answered him and his father Hamor deceitfully.

14and said unto them: 'We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us.“We cannot do such a thing,” they said. “To give our sister to an uncircumcised man would be a disgrace to us.

15Only on this condition will we consent unto you: if ye will be as we are, that every male of you be circumcised;We will consent to this on one condition, that you become circumcised like us—every one of your males.

16then will we give our daughters unto you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people.Then we will give you our daughters and take your daughters for ourselves. We will dwell among you and become one people.

17But if ye will not hearken unto us, to be circumcised; then will we take our daughter, and we will be gone.'But if you will not agree to be circumcised, then we will take our sister and go.”

18And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor's son.Their offer seemed good to Hamor and his son Shechem.

19And the young man deferred not to do the thing, because he had delight in Jacob's daughter. And he was honoured above all the house of his father.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.

20And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city, and spoke with the men of their city, saying:So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate of their city and addressed the men of their city:

21'These men are peaceable with us; therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade therein; for, behold, the land is large enough for them; let us take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our daughters.“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.

22Only on this condition will the men consent unto us to dwell with us, to become one people, if every male among us be circumcised, as they are circumcised.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.

23Shall not their cattle and their substance and all their beasts be ours? only let us consent unto them, and they will dwell with us.'Will not their livestock, their possessions, and all their animals become ours? Only let us consent to them, and they will dwell among us.”

24And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city.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.

25And it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city unawares, and slew all the males.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.

26And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went forth.They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with their swords, took Dinah out of Shechem’s house, and went away.

27The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister.Jacob’s other sons came upon the slaughter and looted the city, because their sister had been defiled.

28They took their flocks and their herds and their asses, and that which was in the city and that which was in the field;They took their flocks and herds and donkeys, and everything else in the city or in the field.

29and all their wealth, and all their little ones and their wives, took they captive and spoiled, even all that was in the house.They carried off all their possessions and women and children, and they plundered everything in their houses.

30And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi: 'Ye have troubled me, to make me odious unto the inhabitants of the land, even unto the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and, I being few in number, they will gather themselves together against me and smite me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.'Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble upon me by making me a stench 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.”

31And they said: 'Should one deal with our sister as with a harlot?'But they replied, “Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?”

The Defiling of Dinah

The Revenge of Dinah’s Brothers

You’ve read Genesis 34

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The Defiling of Dinah

The Revenge of Dinah’s Brothers

You’ve read Genesis 34

Go deeper