Genesis 34:4-14

4 Sichem sprak ook tot zijn vader Hemor, zeggende: Neem mij deze dochter tot een vrouw.

5 Toen Jakob hoorde, dat hij zijn dochter Dina verontreinigd had, zo waren zijn zonen met het vee in het veld; en Jakob zweeg, totdat zij kwamen.

6 En Hemor, de vader van Sichem, ging uit tot Jakob, om met hem te spreken.

7 En de zonen van Jakob kwamen van het veld, als zij dit hoorden; en het smartte deze mannen, en zij ontstaken zeer, omdat hij dwaasheid in Israel gedaan had, Jakobs dochter beslapende, hetwelk alzo niet zoude gedaan worden.

8 Toen sprak Hemor met hen, zeggende: Mijns zoons Sichems ziel is verliefd op ulieder dochter; geeft hem haar toch tot een vrouw.

9 En verzwagert u met ons; geeft ons uw dochteren; en neemt voor u onze dochteren;

10 En woont met ons; en het land zal voor uw aangezicht zijn; woont, en handelt daarin, en stelt u tot bezitters daarin.

11 En Sichem zeide tot haar vader, en tot haar broederen: Laat mij genade vinden in uw ogen; en wat gij tot mij zeggen zult, zal ik geven.

12 Vergroot zeer over mij den bruidschat en het geschenk; en ik zal geven, gelijk als gij tot mij zult zeggen; geef mij slechts de jonge dochter tot een vrouw.

13 Toen antwoordden Jakobs zonen aan Sichem en Hemor, zijn vader, bedriegelijk, en spraken (overmits dat hij Dina, hun zuster, verontreinigd had);

14 En zij zeiden tot hen: Wij zullen deze zaak niet kunnen doen, dat wij onze zuster aan een man geven zouden, die de voorhuid heeft; want dat ware ons een schande.

Genesis 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