Genesis 34:7-31

7 Just then, Jacob's sons got back from the countryside. When they heard what had happened, they were outraged and very angry, because Shechem had disgraced Israel by sleeping with Jacob's daughter. Such things are simply not done.

8 Hamor said to them, "My son Shechem's heart is set on your daughter. Please let him marry her.

9 Arrange marriages with us: give us your daughters and take our daughters for yourselves.

10 Live with us. The land is available to you: settle down, travel through it, and buy property in it."

11 Shechem said to Dinah's father and brothers, "If you approve of me, tell me what you want, and I will give it to you.

12 Make the bride price and marriage gifts as large as you like, and I will pay whatever you tell me. Then let me marry the young woman."

13 Jacob's sons responded deviously to Shechem and his father Hamor because Shechem defiled their sister Dinah.

14 They said to them, "We can't do this, allowing our sisters to marry uncircumcised men, because it's disgraceful to us.

15 We can only agree to do this if you circumcise every male as we do.

16 Then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters for ourselves. We will live with you and be one people.

17 But if you don't listen to us and become circumcised, we will take our daughter and leave."

18 Their idea seemed like a good one to Hamor and Hamor's son Shechem.

19 The young man didn't waste any time doing this because he liked Jacob's daughter so much. He was more respected than anyone else in his father's household.

20 Hamor and his son Shechem went to their city's gate and spoke to the men of their city:

21 "These men want peace with us. Let them live in the land and travel through it; there's plenty of land for them. We will marry their daughters and give them our daughters.

22 But the men will agree to live with us and become one people only if we circumcise every male just as they do.

23 Their livestock, their property, and all of their animals—won't they be ours? Let's agree with them and let them live with us."

24 Everyone at the city gate agreed with Hamor and his son Shechem, so every able-bodied male in the city was circumcised.

25 On the third day, when they were still in pain, two of Jacob's sons and Dinah's brothers Simeon and Levi took their swords, came into the city, which suspected nothing, and killed every male.

26 They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with their swords, took Dinah from Shechem's household, and left.

27 When Jacob's other sons discovered the dead, they looted the city that had defiled their sister.

28 They took their flocks, their cattle, and their donkeys, whether in the city or in the fields nearby.

29 They carried off their property, their children, and their wives. They looted the entire place.

30 Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You've put me in danger by making me offensive to those who live here in the land, to the Canaanites and the Perizzites. I have only a few men. They may join forces, attack me, and destroy me, me and my household."

31 They said, "But didn't he treat our sister like a prostitute?"

Genesis 34:7-31 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 34

This chapter gives an account of the ravishment of Dinah by Shechem, Ge 34:1-5; of his father Hamor and him treating with Jacob and his sons about the marriage of her, Ge 34:6-12; of the condition proposed by Jacob's sons, circumcision of all the males in Shechem, which was agreed to by Shechem and his father, Ge 34:13-19; of the men of Shechem being persuaded to yield to it, Ge 34:20-24; and of the destruction of them on the third day by Simeon and Levi, and of the plunder of their city and field, and of the captivity of their wives and children by Jacob's sons, which gave Jacob great offence, and in which they justified themselves, Ge 34:25-31.

Who is supposed to be at this time about fourteen or fifteen years of age: for that she was but about nine or ten years old is not to be credited, as some compute it {z}: she is observed to be the daughter of Leah, partly that the following miscarriage might bring to mind her forwardness to intrude herself into Jacob's bed, and be a rebuke unto her; and partly to account for Simeon and Levi being so active in revenging her abuse, they being Leah's sons: of Dinah it is said, that she

\\went out to see the daughters of the land\\; of the land of Canaan, to visit them, and contract an acquaintance with them; and she having no sisters to converse with at home, it might be a temptation to her to go abroad. According to the Targum of Jonathan, she went to see the manners, customs, and fashions of the women of that country, to learn them, as the Septuagint version renders the word; or to see their habit and dress, and how they ornamented themselves, as Josephus {a} observes; and who also says it was a festival day at Shechem, and therefore very probably many of the young women of the country round about might come thither on that occasion; and who being dressed in their best clothes would give Dinah a good opportunity of seeing and observing their fashions; and which, with the diversions of the season, and shows to be seen, allured Dinah to go out of her mother's tent into the city, to gratify her curiosity. Aben Ezra's note is, that she went of herself, that is, without the leave of either of her parents: according to other Jewish writers {b} there was a snare laid for her by Shechem, who observing that Jacob's daughter dwelt in tents, and did not go abroad, he brought damsels out of the city dancing and playing on timbrels; and Dinah went forth to see them playing, and he took her, and lay with her, as follows.

{z} R. Ganz. Tzemach David, par. l. fol. 6. 2. {a} Antiqu. l. 1. c. 21. sect. 1. {b} Pirke Eliezer, c. 38. fol. 42. 2. 08940-950104-0921-Ge34.2