Génesis 34:12-22

12 Pedidme cuanta dote y presentes queráis y os daré conforme a lo que me digáis, pero dadme a la joven por mujer.

13 Pero los hijos de Jacob respondieron a Siquem y a su padre Hamor con engaño, y les hablaron, porque Siquem había deshonrado a su hermana Dina.

14 Y les dijeron: No podemos hacer tal cosa, dar nuestra hermana a un hombre no circuncidado, pues para nosotros eso es una deshonra.

15 Sólo con esta condición os complaceremos: si os hacéis como nosotros, circuncidándose cada uno de vuestros varones;

16 entonces sí os daremos nuestras hijas, y tomaremos vuestras hijas para nosotros, y moraremos con vosotros y seremos un solo pueblo.

17 Pero si no nos escucháis, y no os circuncidáis, entonces tomaremos a nuestra hija y nos iremos.

18 Y sus palabras parecieron razonables a Hamor y a Siquem, hijo de Hamor.

19 El joven, pues, no tardó en hacerlo porque estaba enamorado de la hija de Jacob. Y él era el más respetado de toda la casa de su padre.

20 Entonces Hamor y su hijo Siquem vinieron a la puerta de su ciudad, y hablaron a los hombres de la ciudad, diciendo:

21 Estos hombres están en paz con nosotros; dejadles, pues, morar en la tierra y comerciar en ella, porque ved, la tierra es bastante amplia para ellos. Tomemos para nosotros a sus hijas por mujeres y démosles nuestras hijas.

22 Mas sólo con esta condición consentirán ellos en morar con nosotros para que seamos un solo pueblo: que se circuncide todo varón entre nosotros, como ellos están circuncidados.

Génesis 34:12-22 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