1
[
337]
HEREUPON Jacob came to the place, till this day called Tents (Succoth);
from whence he went to
Shechem, which is a city of the Canaanites. Now
as the Shechemites were keeping a festival Dina, who was the only daughter
of Jacob, went into the city to see the finery of the women of that
country. But when
Shechem, the son of Hamor the king, saw her, he defiled
her by violence; and being greatly in love with her, desired of his father
that he would procure the damsel to him for a wife. To which desire he
condescended, and came to Jacob, desiring him to give leave that his son
Shechem might, according to law, marry
Dina. But Jacob, not knowing how
to deny the desire of one of such great dignity, and yet not thinking it
lawful to marry his daughter to a stranger, entreated him to give him leave
to have a consultation about what he desired him to do. So the king went
away, in hopes that Jacob would grant him this marriage. But Jacob informed
his sons of the defilement of their sister, and of the address of Hamor;
and desired them to give their advice what they should do. Upon fills,
the greatest part said nothing, not knowing what advice to give. But Simeon
and Levi, the brethren of the damsel by the same mother, agreed between
themselves upon the action following: It being now the time of a festival,
when the Shechemites were employed in ease and feasting, they fell upon
the watch when they were asleep, and, coming into the city, slew all the
males
2
as also the king, and his son, with them; but spared the women. And when
they had done this without their father's consent, they brought away their
sister.
[341]
Now while Jacob was astonished at the greatness of this act, and
was severely blaming his sons for it, God stood by him, and bid him be
of good courage; but to purify his tents, and to offer those sacrifices
which he had vowed to offer when he went first into Mesopotamia, and saw
his vision. As he was therefore purifying his followers, he lighted upon
the gods of Laban; (for he did not before know they were stolen by Rachel;)
and he hid them in the earth, under an oak, in Shechem. And departing thence,
he offered sacrifice at Bethel, the place where he saw his dream, when
he went first into Mesopotamia.
[343]
And when he was gone thence, and was come over against Ephrata, he
there buried Rachel, who died in child-bed: she was the only one of Jacob's
kindred that had not the honor of burial at Hebron. And when he had mourned
for her a great while, he called the son that was born of her Benjamin,
3 because
of the sorrow the mother had with him. These are all the children of Jacob,
twelve males and one female. - Of them eight were legitimate, - viz. six
of Lea, and two of Rachel; and four were of the handmaids, two of each;
all whose names have been set down already.
