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6 ויבא

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וְאֶעֶשֶׂה־שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ לָאֵל הֶענֶה אֹתִי בְּיוֹם צָרָתִי וַיְהִי עַמָּדִי בַּדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר הָלָכְתִּי : 4 וַיִּתְּנוּ אֶל־יֶעֲקב אֶת כָּל־אֱלֹהֵי הַנֵּכָר אֲשֶׁר בְּיָדָם וְאֶת־הַגְּזָמִים אֲשֶׁר בְּאָזְנֵיהֶם וַיִּטְמָן אֹתָם יֶעֲקֹב תַּחַת הָאֵלֶה אֲשֶׁר עִם־ שְׁכֶם : 5 וַיִּסְעוּ וַיְהִי חִתַּת אֱלֹהִים עַל־הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבוֹתֵיהֶם וְלֹא רָדְפֿוּ אַחֲרֵי בְּנֵי יִעַקְב : יַעֲקב לוּזָה אֲשֶׁר בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן הִוא בֵּית־אֵל הוּא וְכָל־

הָעָם אֲשֶׁר־עָמוֹ : 7 וַיִּבֶן שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ וַיִּקְרָא לַמָּקוֹם קדש אֵל בֵּית־אֵל כִּי שָׁם נִגְלֶוּ אֵלָיו הָאֱלֹהִים בְּבָרְחוֹ

מִפְּנֵי אָחִיו: 8 וַתָּמָת דְּבָרָה מֵינֶקֶת רִבְקָה וַתִּקְבָר מִתַּחַת לְבֵית־אֵל תַּחַת הָאַלוּן וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ אַלְין פ וירָא אֱלֹהִים אֶל־יַעֲקב עוד בְּבֹאוֹ מִפַּדַּן אֲרָם וַיְבָרֶךְ אתו : 10 וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ אֱלֹהִים שִׁמְךְ יַעֲקֹב לֹא־יִקָרֵא שְׁמְךְ עוֹד יַעֲקֹב כִּי אִם־יִשְׂרָאֵל יִהְיֶה שְׁמֶךְ וַיִּקְרָא אֶת־ שְׁמוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל: 11 וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ אֱלֹהִים אֲנִי אֵל שַׁדַי פְּרֵה וּרְבָה בְּוֹי וּקְהַל גּוֹיִם יִהְיֶה מִמֶךְ וּמְלָכִים מֵחֲלָצֶיךָ יִצְאוּ : 12 וְאֶת־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לְאַבְרָהָם וּלְיִצְחָק לְךְ

אֶתְּנֶנָּה וּלְזַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ אֶתֵּן אֶת־הָאָרֶץ : 13 ויעל ששי מֵעָלָיו אֱלֹהִים בַּמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר אִתּוֹ: 14 ויצב יַעֲקב

מַעֲבָה בַּמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אִתּוֹ מַצְבֶת אֶבֶן וַיָּסֶךְ עָלֶיהָ נְסֶךְ וַיצק עָלֶיהָ שָׁמֶן: 15 וַיִּקְרָא יֶעֲקב אֶת־שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אִתּוֹ שָׁם אֱלֹהִים בֵּית־אֵל : 16 וַיִּסְעוּ מִבֵּית אֵל וַיְהִי־עוד כִּבְרַת־הָאָרֶץ לָבוֹא אֶפְרָתָה וַתֵּלֶד רָחֵל וַתְּקִשׁ בְּלִדְתָּהּ: 17 וַיְהִי בְהַקְשׁתָהּ בְּלִדְתָּהּ וַתֹּאמֶר לָהּ הַמְיַלֶּדֶת אַל־תִּירְאִי כִּי־גַם־זֶה לָךְ בֵּן: 18 וַיְהִי בְּצֵאת נַפְשָׁהּ כִּי מֵתָה וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ בֶּן־אוֹנִי וְאָבִיו קָרָא־לוֹ בִנְיָמִין: 19 וַתָּמָת רָחֵל וַתִּקָּבֵר בְּדֶרֶךְ אֶפְרָתָה הִוא בֵּית לָחֶם: 20 ויצב יַעֲקֶב מַצֵבָה

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19 And the young man deferred not to do the thing, because he had delight in Jacob's daughter: and he was more honourable than all the house of his father.

