וַתֵּצֵ֤א דִינָה֙ בַּת־לֵאָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָלְדָ֖ה לְיַעֲקֹ֑ב לִרְא֖וֹת בִּבְנ֥וֹת הָאָֽרֶץ׃

Since Jacob and his family were residing near the city of Shekhem, Dina, the young daughter of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. Having lived until that point mostly as a nomad in the desert, Dina became acquainted for the first time with an urban environment, and she socialized with the local girls.

וַיַּ֨רְא אֹתָ֜הּ שְׁכֶ֧ם בֶּן־חֲמ֛וֹר הַֽחִוִּ֖י נְשִׂ֣יא הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּקַּ֥ח אֹתָ֛הּ וַיִּשְׁכַּ֥ב אֹתָ֖הּ וַיְעַנֶּֽהָ׃

Shekhem, son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the land, saw her and was attracted to this young foreign woman. He took her, and lay with her, and raped her.

וַתִּדְבַּ֣ק נַפְשׁ֔וֹ בְּדִינָ֖ה בַּֽת־יַעֲקֹ֑ב וַיֶּֽאֱהַב֙ אֶת־הַֽנַּעֲרָ֔ וַיְדַבֵּ֖ר עַל־לֵ֥ב הַֽנַּעֲרָֽ׃

Presumably, this was not the first woman whom Shekhem had abused in this manner, by taking advantage of his social status. However, on this occasion he did not abandon her afterward; rather, his soul was drawn to Dina, daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young woman, and furthermore he spoke soothingly to the young woman. Although Shekhem was certainly more powerful than the young woman, he wanted her to consent to marriage.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁכֶ֔ם אֶל־חֲמ֥וֹר אָבִ֖יו לֵאמֹ֑ר קַֽח־לִ֛י אֶת־הַיַּלְדָּ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את לְאִשָּֽׁה׃

Shekhem spoke to his father Hamor, saying: Take for me this girl as a wife.

וְיַעֲקֹ֣ב שָׁמַ֗ע כִּ֤י טִמֵּא֙ אֶת־דִּינָ֣ה בִתּ֔וֹ וּבָנָ֛יו הָי֥וּ אֶת־מִקְנֵ֖הוּ בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה וְהֶחֱרִ֥שׁ יַעֲקֹ֖ב עַד־בֹּאָֽם׃

Jacob heard that he had defiled Dina his daughter. The news reached him at home, and his sons were with his livestock in the field; and Jacob kept silent. He did nothing about the matter until their arrival.

וַיֵּצֵ֛א חֲמ֥וֹר אֲבִֽי־שְׁכֶ֖ם אֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֑ב לְדַבֵּ֖ר אִתּֽוֹ׃

Meanwhile, Hamor, father of Shekhem, went out to Jacob to speak with him about the possibility of marriage. Were it not for the prior act of rape, there would have been nothing inappropriate about this proposal.

וּבְנֵ֨י יַעֲקֹ֜ב בָּ֤אוּ מִן־הַשָּׂדֶה֙ כְּשָׁמְעָ֔ם וַיִּֽתְעַצְּבוּ֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים וַיִּ֥חַר לָהֶ֖ם מְאֹ֑ד כִּֽי־נְבָלָ֞ה עָשָׂ֣ה בְיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לִשְׁכַּב֙ אֶת־בַּֽת־יַעֲקֹ֔ב וְכֵ֖ן לֹ֥א יֵעָשֶֽׂה׃

And the sons of Jacob came from the field immediately when they heard it; and the men were saddened over the pain and shame inflicted upon their sister, and furthermore they became very angry, as he, Shekhem, had performed an abomination in the family of Israel to lie with Jacob’s daughter; and so shall not be done to anyone, certainly not the daughter of an esteemed person.

וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר חֲמ֖וֹר אִתָּ֣ם לֵאמֹ֑ר שְׁכֶ֣ם בְּנִ֗י חָֽשְׁקָ֤ה נַפְשׁוֹ֙ בְּבִתְּכֶ֔ם תְּנ֨וּ נָ֥א אֹתָ֛הּ ל֖וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה׃

Hamor, the prince of the land, spoke with them, saying: The soul of my son Shekhem longs for your daughter. Please, give her to him as a wife.

וְהִֽתְחַתְּנ֖וּ אֹתָ֑נוּ בְּנֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ תִּתְּנוּ־לָ֔נוּ וְאֶת־בְּנֹתֵ֖ינוּ תִּקְח֥וּ לָכֶֽם׃

In addition to this marriage proposal, Hamor also suggests a political union; perhaps he sought to make amends with the girl’s father for his son’s misbehavior. And marry with us; give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for you. The individual engagement can become a collective one. We will form one family, or at least maintain very close relations.

