Genesis 34

The Treachery of Jacob’s Sons

1Now aDinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to
Lit see
visit the daughters of the land.
2When Shechem the son of Hamor cthe Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he took her and lay with her
Lit and humbled her
by force.
3
Lit His soul clung
He was deeply attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and
Lit spoke to the heart of the girl
spoke tenderly to her.
4So Shechem gspoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this young girl for a wife.” 5Now Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter; but his sons were with his livestock in the field, so Jacob kept silent until they came in. 6Then Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him. 7Now the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it; and the men were grieved, and they were very angry because he had done a
Lit senseless
,
idisgraceful thing in Israel
Lit to lie
by lying with Jacob’s daughter, for such a thing 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
Lit for a wife
in marriage.
9Intermarry with us; give your daughters to us and take our daughters for yourselves. 10“Thus you shall
Lit dwell
live with us, and mthe land shall be open before you;
Lit dwell
live and otrade in it and pacquire property in it.”
11Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, “If I find favor in your sight, then I will give whatever you say to me. 12Ask me ever so much bridal payment and gift, and I will give according as you say to me; but give me the girl
Lit for a wife
in marriage.”

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

18Now their words seemed
Lit good
reasonable to Hamor and Shechem, Hamor’s son.
19The young man did not delay to do the thing, because he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter. Now he was more respected than all the household of his father. 20So Hamor and his son Shechem came to the ugate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, saying, 21These men are
Lit peaceful
friendly with us; therefore let them
Lit dwell
live in the land and trade in it, for behold, the land is
Lit wide of hands before them
large enough for them. Let us take their daughters
Lit to us for wives
in marriage, and give our daughters to them.
22Only on this condition will the men consent to us to
Lit dwell
live with us, to become one people: that every male among us be circumcised as they are circumcised.
23Will not their livestock and their property and all their animals be ours? Only let us consent to them, and they will
Lit dwell
live with us.”
24 abAll who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and to his son Shechem, and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.

25Now it came about on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of Jacob’s sons, acSimeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword and came upon the city unawares, and killed every male. 26They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem’s house, and went forth. 27Jacob’s sons came upon the slain and looted the city, because they had defiled their sister. 28They took their flocks and their herds and their donkeys, and that which was in the city and that which was in the field; 29and they captured and looted all their wealth and all their little ones and their wives, even all that was in the houses. 30Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have adbrought trouble on me by aemaking me odious among the inhabitants of the land, among afthe Canaanites and the Perizzites; and
Lit I, few in number
,
ahmy men being few in number, they will gather together against me and
Lit smite
attack me and I will be destroyed, I and my household.”
31But they said, “Should he
Or make
treat our sister as a harlot?”
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