Dinah, the daughter Leah had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the young women of the land. But Shechem, son of Hamor the Hivite, ruler of that territory, saw her. Desire overtook him, and he seized her and violated her.
Yet afterward his heart was bound to Dinah. He spoke tenderly to her, and he begged his father:
"Get me this girl as my wife."
When Jacob heard of what had happened to his daughter, he held his peace until his sons returned from the fields. But when they came and learned of the matter, their hearts filled with grief and fury, for such a disgraceful act was not to be done in Israel.
Hamor came to speak with Jacob, offering peace:
"My son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him as his wife. Intermarry with us, give us your daughters, and take ours for yourselves. Live among us—the land is open for you. Trade in it, acquire property, dwell here."
Shechem himself added:
"Name your bride price as great as you wish; I will pay whatever you ask. Only give me the girl as my wife."
But Jacob's sons answered deceitfully, burning with anger for their sister. They said:
"We cannot give our sister to a man uncircumcised—that would be a disgrace. Only on this condition will we consent: that every male among you be circumcised, as we are. Then we will give you our daughters, and take yours, and live as one people. But if you will not agree, we will take our sister and leave."
Hamor and Shechem agreed readily. Shechem, being the most honored of his father's house, lost no time in fulfilling the request, for he delighted in Dinah. Together, father and son went to the gate of their city and spoke to their townsmen:
"These men are friendly. Let them settle in our land, for it is broad and open. Their daughters may marry ours, and ours theirs. Only this condition is required—that every male be circumcised, as they are. Then all their flocks and wealth will become ours. Let us agree, and they will remain among us."
So all the men of the city listened, and every male was circumcised.
But on the third day, when their wounds were sore and the men lay helpless, Simeon and Levi, the sons of Leah, Dinah's brothers, took up their swords. In fury they fell upon the city, slaughtering every male. They struck down Hamor and his son Shechem, and they carried Dinah out of Shechem's house.
Then the other sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and they looted the city in vengeance for their sister. They seized flocks, herds, donkeys, wealth, women, and children—everything within the walls and in the fields.
When Jacob heard of it, he said to Simeon and Levi:
"You have brought trouble upon me, making me a stench to the Canaanites and Perizzites who dwell in this land. We are few; if they unite against us, we will be destroyed, I and my household."
But they answered defiantly:
"Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?"