Genesis 34:1-12

One day, Jacob and Leah’s daughter, Dinah, went out to visit the neighborhood girls. Now Hamor, the tribal chief of the Hivites, had a son named Shechem, who was the prince. When he saw how attractive Dinah was, he seized her and sexually assaulted her. His heart was drawn to Dinah, Jacob’s daughter, so he sought to win her affection and spoke tenderly to her. Shechem went to his father Hamor and said, “Get me this girl to be my wife.” Now Jacob heard that Shechem had violated his daughter Dinah; but his sons were in the fields with his livestock, so he waited to act until his sons returned home. Shechem’s father Hamor brought his son to speak with Jacob about marriage arrangements. During their conversation, Jacob’s sons came in from the field, and they heard the report of what Shechem had done to their sister Dinah. They were shocked and furious over the shameful act Shechem committed against Israel —a criminal act of sexual assault that never should have happened. But Hamor tried to defuse the situation, saying, “Listen, my son Shechem is in love with your daughter. Please, give her to him in marriage. Let’s allow our people to intermarry. Let your daughters marry our sons, and we will let our daughters marry your sons. You may settle here among us, live anywhere you wish, move about freely, and acquire property.” Then Shechem spoke up and said to Dinah’s family, “Please, let me find favor in your eyes. Whatever you require of me, I’ll pay. Set the bride-price as high as you wish, no matter how expensive it is; I’ll pay whatever you ask. Only give me the young woman to be my wife.”

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