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1. 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 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.
2. 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.
3. 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, 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.
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