The Defiling of Dinah

Genesis 34

1 Now f Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the women of the land. 2 And when Shechem the son of g Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he seized her and lay with her and humiliated her. 3 And his soul was drawn to Dinah the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her. 4 So Shechem h spoke to his father Hamor, saying, "Get me this girl for my wife."

5 Now Jacob heard that he had defiled his daughter Dinah. But his sons were with his livestock in the field, so Jacob held his peace until they came. 6 And Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him. 7 The sons of Jacob had come in from the field as soon as they heard of it, and the men were indignant and i very angry, because he j had done an outrageous thing in Israel by lying with Jacob's daughter, k for such a thing must not be done.

8 But Hamor spoke with them, saying, "The soul of my son Shechem longs for your 1 daughter. Please give her to him to be his wife. 9 Make marriages with us. Give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves. 10 You shall dwell with us, and l the land shall be open to you. Dwell and m trade in it, and n get property in it." 11 Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, o "Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give. 12 Ask me for as great a p bride price 2 and gift as you will, and I will give whatever you say to me. Only give me the young woman to be my wife."

13 The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully, because he had defiled their sister Dinah. 14 They said to them, "We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for q that would be a disgrace to us. 15 Only on this condition will we agree with you - that you will become as we are by every male among you being circumcised. 16 Then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to ourselves, and we will dwell with you and become one people. 17 But if you will not listen to us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter, and we will be gone."

18 Their words pleased Hamor and Hamor's son Shechem. 19 And the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacob's daughter. Now r he was the most honored of all his father's house. 20 So Hamor and his son Shechem s came to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, saying, 21 "These men are at peace with us; let them dwell in the land and t trade in it, for behold, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters as wives, and let us give them our daughters. 22 Only on this condition will the men agree to dwell with us to become one people - when every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised. 23 Will not their livestock, their property and all their beasts be ours? Only let us agree with them, and they will dwell with us." 24 And all who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male was circumcised, all who u went out of the gate of his city.

25 On the third day, when they were sore, two of the sons of Jacob, v Simeon and Levi, w Dinah's brothers, took their swords and came against the city while it felt secure and killed all the males. 26 They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the sword and took Dinah out of Shechem's house and went away. 27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain and plundered the city, because they had defiled their sister. 28 They took their flocks and their herds, their donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field. 29 All their wealth, all their little ones and their wives, all that was in the houses, they captured and plundered.

30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, x "You have brought trouble on me y by making me stink to the inhabitants of the land, z the Canaanites and the Perizzites. a My numbers are few, and if they gather themselves against me and attack me, I shall be destroyed, both I and my household." 31 But they said, "Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?"

  1. Cross References
    Genesis 30:21
    Afterward she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah.
  2. Cross References
    Acts 7:16
    And they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
  3. Cross References
    Judges 14:2
    Then he came up and told his father and mother, "I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timnah. Now get her for me as my wife.
  4. Cross References
    Genesis 49:7
    Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce, and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.
  5. Cross References
    Joshua 7:15
    And he who is taken with the devoted things shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he has done an outrageous thing in Israel.'
    Judges 20:6
    So I took hold of my concubine and cut her in pieces and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel, for they have committed abomination and outrage in Israel.
  6. Cross References
    Genesis 34:31
    But they said, "Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?
    Genesis 20:9
    Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, "What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done.
    2 Samuel 13:12
    She answered him, "No, my brother, do not violate me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this outrageous thing.
  7. Cross References
    Genesis 13:9
    Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.
    Genesis 20:15
    And Abimelech said, "Behold, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.
  8. Cross References
    Genesis 34:21
    These men are at peace with us; let them dwell in the land and trade in it, for behold, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters as wives, and let us give them our daughters.
    Genesis 42:34
    Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I shall know that you are not spies but honest men, and I will deliver your brother to you, and you shall trade in the land.'
  9. Cross References
    Genesis 47:27
    Thus Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen. And they gained possessions in it, and were fruitful and multiplied greatly.
  10. Cross References
    Genesis 33:15
    So Esau said, "Let me leave with you some of the people who are with me." But he said, "What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.
  11. Cross References
    Exodus 22:16 - 17
    If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price for her and make her his wife.
    1 Samuel 18:25
    Then Saul said, "Thus shall you say to David, 'The king desires no bride-price except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, that he may be avenged of the king's enemies.'" Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
    Deuteronomy 22:29
    Then the man who lay with her shall give to the father of the young woman fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he has violated her. He may not divorce her all his days.
  12. Cross References
    Joshua 5:9
    And the Lord said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you." And so the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.
  13. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 4:9
    Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, "Because I bore him in pain.
  14. Cross References
    Ruth 4:1
    Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there. And behold, the redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. So Boaz said, "Turn aside, friend; sit down here." And he turned aside and sat down.
  15. Cross References
    Genesis 34:10
    You shall dwell with us, and the land shall be open to you. Dwell and trade in it, and get property in it.
    Genesis 42:34
    Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I shall know that you are not spies but honest men, and I will deliver your brother to you, and you shall trade in the land.
  16. Cross References
    Genesis 23:10
    Now Ephron was sitting among the Hittites, and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the Hittites, of all who went in at the gate of his city.
  17. Cross References
    Genesis 49:5 - 7
    Simeon and Levi are brothers; weapons of violence are their swords.
  18. Cross References
    Genesis 29:33 - 34
    She conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also." And she called his name Simeon.
    Genesis 30:21
    Afterward she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah.
  19. Cross References
    Joshua 7:25
    And Joshua said, "Why did you bring trouble on us? The Lord brings trouble on you today." And all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones.
  20. Cross References
    Exodus 5:21
    And they said to them, "The Lord look on you an...
    1 Samuel 13:4
    And all Israel heard it said that Saul had defe...
    1 Samuel 27:12
    And Achish trusted David, thinking, "He has mad...
    2 Samuel 10:6
    When the Ammonites saw that they had become a s...
    2 Samuel 16:21
    Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Go in to your fath...
    1 Chronicles 19:6
    When the Ammonites saw that they had become a s...
  21. Cross References
    Genesis 13:7
    And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land.
    Genesis 15:20 - 21
    The Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim.
  22. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 16:19
    When you were few in number, and of little account, and sojourners in it.
    Psalms 105:12
    When they were few in number, of little account, and sojourners in it.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
Next Book Next Book