Scrutatio

Lunedi, 29 aprile 2024 - Santa Caterina da Siena ( Letture di oggi)

Genesis 34


font
NEW JERUSALEMKING JAMES BIBLE
1 Dinah, who was Jacob's daughter by Leah, went out to visit some of the women of that region.1 And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.
2 Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, headman of the region, saw her, seized her and forced her tosleep with him.2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her.
3 He was captivated by Dinah daughter of Jacob; he fel in love with the girl and tried to win her heart.3 And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel.
4 Accordingly Shechem said to his father Hamor, 'Get me this girl; I want to marry her.'4 And Shechem spake unto his father Hamor, saying, Get me this damsel to wife.
5 Meanwhile, Jacob had heard how his daughter Dinah had been dishonoured, but since his sons wereout in the countryside with his livestock, Jacob said nothing until they came back.5 And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter: now his sons were with his cattle in the field: and Jacob held his peace until they were come.
6 Hamor father of Shechem was visiting Jacob to discuss the matter with him,6 And Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto Jacob to commune with him.
7 when Jacob's sons returned from the countryside and heard the news; the men were outraged andinfuriated that Shechem had insulted Israel by sleeping with Jacob's daughter -- a thing total y unacceptable.7 And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob's daughter; which thing ought not to be done.
8 Hamor reasoned with them as fol ows, 'My son Shechem's heart is set on your daughter. Please al owher to marry him.8 And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife.
9 Intermarry with us; give us your daughters and take our daughters for yourselves.9 And make ye marriages with us, and give your daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto you.
10 We can live together, and the country wil be open to you, for you to live in, and move about in, andacquire holdings.'10 And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein.
11 Then Shechem addressed the girl's father and brothers, 'Grant me this favour, and I will give youwhatever you ask.11 And Shechem said unto her father and unto her brethren, Let me find grace in your eyes, and what ye shall say unto me I will give.
12 Demand as high a bride-price from me as you please, and I wil pay as much as you ask. Only let memarry the girl.'12 Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife.
13 Jacob's sons gave Shechem and his father Hamor a crafty answer, speaking as they did because hehad dishonoured their sister Dinah.13 And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister:
14 'We cannot do this,' they said to them. 'To give our sister to an uncircumcised man would be adisgrace for us.14 And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us:
15 We can agree only on one condition: that you become like us by circumcising al your males.15 But in this will we consent unto you: If ye will be as we be, that every male of you be circumcised;
16 Then we wil give you our daughters, taking yours for ourselves; and we wil stay with you to makeone nation.16 Then will we give our daughters unto you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people.
17 But if you will not agree to our terms about being circumcised, we shal take our daughter and go.'17 But if ye will not hearken unto us, to be circumcised; then will we take our daughter, and we will be gone.
18 Hamor and Shechem son of Hamor were pleased with what they heard.18 And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor's son.
19 The young man did not hesitate about doing this, for he was deeply in love with Jacob's daughter.Moreover he was the most respected member of his entire family.19 And the young man deferred not to do the thing, because he had delight in Jacob's daughter: and he was more honourable than all the house of his father.
20 Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate of their town and spoke to their fellow-townsmen asfol ows,20 And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city, and communed with the men of their city, saying,
21 'These men are friendly; let them settle in the region and move about freely in it; there is plenty ofroom here for them; we shal marry their daughters and give our daughters to them.21 These men are peaceable with us; therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade therein; for the land, behold, it is large enough for them; let us take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our daughters.
22 But these men will agree to settle with us and become a single nation only on this condition: that alour males be circumcised like them.22 Only herein will the men consent unto us for to dwell with us, to be one people, if every male among us be circumcised, as they are circumcised.
23 Wil not the livestock they own, al their animals, become ours? Then let us give our assent to this, sothat they can settle with us.'23 Shall not their cattle and their substance and every beast of theirs be ours? only let us consent unto them, and they will dwell with us.
24 Al the citizens of the town agreed to the proposal made by Hamor and his son Shechem, and al themales were circumcised.24 And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city.
25 Now on the third day, when the men were stil in pain, Jacob's two sons Simeon and Levi, Dinah'sbrothers, each took his sword and advanced unopposed against the town and slaughtered al the males.25 And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.
26 They kil ed Hamor and his son Shechem with the sword, removed Dinah from Shechem's house andcame away.26 And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went out.
27 When Jacob's other sons came on the slain, they pil aged the town in reprisal for the dishonouring oftheir sister.27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister.
28 They seized their flocks, cattle, donkeys, everything else in the town and in the countryside,28 They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field,
29 and al their possessions. They took al their children and wives captive and looted everything to befound in the houses.29 And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house.
30 Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, 'You have done me an il turn by bringing me into bad odour with thepeople of the region, the Canaanites and the Perizzites. I have few men, whereas they wil unite against me todefeat me and destroy me and my family.'30 And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.
31 They retorted, 'Should our sister be treated like a whore?'31 And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?