The sons of Jacob came in from the field: verse 7 continues directly from Gen 34.5. It is not clear from the text as we have it precisely when Hamor came to see Jacob (verse 6), before, or after, or at the same time as Jacob’s sons returned. However, in many languages translators will need to make a decision about this. One possible way of understanding the sequence of things is represented by the translation “They-two were still talking when the sons of Jacob returned.” In some languages it is necessary to rearrange the text to sort this out; for example, “(6-7) At the same time as they came home, the father of the young man came to discuss marriage….”

When they heard of it: in the Hebrew the object of the verb heard is plural, “heard of them,” which probably refers to the news, reports, or rumors of the rape. In Revised Standard Version this clause is linked to the previous clause; it says that Jacob’s sons heard the news first, and then they returned. This is also the understanding of some other translations, including New International Version and Revised English Bible (but not New English Bible). However, New Revised Standard Version, as well as Good News Translation and others like Anchor Bible and New Jerusalem Bible, take this clause with what follows: “When they heard about it they were shocked and furious.” In this case the sons returned first and then heard the news. Both of these understandings are possible from the Hebrew.

The men were indignant and very angry: the men refers to Dinah’s brothers and half-brothers who were returning to Jacob’s camp. It therefore means exactly the same people as The sons of Jacob; in many languages this is expressed simply by the pronoun “they” (so Revised English Bible and Good News Translation). Indignant translates a word meaning to feel grief in a painful way. The idea is that they were deeply saddened or even shocked that this had happened to their sister and that their honor had been violated. However, there is more than grief involved, as they are also deeply angered, as very angry indicates.

Because he had wrought folly in Israel: he is Shechem. Wrought folly is a set expression used in the Old Testament to express serious acts of moral misconduct. It expresses the idea that sinful acts are the opposite of wisdom; they are “foolishness” in its worst form. Some examples are seen in Deut 22.21; Judges 19.23-24 (“vile thing”); 2 Sam 13.12 (“wanton folly”); Jer 29.23. By adding the words in Israel, the narrator of a much later time uses the expressions of his day to describe events in the patriarchal age. New English Bible translates this expression “an outrage, an intolerable thing,” which Revised English Bible revises to “an intolerable outrage.” Bible en français courant says “something that is inadmissible,” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “a very great offense,” Moffatt “an immoral scandal,” and New Jerusalem Bible “a thing totally unacceptable.” Translations in some Pacific languages are “the young man had made big shame for their family,” “because he had done that no-good thing, and made a bad name for the people of Israel,” and “What Shechem had done was a really bad thing—in the thinking of the people of Israel this was absolutely forbidden.”

By lying with Jacob’s daughter: it may be more natural to begin the reason clause with these words, for example: “By lying with Jacob’s daughter, Shechem had done something that was a very great offense in Israel.”

For such a thing ought not to be done: that is, “no one should do such a thing” or “such things should never be done.” In some languages this is expressed by saying “such a thing is taboo [or, forbidden].”

As a translation model for verse 7, we may suggest, for example:

• When Jacob’s sons learned that Dinah had been raped [that Shechem had raped their sister], their hearts were saddened for her and they became very angry. By doing this to Dinah Shechem had committed a great offense in Israel; such bad things must never be done.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .