Genesis 34:11-23

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.” The sons of Jacob concocted a devious plan. Because of the rape of their sister Dinah, they answered Shechem and Hamor deceitfully, saying, “Our culture will not allow us to consent to our sister Dinah marrying someone who is uncircumcised, for that would be a disgrace to us. We would only approve of the marriage on one condition: you must circumcise every male among you and become as we are. Then we will allow our daughters to marry your sons and your daughters to marry our sons. And we will live among you and become one people. But if you refuse to be circumcised, then we will take our sister and be gone.” The offer pleased Hamor and his son Shechem. And the young man lost no time in doing what they asked, because Shechem really wanted to marry Jacob’s daughter! Now Shechem was the most honored in all his family, so Hamor and his son went to the gate of the city and spoke to the men, saying, “These people are our friends. Let them settle in our land and make themselves at home; there’s plenty of room in the country for them. And, let’s agree to exchange our daughters in marriage to them and to unite us as one people. They only have one condition in order to live among us and to unite with us as one people: every male among us must be circumcised as they are circumcised. Won’t all of their livestock and property become ours? Let us agree to their request, so they will live among us.”

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