וְאִתָּ֖נוּ תֵּשֵׁ֑בוּ וְהָאָ֙רֶץ֙ תִּהְיֶ֣ה לִפְנֵיכֶ֔ם שְׁבוּ֙ וּסְחָר֔וּהָ וְהֵֽאָחֲז֖וּ בָּֽהּ׃

And you shall live with us permanently; and the land shall be before you; live and trade in it. Use it as though it is your own land, for business or pleasure, and settle in it. So far you have managed to buy one small field in exchange for a large sum of money. Now I am offering you free residency, as well as commercial and social unification. Hamor, who was presumably sent by his son, ignored the appalling incident that led to this proposal, and with regard to the marriage he spoke like an ordinary man who wishes to set up his son with his neighbor’s daughter.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁכֶם֙ אֶל־אָבִ֣יה וְאֶל־אַחֶ֔יהָ אֶמְצָא־חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֵיכֶ֑ם וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר תֹּאמְר֛וּ אֵלַ֖י אֶתֵּֽן׃

The young Shekhem did not wait to hear Jacob’s response from his father. Rather, he too came to their house and said to her father and to her brothers: Let me find favor in your eyes, and that which you shall say to me I will give. Unlike Hamor, who attempted to act within the bounds of decorum, Shekhem spoke out of passion.

הַרְבּ֨וּ עָלַ֤י מְאֹד֙ מֹ֣הַר וּמַתָּ֔ן וְאֶ֨תְּנָ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר תֹּאמְר֖וּ אֵלָ֑י וּתְנוּ־לִ֥י אֶת־הַֽנַּעֲרָ֖ לְאִשָּֽׁה׃

Increase bridal payment and gift, and I will give in accordance with what you shall say to me. I will agree to pay any amount you see fit; and all I ask is that you give me the young woman as a wife.

וַיַּעֲנ֨וּ בְנֵֽי־יַעֲקֹ֜ב אֶת־שְׁכֶ֨ם וְאֶת־חֲמ֥וֹר אָבִ֛יו בְּמִרְמָ֖ה וַיְדַבֵּ֑רוּ אֲשֶׁ֣ר טִמֵּ֔א אֵ֖ת דִּינָ֥ה אֲחֹתָֽם׃

Jacob himself did not respond. This might have been due to his grief over the incident, or he had possibly developed a passive personality over the years, perhaps as a result of his encounter with the angel. The sons of Jacob answered Shekhem and Hamor his father with guile, and spoke in their father’s name. They spoke with cunning, as he, Shekhem, had defiled Dina their sister. In contrast to Shekhem and Hamor, who ignored the rape and acted as though they were presenting a normal marriage proposal, Jacob’s sons emphasized the insult, so that the severity of the harm would be taken into account in the subsequent agreement.

וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם לֹ֤א נוּכַל֙ לַעֲשׂוֹת֙ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה לָתֵת֙ אֶת־אֲחֹתֵ֔נוּ לְאִ֖ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־ל֣וֹ עָרְלָ֑ה כִּֽי־חֶרְפָּ֥ה הִ֖וא לָֽנוּ׃

The malicious guile in their response lies in the following suggestion. They said to them: We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to a man who has a foreskin, as in our eyes the uncircumcised state is not merely a physical matter, but it is a disgrace for us . Therefore, it is impossible to speak of marriage at this stage.

אַךְ־בְּזֹ֖את נֵא֣וֹת לָכֶ֑ם אִ֚ם תִּהְי֣וּ כָמֹ֔נוּ לְהִמֹּ֥ל לָכֶ֖ם כָּל־זָכָֽר׃

Only with this will we accede to you: If you become like us to have every male among you circumcised. Since it is a disgrace for us to be uncircumcised, we cannot become like you. Consequently, you must agree to become similar to us.

וְנָתַ֤נּוּ אֶת־בְּנֹתֵ֙ינוּ֙ לָכֶ֔ם וְאֶת־בְּנֹתֵיכֶ֖ם נִֽקַּֽח־לָ֑נוּ וְיָשַׁ֣בְנוּ אִתְּכֶ֔ם וְהָיִ֖ינוּ לְעַ֥ם אֶחָֽד׃

We will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters for us, and we will live with you, and we will become one people.

וְאִם־לֹ֧א תִשְׁמְע֛וּ אֵלֵ֖ינוּ לְהִמּ֑וֹל וְלָקַ֥חְנוּ אֶת־בִּתֵּ֖נוּ וְהָלָֽכְנוּ׃

If you do not heed us, to be circumcised, we will take our daughter home, and we will go. Since the brothers are speaking in their father’s name, they call Dina their daughter.