20 ¶ And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city, and communed with the men of their city, saying,

21 These men are peaceable with us, therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade therein; for the land, behold, it is large enough for them: let us take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our daughters. 22 Only herein will the men consent unto us, for to dwell with us, to be one people, if every male among us be circumcised, as they are circumcised.

23 Shall not their cattle, and their substance, and every beast of theirs be ours? only let us consent unto them, and they will dwell with us.

24 And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city and every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city.

25 And it came to pass on the third day when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.

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27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister.

28 They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field.

29 And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house.

30 And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me, to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, amongst the Canaanites, and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me, and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.

31 And they said, Should he deal with our sister, as with an harlot?

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2 Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:

26 And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went out.

3 Ánd let us arise, and go up to Beth-el; and I will make there

not perform the covenant by removing all idol worship from among them, as may be perceived by the words of Jacob, chap. xxxv. verse 2, "Put away the strange god's that are among you." And which they had found among the spoil; they therefore slew them: and it was in order to cleanse Jacob's sons from the idols, that Jacob was ordered by God to go to Beth-el, and dwell there before he built the altar, chap. xxxv. verse 1. It may be farther observed, that Dinah continued in the house of Shechem, and that after they had circumcised themselves, they repented, for fear that their idolatrous neighbours might attack them, on account of the change in their religion, and had therefore come to the resolution of assembling themselves (as soon as well) in order to fall upon and slay Jacob's family; and which Dinah happily, over-hearing, she immediately, by one of her maidens, informed her father and brethren of their danger, and which kindled the anger of Simeon and Levi to so great a degree, as to induce them to slay them all

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בֶּן־חֲמִוֹר : 19 וְלֹא־אֵחַר הַנַּעַר לַעֲשׂוֹת הַדָּבָר כִּי חָפַץ בְּבַת־יַעֲקֹב וְהוּא נִכְבָּד מִכּל בֵּית אָבִיו : 20 וַיָּבֹא חֲמָוֹר וּשְׁכֶם בְּנוֹ אֶל־שַׁעַר עִירֶס וַיְדַבְּרָוּ אֶל־אַנְשֵׁי עִירָם לאמר : 21 הָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶה שְׁלָמִים הֵם אִתָּנוּ וְיִשְׁבוּ בָאָרֶץ וְיִסְחַרְוּ אֹתָהּ וְהָאָרֶץ הִנֵּה רַחֲבַת־יָדַיִם לִפְנֵיהֶם אֶת־בְּנֹתָם נְקַח־לָנוּ לְנָשִׁים וְאֶת־בְּנֹתֵינוּ נִתֵּן לָהֶם : 22 אַךְ־בְּזאת יִשְׂתוּ לָנוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים לָשֶׁבֶת אִתָּנוּ לִהיות לְעָם אֶחָד בְּהִמּוֹל לָנוּ כָּל־־זָכָר כַּאֲשֶׁר הֵם נִמִּלִים: 23 מִקְנֵהֶם וְקִנְיָנָם וְכָל־בְּהֶמְתָּם הֲלוֹא לָנוּ הֵם אַךְ מֵאִוֹתָה לָהֶם וְיִשְׁבוּ אִתָּנוּ : 24 וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ אֶל־־חֲמוֹר וְאֶל־שְׁכֶם בְּנוֹ כָּל־יִצְאֵי שער עירוֹ וַימלוּ כָל־זָכָר כָּל־ צְאֵי שַׁעַר עִירְו : 25 וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי בִּהְיוֹתָם כְּאֵבִים וַיִּקְחוּ שְׁנֵי־בְנֵי־יעקב שִׁמְעון ולוי אחי דינה אִישׁ חַרְבּוֹ וַיָּבִאוּ עַל־־הָעִיר בֶּטַח וַיַּהַרְגוּ כָּל־־זָכָר :

וְאֶת־חֲמוֹר וְאֶת־שְׁכֶם בְּנוֹ הָרְגוּ לְפִי־חָרֶב וַיִּקְחָוּ אֶת־דִינָה מִבֵּית שְׁכֶם וַיצאו: 27 בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב בָּאוּ עַל־ החֲלָלִים וַיָּבזוּ הָעֶר אֲשֶׁר טִמְאוּ אֲחוֹתָם : 28

