GENESIS

Dinah and Shechem

Chapter 34

"Where are you going all dressed up like that Dinah? " Leah asked her daughter who she had been watching as she combed her hair.

Dinah spun around in shock, her cheeks red as she smoothed down her green coloured gown.

"Oh... I didn't know you were there" she smiled, her face lightening up a little as she tied her hair up into a pony tail " I'm meeting up with the girls by the stream"

"Dressed like that? " Leah asked, raising one brow up in a teasing manner.

"The princess is going to be with us today, we all have to look our best." She smiled at her mum, adding " that's all"

She quickly turned around and walked out of the tent " I'm already late, bye mother "

She strolled along the land that her dad, Jacob had bought. Shalem was really a pretty city.

"Where are you going?" Someone asked and she snapped out of her daydream and turned to see it was her brother Simeon and Levi behind him. They both balanced hoes on their shoulders and sweat rolled down their bear chest.

"I just going to meet the ladies by the stream, don't worry" she rolled her eyes at them. They both were always so protective of her.

Levi raised his eyebrow at her dress and she sighed.
"The princess is coming today." She added
"Okay then" he said and they both went back to their father's farm "you look nice" he added.

She quickly went to the stream to avoid any of her other brothers from delaying her.

"Princess " she greeted with a kurtsy. The princess and 6 other girls were there already, blankets laid out and each of them sat down with their beautiful gowns.

Dinah joined them and they began to talk about anything and everything.

A few hours later, a carriage arrived with the prince inside and all the girls, even the princess stood up to greet him.

"Ladies" he greeted back and turned towards his sister. "You are needed at home, dad is waiting for you"

She turned back apologetically at the other girls "I'm sorry, I need to leave now"

"It's alright " Dinah said " I'm glad we had fun" the prince, Shechem looked at her, only just noticing her presence. She had a calm and melodious voice that seemed to attract him.

"What's your name?" He asked her
"Di... Dinah" she stammered, a little shocked that the prince was talking to her.

He invited to take her home after dropping off the princess and she agreed out of respect.

On the ride, the prince kept on asking her questions, not once taking his eyes off her and she answered, leaving the princess completely left out

"Thanks for the boring ride" she scrowled at her brother as she got down at the King's tent. The prince then ordered for the carriage to go to Jacob's abode.

Before they got there, Shechem ordered for the carriage to stop in front of one of his tents and they both got down.

"I'm sorry, this is not my father's " she said, trying her best to be respectful but the prince laughed a little.

"I know, it's mine" he walked towards her and took her hands "you're really beautiful Dinah. I don't think I can let you go just yet"

She blushed a little, it was the first time any man apart from her brothers had called her beautiful "thank you my Lord, but my mother would be worried if I don't arrive soon "

"Don't worry" he said leading her into the tent " come, it won't take long "

Her eyes widened in realization "I'm sorry, I can't " she tried to go but the prince tightened the grip on her hands.

He then frowned at her, making her a little scared at the sudden change .
"Are you defying me? "

"N...no" she stammered.

"Then come"

***

"What!" Leah screamed at her daughter after she had arrived, limping. Dinah couldn't look at her mother again, she felt ashamed and scared. She kept her head down when her mother shouted after she had told her what happened.

"I'm sor..."

"What's going on?" Jacob asked, walking in on them, being curious of what had made Leah shout. Leah told him what Dinah had said.

He stared at the both of them and shook his head but he didn't do anything.  He walked away and decided to say quiet until his sons arrived.

Later in the night before his sons had arrived, the king, Hamor and his son Shechem came to Jacob's tent.

"My son is in love with your daughter Dinah" he said "please give her to him as his wife." Jacob didn't answer, so he added "Let us join forces, our land would take your daughters as wives and your sons will take our daughters as wives. Let us begin to trade among ourselves, you would dwell in our land, you and you possessions "

Jacob kept on looking at him, not saying a word, possibly trying to contain his anger. His son just defiled his daughter and now they want to take her away.

In the meantime, Jacob's sons had arrived and they had asked what had happened after seeing the king and the prince's chariot outside their father's tent. Leah told them what happened and Simeon and Levi angrily went to the tent.

"Any amount you demand as her bride price, would be given to you" Shechem pleaded " just give the damsel to me as my wife."

Jacob finally opened his mouth to talk but his sons barged into his tent.

"We can't do that" Simeon said " you are uncircumcised, we cannot give you our sister, it is a taboo"

"If all your men become circumcised then we would give you our daughters and you would take ours and we would become one" Jacob said oblivious to what his sons were planning.

"But if you do not, we would take our sister and leave" Levi added.

Hamor and Shechem smiled at each other.

"That would not be a problem" the king said happily and they left to tell their people of the alliance.

***

On the third day after the circumcision, all the men were still sore and weak and Shechem had already taken Dinah. Simeon and Levi boldly entered the city, each with their swords and slew every man, taking their sister away.

As the other sons of Jacob took the spoils of the city, Jacob met his sons, Simeon and Levi blood stained, and his face screwed up in anger.

"Why would you do this!" He shouted " we are among the Canaanites and Perizzites. We are only few in number. Surely they would gather themselves together and slay us for this."

"Our sister is not a harlot that he could defile whenever he liked" Simeon said without any hint of fear.

"There was no way they could get away with that" Levi added and they left their father there and went to join their brothers in gathering the city's spoils.