וַיִּֽיטְב֥וּ דִבְרֵיהֶ֖ם בְּעֵינֵ֣י חֲמ֑וֹר וּבְעֵינֵ֖י שְׁכֶ֥ם בֶּן־חֲמֽוֹר׃

Their statement was favorable in the eyes of Hamor, and in the eyes of Shekhem son of Hamor. They concluded from the response of Jacob’s sons that their proposal had been accepted on the condition that they circumcise themselves.

וְלֹֽא־אֵחַ֤ר הַנַּ֙עַר֙ לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת הַדָּבָ֔ר כִּ֥י חָפֵ֖ץ בְּבַֽת־יַעֲקֹ֑ב וְה֣וּא נִכְבָּ֔ד מִכֹּ֖ל בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽיו׃

The lad did not tarry to perform the matter, because he desired Jacob’s daughter. And he was more respected than all the house of his father. It would seem that Shekhem was the firstborn, his father’s heir.

וַיָּבֹ֥א חֲמ֛וֹר וּשְׁכֶ֥ם בְּנ֖וֹ אֶל־שַׁ֣עַר עִירָ֑ם וַֽיְדַבְּר֛וּ אֶל־אַנְשֵׁ֥י עִירָ֖ם לֵאמֹֽר׃

Hamor and Shekhem his son came to the gate of their city. Generally, behind the gate of a city there was a square, where its important residents would convene. And they spoke with the men of their city, presenting the deal to them. They omitted Shekhem’s love for Dina, which did not concern the city residents, and which would certainly not have helped convince them to undertake such an extreme measure as circumcision. Rather, they laid out before them only the political and commercial elements of the deal, saying:

הָאֲנָשִׁ֨ים הָאֵ֜לֶּה שְֽׁלֵמִ֧ים הֵ֣ם אִתָּ֗נוּ וְיֵשְׁב֤וּ בָאָ֙רֶץ֙ וְיִסְחֲר֣וּ אֹתָ֔הּ וְהָאָ֛רֶץ הִנֵּ֥ה רַֽחֲבַת־יָדַ֖יִם לִפְנֵיהֶ֑ם אֶת־בְּנֹתָם֙ נִקַּֽח־לָ֣נוּ לְנָשִׁ֔ים וְאֶת־בְּנֹתֵ֖ינוּ נִתֵּ֥ן לָהֶֽם׃

These men are peaceful with us, and it is beneficial for us that they will live in the land and trade in it; behold, the land is spacious before them. Shekhem was a small city at the time, surrounded by large tracts of land, so there was plenty of room for everybody. Their daughters we will take as wives for us, and our daughters we will give to them. In a rhetorically persuasive tactic, Hamor and Shekhem adjusted their proposal to Jacob, in which they said: Give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for you (verse 9). It can be inferred from their original statement that Jacob’s family would have the discretion with regard to proposals of intermarriage, whereas here they indicate that the residents of Shekhem would have the choice.

אַךְ־בְּ֠זֹאת יֵאֹ֨תוּ לָ֤נוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים֙ לָשֶׁ֣בֶת אִתָּ֔נוּ לִהְי֖וֹת לְעַ֣ם אֶחָ֑ד בְּהִמּ֥וֹל לָ֙נוּ֙ כָּל־זָכָ֔ר כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר הֵ֥ם נִמֹּלִֽים׃

Only with this condition will the men accede to us, to live with us, to become one people, with every male being circumcised, as they are circumcised. There should be no such clear physical distinction between the two populations.

מִקְנֵהֶ֤ם וְקִנְיָנָם֙ וְכָל־בְּהֶמְתָּ֔ם הֲל֥וֹא לָ֖נוּ הֵ֑ם אַ֚ךְ נֵא֣וֹתָה לָהֶ֔ם וְיֵשְׁב֖וּ אִתָּֽנוּ׃

Aren’t their livestock and their property and all their animals ours? We will devour them economically and culturally, and we will thereby enrich ourselves. We only must accede to them, and they will live with us. This ethnic and economic merge does not require us to pay a heavy price; all it takes is the fulfillment of one small condition.

וַיִּשְׁמְע֤וּ אֶל־חֲמוֹר֙ וְאֶל־שְׁכֶ֣ם בְּנ֔וֹ כָּל־יֹצְאֵ֖י שַׁ֣עַר עִיר֑וֹ וַיִּמֹּ֙לוּ֙ כָּל־זָכָ֔ר כָּל־יֹצְאֵ֖י שַׁ֥עַר עִירֽוֹ׃

All who emerged from the gate of his city heeded Hamor and Shekhem his son; every male, all who emerged from the gate of his city, was circumcised. In several cultures, males are circumcised in adulthood; however, this is an uncomfortable and even painful operation, far more so than when performed upon infants.

