18
What they said seemed fair to Hamor and Sh'khem the son of Hamor,
19
and the young man did not put off doing what was asked of him, even though he was the most respected member of his father's family, because he so much wanted Ya'akov' s daughter.
20
Hamor and Sh'khem his son came to the entrance of their city and spoke with its leading men:
21
"These people are peaceful toward us; therefore let them live in the land and do business in it; for, as you can see, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters as wives for ourselves, and we'll give them our daughters.
22
But the people will consent to live with us and become one people only on this condition: that every male among us gets circumcised, as they themselves are circumcised.
23
Won't their cattle, their possessions and all their animals be ours? Only let's consent to do what they ask, and then they will live with us."
24
Everyone going out the city's gate listened to Hamor and Sh'khem his son; so every male was circumcised, every one that went out the gate of the city.
25
On the third day after the circumcision, when they were in pain, two of Ya'akov's sons, Shim'on and Levi, Dinah's brothers, took their swords, boldly descended on the city and slaughtered all the males.
26
They killed Hamor and Sh'khem his son with their swords, took Dinah out of Sh'khem's house, and left.
27
Then the sons of Ya'akov entered over the dead bodies of those who had been slaughtered and plundered the city in reprisal for defiling their sister.
28
They took their flocks, cattle and donkeys, and everything else, whether in the city or in the field,
29
everything they owned. Their children and wives they took captive, and they looted whatever was in the houses.
30
But Ya'akov said to Shim'on and Levi, "You have caused me trouble by making me stink in the opinion of the local inhabitants, the Kena'ani and the P'rizi. Since I don't have many people, they'll align themselves together against me and attack me; and I will be destroyed, I and my household."
31
They replied, "Should we let our sister be treated like a whore?"
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission. (Complete Jewish Bible)