Genesis 34

1 Then went forth Dinah, the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, —to see the daughters of the land.

Then Dinah, the daughter of Leah, went out to see the women of that region.

2 And Shechem, son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the land, saw her, —so he took her, and lay with her, and humbled her.

And when Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, the leader of that land, had seen her, he fell in love with her. And so he seized her and slept with her, overwhelming the virgin by force.

3 And his soul clave unto Dinah, daughter of Jacob, —and he loved the young woman, and spake to the heart of the young woman.

And his soul was closely bound to her, and, since she was sorrowful, he soothed her with flattery.

4 Then spake Shechem unto Hamor his father, saying, —Take me this girl to wife!

And going on to Hamor, his father, he said, “Obtain this girl for me as a mate.”

5 Now, Jacob, had heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter, but, his sons, happened to be with his cattle in the field, —so Jacob kept quiet until they came in.

But when Jacob had heard this, since his sons were absent and he was occupied in pasturing the cattle, he remained silent until they came back.

6 Then came forth Hamor, father of Shechem, unto Jacob, —to speak with him.

Then, when Hamor, the father of Shechem, had gone out to speak to Jacob,

7 Now the sons of Jacob came in from the field as soon as they heard, and the men were grieved, and it was vexing to them exceedingly, —for, a disgraceful deed, had he done with Israel in lying with Jacob’s daughter, seeing that so, it should not be done.

behold, his sons arrived from the field. And hearing what had happened, they were very angry, because he had done a filthy thing in Israel and, in violating a daughter of Jacob, had perpetrated an unlawful act.

8 So then Hamor spake with them saying—As for Shechem my son, his soul hath become attached to your daughter, —I pray you give her to him, to wife.

And so Hamor spoke to them: “The soul of my son Shechem has become attached to your daughter. Give her to him as a wife.

9 And exchange ye daughters with us in marriage, —your daughters, shall ye give to us, and our daughters, shall ye take to you.

And let us celebrate marriages with one with another. Give us your daughters, and receive our daughters.

10 And with us, shall ye dwell, —and, the land, shall be before you, tarry, and go through it, and get possessions therein.

And live with us. The land is in your power: cultivate, trade, and possess it.”

11 Then said Shechem unto her father and unto her brethren, Let me find favour in your eyes, —and, whatsoever ye may say unto me, will I give:

And Shechem even said to her father and to her brothers: “May I find favor in your sight, and whatever you will appoint, I will give.

12 Heap on me, exceedingly, dowry and gift, and I will give, just as ye may say unto me, —but give me the young woman, to wife.

Increase the dowry, and request gifts, and I will freely bestow what you will ask. Only give me this girl as a wife.”

13 And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and spake (because he had defiled Dinah their sister)—

The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and his father with deceit, being enraged at the rape of their sister:

14 and said unto them—We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to a man that is uncircumcised, —for a reproach, it would be to us.

“We are not able to do what you ask, nor to give our sister to an uncircumcised man. For us, this is unlawful and abominable.

15 Only herein, can we consent to you, —If ye will become like us, by circumcising to you every male,

But we may succeed in this, so as to be allied with you, if you are willing to become like us, and if all the male sex among you will be circumcised.

16 then will we give our daughters to you, and your daughters, will we take to us, —and we will dwell with you, and become one people.

Then we will mutually give and receive your daughters as well as ours; and we will live with you, and we will become one people.

17 But if ye will not hearken unto us, to be circumcised, then will we take our daughter and be gone.

But if you will not be circumcised, we will take our daughter and withdraw.”

18 And their words looked fair in the eyes of Hamor, —and in the eyes of Shechem, Hamor’s son;

Their offer pleased Hamor and his son Shechem.

19 and the young man deferred not to do the thing, because he had delight in Jacob’s daughter, —he, moreover being more honourable than all the house of his father.

Neither did the young man cause any delay; in fact he immediately fulfilled what was requested. For he loved the girl very much, and he was well-known throughout his father’s house.

20 So Hamor entered with Shechem his son into the gate of their city, —and they spake unto the men of their city, saying:

And entering at the gate of the city, they spoke to the people:

21 As for these men, in peace, they are with us—let them therefore dwell in the land and go through it, for, the land, lo! it is roomy on both hands before them, —their daughters, let us take to us for wives, and our daughters, let us give to them.

“These men are peaceful, and they want to live among us. Let them trade in the land and cultivate it, for, being spacious and broad, it is in need of cultivation. We will receive their daughters as wives, and we will give them ours.

22 Only herein, will the men consent to us, to dwell with us, to become one people, —If we circumcise to us every male, even as they are circumcised.

There is one thing that prevents so great a good: whether we will circumcise our males, imitating the ritual of their nation.

23 Their herds and their substance, and all their beasts, shall they, not be, ours? Only, we must consent to them, that they may dwell with us.

And their substance, and cattle, and all that they possess, will be ours, if only we will acquiesce to this, and so, in living together, will form one people.”

24 And they hearkened unto Hamor, and unto Shechem his son, even all that were going forth out of the gate of his city, —and every male was circumcised, all that were going forth out of the gate of his city.

And they all agreed to circumcise every one of the males.

25 And 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 brothers, took each man his sword, and came in upon the city, boldly, —and slew every, male;

And behold, on the third day, when the pain of the wound was greatest, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, the brothers of Dinah, boldly entered the city with swords. And they put to death all of the males.

26 Hamor also, and Shechem his son, slew they with the edge of the sword, —and took Dinah out of the house of Shechem, and came forth,

They killed Hamor and Shechem together, taking their sister Dinah from the house of Shechem.

27 The sons of Jacob, came in upon the slain and plundered the city, —because they had defiled their sister:

And when they had departed, the other sons of Jacob rushed over the slain, and they plundered the city in vengeance for the rape.

28 their flocks, and their herds and their asses, —and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field, they took;

Taking their sheep, and herds, and donkeys, and laying waste to everything else that was in their houses and in their fields,

29 and all their wealth and all their little ones, and their women, took they captive, and seized as plunder, —even all that was in their houses.

they also took their little ones and their wives captive.

30 Then said Jacob unto Simeon and unto Levi—Ye have troubled me by making me odious among them that dwell in the land, among the Canaanites, and among the Perizzites, —I, having only men that may be counted, they will gather themselves, together against me and smite me, —and I shall be destroyed both I and my house.

When they had boldly completed these acts, Jacob said to Simeon and Levi: “You have troubled me, and you have made me hateful to the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the inhabitants of this land. We are few. They, gathering themselves together, may strike me down, and then both I and my house will be wiped away.”

31 And they said, —As with a harlot, was he to deal with our sister.

They responded, “Should they abuse our sister like a prostitute?”