וַיְהִי֩ בַיּ֨וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֜י בִּֽהְיוֹתָ֣ם כֹּֽאֲבִ֗ים וַיִּקְח֣וּ שְׁנֵֽי־בְנֵי־יַ֠עֲקֹב שִׁמְע֨וֹן וְלֵוִ֜י אֲחֵ֤י דִינָה֙ אִ֣ישׁ חַרְבּ֔וֹ וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ עַל־הָעִ֖יר בֶּ֑טַח וַיַּֽהַרְג֖וּ כָּל־זָכָֽר׃

It was on the third day, when they were in so much pain that they could not leave their homes. Although the pain did not paralyze them, it limited their ability to move and act. The two sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dina’s brothers, each man took his sword. These brothers took the initiative because they had a special relationship with Dina, who was their maternal as well as their paternal sister. It is unclear why their elder brother Reuben did not participate. And they came upon the city confidently, as its residents were not prepared to have to defend themselves against Jacob’s family, with whom they were expecting to unite. Furthermore, the recently circumcised men were limited in their physical capabilities. Simeon and Levi went from house to house and killed all the males.

וְאֶת־חֲמוֹר֙ וְאֶת־שְׁכֶ֣ם בְּנ֔וֹ הָרְג֖וּ לְפִי־חָ֑רֶב וַיִּקְח֧וּ אֶת־דִּינָ֛ה מִבֵּ֥ית שְׁכֶ֖ם וַיֵּצֵֽאוּ׃

And they killed Hamor and Shekhem his son by sword. Their death was apparently more conspicuous than that of the other men; perhaps they were beheaded in the formal manner of an execution. Throughout this entire episode, Dina had remained imprisoned in Shekhem’s house; she was possibly granted the status of a future bride. And now, Simeon and Levi took Dina from the house of Shekhem and departed.

בְּנֵ֣י יַעֲקֹ֗ב בָּ֚אוּ עַל־הַ֣חֲלָלִ֔ים וַיָּבֹ֖זּוּ הָעִ֑יר אֲשֶׁ֥ר טִמְּא֖וּ אֲחוֹתָֽם׃

Then the other sons of Jacob, who did not participate in the killing, beset the slain to take their valuables and looted the city, with the justification that its residents had defiled their sister. Even if the other men had not actively assisted in the rape, they were rendered passive accomplices by their failure to stop Shekhem. After all, he did not seduce her gently, but took her by force from the group of girls with whom she was socializing, presumably in public.

אֶת־צֹאנָ֥ם וְאֶת־בְּקָרָ֖ם וְאֶת־חֲמֹרֵיהֶּ֑ם וְאֵ֧ת אֲשֶׁר־בָּעִ֛יר וְאֶת־אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֖ה לָקָֽחוּ׃

They took their flocks, their cattle, and their donkeys, and that which was in the city and that which was in the field.

וְאֶת־כָּל־חֵילָ֤ם וְאֶת־כָּל־טַפָּם֙ וְאֶת־נְשֵׁיהֶ֔ם שָׁב֖וּ וַיָּבֹ֑זּוּ וְאֵ֖ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּבָּֽיִת׃

And all their wealth, and all their offspring, their little children, and their wives, they took captive and looted, and everything that was in the house. As in war, they took captives and plundered the property.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יַעֲקֹ֜ב אֶל־שִׁמְע֣וֹן וְאֶל־לֵוִי֮ עֲכַרְתֶּ֣ם אֹתִי֒ לְהַבְאִישֵׁ֙נִי֙ בְּיֹשֵׁ֣ב הָאָ֔רֶץ בַּֽכְּנַעֲנִ֖י וּבַפְּרִזִּ֑י וַאֲנִי֙ מְתֵ֣י מִסְפָּ֔ר וְנֶאֶסְפ֤וּ עָלַי֙ וְהִכּ֔וּנִי וְנִשְׁמַדְתִּ֖י אֲנִ֥י וּבֵיתִֽי׃

Jacob said to Simeon and Levi: Until now I was considered clean and acceptable, but now you have sullied me, to render me loathsome to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizites. I am few in number. Since we are foreigners and we have attacked one of the Canaanite nations, the neighboring population might try to avenge the destruction of Shekhem, or seek to deter us from behaving in like manner toward other cities. To this end they will mobilize against me and smite me, and I and my household shall be destroyed.

וַיֹּאמְר֑וּ הַכְזוֹנָ֕ה יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה אֶת־אֲחוֹתֵֽנוּ׃ (פ)

They, the two sons, said: Shall he render our sister as a harlot? Simeon and Levi argue that the marriage proposal presented by Hamor and Shekhem was disingenuous. They refused to come to terms with the treatment of their sister as merchandise in a financial deal.