Genesis 34

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Dinah, who was Jacob's daughter by Leah, went out to visit some of the women of that region.	1 Dinah, the daughter whom Leah had borne to Jacob, went out to visit some of the women 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 When Shechem, son of Hamor the Hivite, who was chief of the region, saw her, he seized her and lay with her by force.
3 He was captivated by Dinah daughter of Jacob; he fel in love with the girl and tried to win her heart.	3 Since he was strongly attracted to Dinah, daughter of Jacob, indeed was really in love with the girl, he endeavored to win her affection.
4 Accordingly Shechem said to his father Hamor, 'Get me this girl; I want to marry her.'	4 Shechem also asked his father Hamor, "Get me this girl for a 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 Meanwhile, Jacob heard that Shechem had defiled his daughter Dinah; but since his sons were out in the fields with his livestock, he held his peace until they came home.
6 Hamor father of Shechem was visiting Jacob to discuss the matter with him,	6 Now Hamor, the father of Shechem, went out to discuss the matter with Jacob,
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 just as Jacob's sons were coming in from the fields. When they heard the news, the men were shocked and seethed with indignation. What Shechem had done was an outrage in Israel; such a thing could not be tolerated.
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 Hamor appealed to them, saying: "My son Shechem has his heart set on your daughter. Please give her to him in marriage.
9 Intermarry with us; give us your daughters and take our daughters for yourselves.	9 Intermarry with us; give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves.
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 Thus you can live among us. The land is open before you; you can settle and move about freely in it, and acquire landed property here."
11 Then Shechem addressed the girl's father and brothers, 'Grant me this favour, and I will give youwhatever you ask.	11 Then Shechem, too, appealed to Dinah's father and brothers: "Do me this favor, and I will pay whatever you demand of me.
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 No matter how high you set the bridal price, I will pay you whatever you ask; only give me the maiden in marriage."
13 Jacob's sons gave Shechem and his father Hamor a crafty answer, speaking as they did because hehad dishonoured their sister Dinah.	13 Jacob's sons replied to Shechem and his father Hamor with guile, speaking as they did because their sister Dinah had been defiled.
14 'We cannot do this,' they said to them. 'To give our sister to an uncircumcised man would be adisgrace for us.	14 "We could not do such a thing," they said, "as to give our sister to an uncircumcised man; that would be a disgrace for us.
15 We can agree only on one condition: that you become like us by circumcising al your males.	15 We will agree with you only on this condition, that you become like us by having every male among you circumcised.
16 Then we wil give you our daughters, taking yours for ourselves; and we wil stay with you to makeone nation.	16 Then we will give you our daughters and take yours in marriage; we will settle among you and become one kindred people with you.
17 But if you will not agree to our terms about being circumcised, we shal take our daughter and go.'	17 But if you do not comply with our terms regarding circumcision, we will take our daughter and go away."
18 Hamor and Shechem son of Hamor were pleased with what they heard.	18 Their proposal seemed fair to Hamor and his son Shechem.
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 The young man lost no time in acting in the matter, since he was deeply in love with Jacob's daughter. Moreover he was more highly respected than anyone else in his clan.
20 Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate of their town and spoke to their fellow-townsmen asfol ows,	20 So Hamor and his son Shechem went to their town council and thus presented the matter to their fellow townsmen:
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 friendly toward us. Let them settle in the land and move about in it freely; there is ample room in the country for them. We can marry their daughters and give our daughters to them in marriage.
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 But the men will agree to live with us and form one kindred people with us only on this condition, that every male among us be circumcised as they themselves are.
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 Would not the livestock they have acquired--all their animals--then be ours? Let us, therefore, give in to them, so that they may settle among 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 All the able-bodied men of the town agreed with Hamor and his son Shechem, and all the males, including every able-bodied man in the community, were circumcised.
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 On the third day, while they were still in pain, Dinah's full brothers Simeon and Levi, two of Jacob's sons, took their swords, advanced against the city without any trouble, and massacred all the males.
26 They kil ed Hamor and his son Shechem with the sword, removed Dinah from Shechem's house andcame away.	26 After they had put Hamor and his son Shechem to the sword, they took Dinah from Shechem's house and left.
27 When Jacob's other sons came on the slain, they pil aged the town in reprisal for the dishonouring oftheir sister.	27 Then the other sons of Jacob followed up the slaughter and sacked the city in reprisal for their sister Dinah's defilement.
28 They seized their flocks, cattle, donkeys, everything else in the town and in the countryside,	28 They seized their flocks, herds and asses, whatever was in the city and in the country around.
29 and al their possessions. They took al their children and wives captive and looted everything to befound in the houses.	29 They carried off all their wealth, their women, and their children, and took for loot whatever was in the houses.
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 Jacob said to Simeon and Levi: "You have brought trouble upon me by making me loathsome to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites. I have so few men that, if these people unite against me and attack me, I and my family will be wiped out."
31 They retorted, 'Should our sister be treated like a whore?'	31 But they retorted, "Should our sister have been treated like a harlot?"