Genesis 34:17-27

17 Maar zo gij naar ons niet zult horen, om besneden te worden, zo zullen wij onze dochteren nemen, en wegtrekken.

18 En hun woorden waren goed in de ogen van Hemor, en in de ogen van Sichem, Hemors zoon.

19 En de jongeling vertoogde niet, deze zaak te doen; want hij had lust in Jakobs dochter; en hij was geeerd boven al zijns vaders huis.

20 Zo kwam Hemor en Sichem, zijn zoon, tot hunner stadspoort; en zij spraken tot de mannen hunner stad, zeggende:

21 Deze mannen zijn vreedzaam met ons; daarom laat hen in dit land wonen, en daarin handelen, en het land (ziet het is wijd van begrip) voor hun aangezicht zijn; wij zullen ons hun dochteren tot vrouwen nemen, en wij zullen onze dochteren aan hen geven.

22 Doch hierin zullen deze mannen ons ter wille zijn, dat zij met ons wonen, om tot een volk te zijn; als al wat mannelijk is onder ons besneden wordt, gelijk als zij besneden zijn.

23 Hun vee, en hun bezitting, en al hun beesten, zullen die niet onze zijn? Alleen laat ons hun te wille zijn, en zij zullen met ons wonen.

24 En zij hoorden naar Hemor, en naar Sichem, zijn zoon, allen, die ter zijner stadspoort uitgingen; en zij werden besneden, al wat mannelijk was, allen, die ter zijner stadspoort uitgingen.

25 En het geschiedde ten derden dage, toen zij in de smart waren, zo namen de twee zonen van Jakob, Simeon en Levi, broeders van Dina, een iegelijk zijn zwaard, en kwamen stoutelijk in de stad, en doodden al wat mannelijk was.

26 Zij sloegen ook Hemor, en zijn zoon Sichem, dood met de scherpte des zwaards; en zij namen Dina uit Sichems huis, en gingen van daar.

27 De zonen van Jakob kwamen over de verslagenen, en plunderden de stad, omdat zij hun zuster verontreinigd hadden.

Genesis 34:17-27 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