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Genesis, 34

Dina is ravished, for which the Sichemites are destroyed.


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[1] And Dina the daughter of Lia went out to see the women of that country.

[2] And when Sichem the son of Hemor the Hevite, the prince of that land, saw her, he was in love with her: and took her away, and lay with her, ravishing the virgin.

[3] And his soul was fast knit unto her; and whereas she was sad, he comforted her with sweet words.

[4] And going to Hemor his father, he said: Get me this damsel to wife.

[5] But when Jacob had heard this, his sons being absent, and employed in feeding the cattle, he held his peace till they came back.

[6] And when Hemor the father of Sichem was come out to speak to Jacob,

[7] Behold his sons came from the field: and hearing what had passed, they were exceeding angry, because he had done a foul thing in Israel, and committed an unlawful act, in ravishing Jacob's daughter.

[8] And Hemor spoke to them: The soul of my son Sichem has a longing for your daughter: give her him to wife:

[9] And let us contract marriages one with another: give us your daughters, and take you our daughters.

[10] And dwell with us: the land is at your command, till, trade, and possess it.

[11] Sichem also said to her father and to her brethren: Let me find favour in your sight, and whatsoever you shall appoint I will give:

[12] Raise the dowry, and ask gifts, and I will gladly give what you shall demand: only give me this damsel to wife.

[13] The sons of Jacob answered Sichem and his father deceitfully 1, being enraged at the deflowering of their sister:

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Deceitfully: The sons of Jacob, on this occasion, were guilty of a grievous sin, as well by falsely pretending religion, as by excess of revenge: though otherwise their zeal against so foul a crime was commendable.

[14] We cannot do what you demand, nor give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; which with us is unlawful and abominable.

[15] But in this we may be allied with you, if you will be like us, and all the male sex among you be circumcised:

[16] Then will we mutually give and take your daughters, and ours; and we will dwell with you, and will be one people:

[17] But if you will not be circumcised, we will take our daughter and depart.

[18] Their offer pleased Hemor, and Sichem, his son:

[19] And the young man made no delay, but forthwith fulfilled what was required: for he loved the damsel exceedingly, and he was the greatest man in all his father's house.

[20] And going into the gate of the city, they spoke to the people:

[21] These men are peaceable, and are willing to dwell with us: let them trade in the land, and till it, which being large and wide wanteth men to till it: we shall take their daughters for wives, and we will give them ours.

[22] One thing there is for which so great a good is deferred: We must circumcise every male among us, following the manner of the nation.

[23] And their substance, and cattle, and all that they possess, shall be ours; only in this let us condescend, and by dwelling together, we shall make one people.

[24] And they all agreed, and circumcised all the males.

[25] And behold the third day, when the pain of the wound was greatest: two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, the brothers of Dina, taking their swords, entered boldly into the city and slew all the men.

[26] And they killed also Hemor and Sichem, and took away their sister Dina out of Sichem's house.

[27] And when they were gone out, the other sons of Jacob came upon the slain; and plundered the city in revenge of the rape.

[28] And they took their sheep, and their herds, and their asses, wasting all they had in their houses and in their fields.

[29] And their children and wives they took captive.

[30] And when they had boldly perpetrated these things, Jacob said to Simeon and Levi: You have troubled me, and made me hateful to the Chanaanites and Pherezites, the inhabitants of this land. We are few: they will gather themselves together and kill me; and both I, and my house shall be destroyed.

[31] They answered: Should they abuse our sister as a strumpet?

Genesis, 34