Chapter XXII. Theodotus Concerning the Same

[THEODOTUS] [1] ‘Now Theodotus says in his work Concerning the Jewsthat Sikima took its name from Sikimius son of Emmor; for he was also the founder of the city: and in his book Concerning the Jewshe describes its situation as follows:

“Rich was the land, well-watered, browsed by goats, Nor far from field to city was the road. No leafy copse the weary wanderer found: Yet from it two strong mountains close at hand, With grass and forest trees abounding, rise. Midway a narrow path runs up the vale, Beneath whose farther slope the sacred town Of Sikima mid sparkling streams is seen Deep down the mountain’s side, around whose base E’en from the summit runs the well-built wall.”

‘Afterwards, he says, it was subdued by the Hebrews, when Emmor was the ruler: for Emmor begat a son Sychem. Thus he speaks:

“Thence Jacob from the wandering shepherd-life Sought Shechem’s spacious streets, where o’er his tribe Emmor with Sychem ruled, a stubborn pair.”

‘Then concerning Jacob and his arrival in Mesopotamia, and the marriage of his two wives, and the birth of his children, and his coming from Mesopotamia to Shechem, he says:

“To Syria rich in cattle Jacob came From broad Euphrates’ loud-resounding stream, To shun his twin-born brother’s bitter wrath. Him Laban gladly welcomed to his home, Laban his mother’s brother, who alone O’er Syria ruled, his sons as yet new-born. He then his youngest daughter for a wife To Jacob promised, but was loth to give. Contriving thus a crafty wile, he sends Leah, the elder, to the marriage-bed. Such fraud could not escape the husband’s eye, But for the other daughter seven more years He served, and both his cousins took to wife. Eleven sons he gat both wise and brave, And one fair daughter, Dinah, whose bright face And faultless form a noble soul expressed.”

‘From the Euphrates Jacob, it is said, came to Shechem to Emmor; and he welcomed him, and gave him a part of his country. So Jacob himself was a landholder, but his sons, eleven in number, were shepherds, and his daughter Dinah and his wives wrought wool. And Dinah while yet a virgin came to Shechem when there was a great festival, wishing to see the city: and Sychem the son of Emmor saw her and loved her, and seized and carried her off to his own home, and ravished her.

‘But afterwards he came with his father to Jacob, to ask her fur his partner in marriage; but he said he would not give her, until all the inhabitants of Shechem were circumcised and followed the customs of the Jews: and Emmor said he would persuade them.

‘With regard to the need of their being circumcised, Jacob says:

“It is forbidden by our Hebrew laws To bring a bridegroom to our daughters’ home, Save one who boasts to come of kindred race.”

‘Then a little lower down about circumcision:

“The God, who Abraham from his home had called, Bade him from heaven to set the blood-stained seal On flesh of every male; and it was done. And changeless still the law which God decreed.”

‘When Emmor therefore was gone into the city, and was exhorting his subjects to be circumcised, one of Jacob’s sons, whose name was Symeon, being unwilling to bear his sister’s disgrace in a politic manner, determined to slay Emmor and Sychem: and this determination he communicated to his brother Levi, and took him as an accomplice and set forth to do the deed, alleging an oracle, that God said He would give ten nations to Abraham’s descendants to destroy.

‘And this is how Symeon speaks to Levi:

“For well have I remembered God’s own word, To give ten nations o’er to Abraham’s sons.”

‘But God, it is said, had put this thought into their mind, because the inhabitants of Shechem were ungodly men. And this is what he says:

“The Shechemites who spared no guest that came, Nor bad nor good regarded, God would smite. No law nor justice in their state was found, But all their thoughts were set on deeds of death.”

‘Levi therefore and Symeon came armed into their city, and first killed those who came in their way, and then murdered both Emmor and Sychem.

‘And of their slaying them he speaks thus:

“So fiercely then on Emmor Symeon rushed, And smote his head, and in his left hand seized His throat, but quickly left him gasping still, For other task appeared. Levi meanwhile Seized Sychem, fiercely raging, by the hair And dashed with force resistless to the earth: Vainly he clasped the victor’s knees, who drave His keen sword deep twixt neck and shoulder-blade, And swiftly from his breast the spirit fled.”

‘And when the other brethren heard of their deed, they came to their aid, and sacked the city, and rescuing their sister carried her back with the captives to their father’s abode.’