THE WORD OF ELOHIM
GENESIS
Chapter 34
Now Dinah, the daughter whom Leah had borne to Ya’akov, went out to visit the daughters of the land. Shekem son of Chamor, the Chivvi, chief of the country; saw her, and took her, and lay with her by force. Being strongly drawn to Dinah, daughter of Ya’akov, and in love with the maiden; he spoke to the maiden tenderly. So Shekem said to his father Chamor, “Get me this girl as a wife.”
Ya’akov heard that he had defiled his daughter Dinah; but since his sons were in the field with his cattle, Ya’akov kept silent, until they came home. Then Shekem’s father Chamor came out to Ya’akov, to speak to him. Meanwhile Ya’akov’s sons, having heard the news, came in from the field. The men were distressed and very angry; because he had committed an outrage in Israel, by lying with Ya’akov’s daughter—a thing not to be done.
And Chamor spoke with them, saying, “My son Shekem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him in marriage. Intermarry with us: Give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves: You will dwell among us, and the land will be open before you; settle, move about, and acquire holdings in it.” Then Shekem said to her father and brothers, “Do me this favor and I will pay whatever you tell me. Ask of me a bride-
Ya’akov’s sons answered Shekem and his father Chamor—speaking with guile; because he had defiled their sister Dinah—and said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to a man who is uncircumcised, for that is a disgrace among us. Only on this condition well we agree with you; that you will become like us in that every male among you is circumcised. Then we will give our daughters to you and take your daughters to ourselves, and we will dwell among you and become as one kindred. But if you will not listen to us and become circumcised, we will take our daughter and go.”
Their words pleased Chamor and Chamor’s son Shekem. And the youth lost no time in doing the thing, for he wanted Ya’akov’s daughter. Now he was the most respected in his father’s house. So Chamor and his son Shekem, went to the public place of their town, and spoke to their fellow townsmen, saying, “These people are our friends; let them settle in the land and move about in it, for the land is large enough for them; we will take their daughters to ourselves as wives and give our daughters to them. But only on this condition, will the men agree with us, to dwell among us and be as one kindred: That all our males become circumcised as they are circumcised. Their cattle and substance and all their beast will be ours, if we only agree to their terms, so that they will settle among us.” All who went out of the gate of his town heeded Chamor and his son Shekem, and all males, all those who went out of the gate of his town, were circumcised.
On the third day, when they were in pain; Simeon and Levi, two of Ya’akov’s sons, brothers of Dinah; took each his sword, came upon the city unmolested, and slew all the males. They put Chamor and his son Shekem to the sword, and took Dinah out of Shekem’s house, and went away. The other sons of Ya’akov came upon the slain and plundered the town, because their sister had been defiled. They seized their flocks and herds and asses, all that was inside the town and outside, all that was in the houses, they took as captives and booty.
Ya’akov said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me, making me odious among the inhabitants of the land, the Kna'aniy and the Perizzi; my men are few in number, so that if they unite against me and attack me, I and my house will be destroyed.” But they answered, “Should our sister be treated like a whore?”