אֶת־ צאנָם וְאֶת־בְּקָרָם וְאֶת־חַמְרִיהֶם וְאֵת אֲשֶׁר־בָּעֶיר וְאֶת־אֲשֶׁר בַּשָּׂדֶה לָקָחוּ : 29 וְאֶת־כָּל־חֵילָם וְאֶת־ כָּל־טַפָּם וְאֶת־נְשֵׁיהֶם שָׁבוּ וַיָּבְשׁוּ וְאֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר בַּבַּיִת : 30 וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקב אֶל־־שִׁמְעוֹן וְאֶל־־לֵוִי עֲבַרְתֶּם אֹתִי לְהַבְאִישֵׁנִי בִּישֶׁב הָאָרֶץ בַּכְּנַעֲנִי וּבַפְּרִי וַאֲנִי מְתִי מִסְפָּר וְנֶאֶסְפְוּ עָלַי וְהִכּוּנִי וְנִשְׁמַדְתִּי אֲנִי וּבֵיתִי :

31 וַיֹּאמְרוּ הַכְזוֹנָה יַעֲשֶׂה אֶת־אֲחוֹתֵנוּ : לה וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֶל־יַעֲקֹב קֶוּם עֲלֵה בֵית־אֵל וְשֶׁב־

שָׁם יַעֲשֶׂה־שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ לָאֵל הַנִרְאֶה אֵלִיךְ בְּכָרְחֲךָ מִפְּנֵי עֲשָׂו אָחִיךְ : 2 וַיֹּאמֶר עֲקב אֶל־בֵּיתוֹ וְאֶל כָּל־אֲשֶׁר עַמּוֹ הָסְרוּ אֶת־אֱלֹהֵי הַנֵּכָר אֲשֶׁר בְּתִכְכֶם וְהִטהֲרֹוּ וְהַחֲלִיפוּ שִׂמְלָתֵיכֶם: 3 וְנָקָוּמָה וְנַעֲלֶה בֵּית־אֵל

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tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor Shechem's father,' for an hundred pieces of money.

20 And he erected there an altar, and called it El-elohe-Israel. CHAP. XXXIV.

1 Dinah ravished. 20 The Shechemites are circumcised, 25 slain by the sons of Jacob, 27 and their city spoiled.

AND Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.

2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her. *

3 And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel. §

4 And Shechem spake unto his father Hamor, saying, Get me this damsel to wife.

5 And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter, (now his sons were with his cattle in the field:) and Jacob held his peace, until they were come.

6 And Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto Jacob to commune with him.

7 And the sons of Jacob came out of the field, when they heard it, and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth: because he had wrought folly in Israel, in lying with Jacob's daughter; which thing ought not to be done. ‡ 8 And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son

Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife.

9 And make ye marriages with us, and give your daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto you.

10 And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade you therein, and get you possessions therein.

11 And Shechem said unto her father, and unto her brethren, Let me find grace in your eyes, and what ye shall say unto me I will give.

12 Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife.

13 And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and said, (because he had defiled Dinah their sister.

14 And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised for that were a reproach unto us. T

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* Heb. Humbled her, or afflicted her. The Canaanites, or inhabitants of the land, did not account it a crime, as being accustomed to it as we find in Levit. chap. xviii. verse 27. "For all these abominations have the men of the

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15 But in this will we consent unto you: If ye will be as we be, that every male of you be circumcised;

16 Then will we give our daughters unto you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people.

17 But if ye will not hearken unto us to be circumcised; then will we take our daughter, and we will be gone.

18 And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor's son. Heb. To the heart of the camsel.

land done." &c. So that the crime was, that the folly was wrought in Israel.

It appears strange that as Shechem had spoke to Jacob, the sons should answer him, and not leave it to their father. But Nachmanides observes, that as they had received so great an affront, it was proper that they whose youthful blood flowed in their veins, and were best able to avenge the cause should answer him.

It may at first view seem extraordinary that the sons of Jacob should have slain them, and so be guilty of murder. But when it is considered, that the compact was on the express condition of their becoming one people, as may be seen, verse 15, and 16, i. e. of one religion; and as they did

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