Génesis 34:4-14

4 Y habló Sichêm á Hamor su padre, diciendo: Tómame por mujer esta moza.

5 Y oyó Jacob que había Sichêm amancillado á Dina su hija: y estando sus hijos con su ganando en el campo, calló Jacob hasta que ellos viniesen.

6 Y dirigióse Hamor padre de Sichêm á Jacob, para hablar con él.

7 Y los hijos de Jacob vinieron del campo cuando lo supieron; y se entristecieron los varones, y se ensañaron mucho, porque hizo vileza en Israel echándose con la hija de Jacob, lo que no se debía haber hecho.

8 Y Hamor habló con ellos, diciendo: El alma de mi hijo Sichêm se ha apegado á vuestra hija; ruégoos que se la deis por mujer.

9 Y emparentad con nosotros; dadnos vuestras hijas, y tomad vosotros las nuestras.

10 Y habitad con nostros; porque la tierra estará delante de vosotros; morad y negociad en ella, y tomad en ella posesión.

11 Sichêm también dijo á su padre y á sus hermanos: Halle yo gracia en vuestros ojos, y daré lo que me dijereis.

12 Aumentad á cargo mío mucho dote y dones, que yo daré cuanto me dijereis, y dadme la moza por mujer.

13 Y respondieron los hijos de Jacob á Sichêm y á Hamor su padre con engaño; y parlaron, por cuanto había amancillado á Dina su hermana.

14 Y dijéronles: No podemos hacer esto de dar nuestra hermana á hombre que tiene prepucio; porque entre nosotros es abominación.

Génesis 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