Jacob's name was changed to Israel. It is his descendants who inherited the promised blessings given to him and to Isaac and Abraham. This is the first time his descendants are collectively referred to as the people group Israel. The people group Israel is identified through the covenant of circumcision. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#inherit, /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#promise, /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#bless and /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#covenant and /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#circumcise)
Jacob's reacted to the rape of Dinah with indifference. This is possibly because she was not a daughter of Rachel. His reaction was both unwise and improper. This action brought shame on the whole family. Therefore, Jacob's sons corrected this wrong and plotted against Hamor and Shechem.
Shechem raped Dinah, but then he said he loved her. By raping her, he ensured that no one else would want to marry her. This is not love. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#wise and /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#love and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)
Here this word is used to mark a new part of the story.
This is the name of Leah's daughter. See how you translated this name in Genesis 30:21. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)
This is the name of a people group. See how you translated the similar word "Hivites" in Genesis 10:17. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)
This is referring to Hamor not Shechem. Also, "prince" here does not mean son of a king. It means Hamor was the leader of the people in that area.
Possible meanings are 1) "took" and "lay with" are two separate actions. Alternate translation: "he grabbed her and had sexual relations with her" or 2) "took" and "lay with" are a hendiadys, two words used to describe one action, Alternate translation: "raped her" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-hendiadys)
This is a polite way of speaking of sexual relations. You may have to use other words in your translation. Alternate translation: "had sexual relations with her" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-euphemism)
"He was very attracted to her." This speaks about Shechem loving Dinah and wanting to be with her as if something were forcing him to come to Dinah. This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "He wanted very much to be with Dinah" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)
He tried to convince her that he loved her and that he wanted her to love him also.
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"Now" is used here to mark a change from the story to background information about Jacob. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#writing-background)
The word "he" refers to Shechem.
This means that Shechem had greatly dishonored and disgraced Dinah by forcing her to sleep with him.
This is a way of saying that Jacob did not say or do anything about the matter. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-idiom)
"Hamor ... went to meet Jacob"
"The men were very insulted" or "They were shocked"
Here the word "Israel" refers to every member of Jacob's family. Israel as a people group was disgraced. Alternate translation: "he had humiliated the family of Israel" or "he had brought shame on the people of Israel" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)
Here "lying with" is a euphemism. Alternate translation: "having sexual relations with Jacob's daughter" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-euphemism)
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "for he should not have done such a terrible thing" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)
"Hamor spoke with Jacob and his sons"
Here the word "love" refers to romantic love between a man and a woman. Alternate translation: "loves her and wants to marry her"
In some cultures, the parents decide whom their children will marry.
To intermarry is to marry a member of a different racial, social, religious or tribal group. Alternate translation: "Allow marriages between your people and ours"
"the land will be available to you"
"Shechem said to Dinah's father Jacob"
The phrase "find favor" is an idiom which means to be approved of by someone. Also, the eyes represent seeing, and seeing represents thoughts or judgment. Alternate translation: "If you will approve of me, then I will give you whatever you ask" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-idiom and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor)
In some cultures, it is customary for a man to give money, property, cattle, and other gifts to the bride's family at the time of marriage.
The abstract noun "deceit" can be stated as the verb "lied." Alternate translation: "But the sons of Jacob lied to Shechem and Hamor when they answered them" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-abstractnouns)
This means that Shechem had greatly dishonored and disgraced Dinah by forcing her to sleep with him. See how you translated "defiled" in Genesis 34:5.
"Jacob's sons said to Shechem and Hamor"
"We cannot agree to give Dinah in marriage"
"for that would cause us shame." Here "us" refers to Jacob's sons and all the people of Israel. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-exclusive)
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This means they will allow a person from Jacob's family to marry a person who lives in Hamor's land.
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"Hamor and his son Shechem agreed with what Jacob's sons said"
"to become circumcised"
"Jacob's daughter Dinah"
This can be translated as a new sentence. It can be made explicit that Shechem knew the other men would agree to be circumcised because they greatly respected him. Alternate translation: "Shechem knew all the men in his father's household would agree with him because he was the most honored among them" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)
It was common for leaders to meet at the city gate to make official decisions.
"Jacob, his sons, and the people of Israel"
Here "us" includes Hamor, his son and all the people they spoke with at the city gate. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-exclusive)
"let them live and trade in the land"
Shechem uses the word "really" to add emphasis to his statement. "because, certainly, the land is large enough for them" or "because, indeed, there is plenty of land for them"
This refers to marriages between the women of one group and the men of the other group. See how you translated similar phrases in Genesis 34:9.
Hamor and Shechem his son continue to talk to the city elders.
"Only if every man among us is circumcised, as the men of Israel are circumcised, will they agree to live among us and unite with us as one people"
Shechem uses a question to emphasize that Jacob's livestock and property will belong to the people of Shechem. This can be translated as a statement. Alternate translation: "All of their animals and property will be ours." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-rquestion)
This refers to men old enough to gather at the city gates to discuss community affairs. The word "his" probably refers to Hamor, who was the king.
The meaning of this statement is clarified, not contradicted, by the words "all who went out to the gates." If a literal translation would be misunderstood, you can specify that this refers only to adult males. It can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "All adult males were circumcised" or "So Hamor and Shechem had someone circumcise all the adult men" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)
"third" is the ordinal number for three. It can be stated without the ordinal number. Alternate translation: "After two days" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-ordinal)
"when the men of the city were still in pain"
"took their swords"
Here "city" stands for the people. Alternate translation: "they attacked the people of the city" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)
This can be translated as a new sentence. "security. Simeon and Levi killed all the men of the city"
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"the dead bodies of Hamor, Shechem, and their men"
"stole everything in the city that was valuable"
Shechem alone had defiled Dinah, but Jacob's sons considered Shechem's entire family and everyone in the city responsible for this act.
This means that Shechem had greatly dishonored and disgraced Dinah by forcing her to sleep with him. See how you translated "defiled" in Genesis 34:5.
"Jacob's sons took the people's flocks, herds, and donkeys, as well as everything"
"They took all their wealth, and they captured all their children and their wives"
The word "their" refers to the people of Shechem.
"all their possessions and money"
Causing someone to experience trouble is spoken of as if trouble were an object that is brought and placed on a person. Alternate translation: "caused great problems for me" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor)
Causing the people in the surrounding areas to hate Jacob is spoken of as if Jacob's sons made him smell bad physically. This can be translated as a new sentence. Alternate translation: "You have made me repulsive to the people who live in the land" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor)
Here the words "I" and "me" refer to all of Jacob's household. Jacob only says "I" or "me" since he is the leader. Alternate translation: "My household is small ... against us and attack us, then they will destroy all of us" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-synecdoche)
"form an army and attack me" or "form an army and attack us"
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "they will destroy me" or "they will destroy us" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)
Simeon and Levi use a question to emphasize that Shechem did what was wrong and deserved to die. Alternate translation: "Shechem should not have treated our sister as if she were a prostitute!" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-rquestion)