Genesi 34:4-14

4 Poi disse a Hemor suo padre: "Dammi questa fanciulla per moglie".

5 Or Giacobbe udì ch’egli avea disonorato la sua figliuola Dina; e come i suoi figliuoli erano ai campi col suo bestiame, Giacobbe si tacque finché non furon tornati.

6 E Hemor, padre di Sichem, si recò da Giacobbe per parlargli.

7 E i figliuoli di Giacobbe, com’ebbero udito il fatto, tornarono dai campi; e questi uomini furono addolorati e fortemente adirati perché costui aveva commessa un’infamia in Israele, giacendosi con la figliuola di Giacobbe: cosa che non era da farsi.

8 Ed Hemor parlò loro dicendo: "L’anima del mio figliuolo Sichem s’è unita strettamente alla vostra figliuola; deh, dategliela per moglie;

9 e imparentatevi con noi; dateci le vostre figliuole, e prendetevi le figliuole nostre.

10 Voi abiterete con noi, e il paese sarà a vostra disposizione; dimoratevi, trafficatevi, e acquistatevi delle proprietà".

11 Allora Sichem disse al padre e ai fratelli di Dina: "Fate ch’io trovi grazia agli occhi vostri, e vi darò quel che mi direte.

12 Imponetemi pure una gran dote e di gran doni; e io ve li darò come mi direte; ma datemi la fanciulla per moglie".

13 I figliuoli di Giacobbe risposero a Sichem e ad Hemor suo padre, e parlarono loro con astuzia, perché Sichem avea disonorato Dina loro sorella;

14 e dissero loro: "Questa cosa non la possiamo fare; non possiam dare la nostra sorella a uno che non è circonciso; giacché questo, per noi, sarebbe un obbrobrio.

Genesi 34:4-14 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