Genesis 34
Douay-Rheims Bible

The Defiling of Dinah

1And Dina the daughter of Lia went out to see the women of that country. 2And 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. 3And his soul was fast knit unto her, and whereas she was sad, he comforted her with sweet words. 4And going to Hemor his father, he said: Get me this damsel to wife. 5But when Jacob had heard this, his sons being absent, and employed in feeding the cattle, he held his peace till they came back. 6And when Hemor the father of Sichem was come out to speak to Jacob, 7Behold 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,

8And Hemor spoke to them: The soul of my son Sichem has a longing for your daughter: give her him to wife: 9And let us contract marriages one with another: give us your daughters and take you our daughters, 10And dwell with us: the land is at your command, till, trade,and possess it. 11Sichem also said to her father and to her brethren: Let me find favor in your sight: and whatsoever you shall appoint I will give. 12Raise the dowery,, and ask gifts, and I will gladly give what you shall demand: only give me this damsel to wife.

The Revenge of Dinah's Brothers

13The sons of Jacob answered Sichem and his father deceitfully, being enraged at the deflowering of their sister: 14We cannot do what you demand, nor give our sister to one that is uncircumcised, which with us is unlawful and abominable. 15But in this way may we be allied with you, if you will be like us, and all the male sex among you be circumcised: 16Then will we mutually give and take your daughters, and ours: and we will dwell with you, and will be one people: 17But if you will not be circumcised, we will take our daughter and depart:

18Their offer pleased Hemor, and Sichem his son: 19And 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. 20And going into the gate of the city they spoke to the people: 21These men are peaceable and 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. 22One thing there is for which so great a good is deferred: We must circumcise every male among us, following the manner of the nation. 23And 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. 24And they all agreed, and circumcised all the males.

25And 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: 26And they killed also Hemor and Sichem, and took away their sister Dina, out of Sichem's house. 27And when they were gone out, the other sons of Jacob came upon the slain; and plundered the city in revenge of the rape. 28And they took their sheep and their herds and their asses, wasting all they had in their houses and in the fields. 29and their children and wives they took captive, 30And 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. 31They answered: Should they abuse our sister as a strumpet?

Douay-Rheims Bible

Section Headings Courtesy Berean Study Bible

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Genesis 33
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