Introduction
Dinah is the daughter of Jacob and Leah, whose story in Genesis 34 centres on her assault by Shechem, son of the Hivite chief Hamor, and the violent revenge taken by her full brothers Simeon and Levi in response.
Family
- Father: Jacob
- Mother: Leah
- Siblings: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin
The assault at Shechem
While visiting the women of the region near the city of Shechem, Dinah was seized and raped by Shechem, son of the local ruler Hamor. Shechem, described as loving Dinah afterward, asked his father to arrange marriage to her.
Negotiation and revenge
Jacob's sons, outraged, agreed to the marriage only on condition that all the men of Shechem's city be circumcised. While the men were still recovering from the procedure, Simeon and Levi attacked the city, killed all the males including Hamor and Shechem, and rescued Dinah, while their brothers plundered the city.
Jacob's response
Jacob rebuked Simeon and Levi for endangering the family among the surrounding peoples, though the text also records the brothers' own justification, asking, "Should our sister be treated like a whore?" This episode is later recalled unfavourably in Jacob's final blessing on Simeon and Levi in Genesis 49, where he curses their anger and violence.
Later mention
Dinah is listed among those who went down to Egypt with Jacob's family in Genesis 46:15, the only explicit later reference to her in the text.