KJV ORIGINAL
And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister:
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
Jacob's sons responded to Shechem and his father Hamor with deception and lies, because Shechem had sexually violated their sister Dinah.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
The writer is showing how Jacob's sons chose to respond with deceit and manipulation after their sister was assaulted, setting up their plan for revenge.
📚 Historical Context
This verse occurs after Shechem, a Canaanite prince, raped Dinah (Jacob's daughter) and then wanted to marry her. In ancient Near Eastern culture, such an act brought tremendous shame upon a family and demanded some form of justice or compensation. Jacob's sons were about to propose a deceptive plan involving circumcision that would lead to their brutal revenge.
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