DaySpring Hope & Encouragement Bible - Flipbook - Page 65
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G enesis 34
very gracious to me. I have more than enough.” And because Jacob insisted,
Esau finally accepted the gift.
12 “Well,” Esau said, “let’s be going. I will lead the way.”
13 But Jacob replied, “You can see, my lord, that some of the children are
very young, and the flocks and herds have their young, too. If they are driven
too hard, even for one day, all the animals could die. 14 Please, my lord, go
ahead of your servant. We will follow slowly, at a pace that is comfortable
for the livestock and the children. I will meet you at Seir.”
15 “All right,” Esau said, “but at least let me assign some of my men to
guide and protect you.”
Jacob responded, “That’s not necessary. It’s enough that you’ve received
me warmly, my lord!”
16 So Esau turned around and started back to Seir that same day. 17 Jacob,
on the other hand, traveled on to Succoth. There he built himself a house
and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place was named Succoth
(which means “shelters”).
18 Later, having traveled all the way from Paddan-aram, Jacob arrived safely
at the town of Shechem, in the land of Canaan. There he set up camp outside
the town. 19 Jacob bought the plot of land where he camped from the family
of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for 100 pieces of silver.* 20 And there he built
an altar and named it El-Elohe-Israel.*
Revenge against Shechem
One day Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, went to visit some of
the young women who lived in the area. 2 But when the local prince,
Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, saw Dinah, he seized her and raped her.
3 But then he fell in love with her, and he tried to win her affection with
tender words. 4 He said to his father, Hamor, “Get me this young girl. I want
to marry her.”
5 Soon Jacob heard that Shechem had defiled his daughter, Dinah. But
since his sons were out in the fields herding his livestock, he said nothing
until they returned. 6 Hamor, Shechem’s father, came to discuss the matter
with Jacob. 7 Meanwhile, Jacob’s sons had come in from the field as soon as
they heard what had happened. They were shocked and furious that their
sister had been raped. Shechem had done a disgraceful thing against Jacob’s
family,* something that should never be done.
8 Hamor tried to speak with Jacob and his sons. “My son Shechem is truly
in love with your daughter,” he said. “Please let him marry her. 9 In fact, let’s
arrange other marriages, too. You give us your daughters for our sons, and
we will give you our daughters for your sons. 10 And you may live among us;
the land is open to you! Settle here and trade with us. And feel free to buy
property in the area.”
11 Then Shechem himself spoke to Dinah’s father and brothers. “Please be
kind to me, and let me marry her,” he begged. “I will give you whatever you
ask. 12 No matter what dowry or gift you demand, I will gladly pay it—just
give me the girl as my wife.”
13 But since She
chem had defiled their sister, Dinah, Jacob’s sons responded deceitfully to Shechem and his father, Hamor. 14 They said to them,
“We couldn’t possibly allow this, because you’re not circumcised. It would
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3:19 Hebrew 100 kesitahs; the value or weight of the kesitah is no longer known. 33:20 El3
Elohe-Israel means “God, the God of Israel.” 34:7 Hebrew a disgraceful thing in Israel.
