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Genesis Chapter
Thirty-four
Genesis 34
Outlines
New King James Version
(NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 34
This
chapter gives an account of the ravishment of Dinah by Shechem
Genesis 34:1; of
his father Hamor and him treating with Jacob and his sons about the marriage of
her
Genesis 34:6; of
the condition proposed by Jacob's sons
circumcision of all the males in
Shechem
which was agreed to by Shechem and his father
Genesis 34:13; of
the men of Shechem being persuaded to yield to it
Genesis 34:20; and
of the destruction of them on the third day by Simeon and Levi
and of the
plunder of their city and field
and of the captivity of their wives and
children by Jacob's sons
which gave Jacob great offence
and in which they
justified themselves
Genesis 34:25.
Genesis 34:1. Now
Dinah the daughter of Leah
whom she had borne to Jacob
went out to see the
daughters of the land.
YLT 1And Dinah
daughter of
Leah
whom she hath borne to Jacob
goeth out to look on the daughters of the
land
And Dinah the
daughter of Leah
which she bare unto Jacob
....
Who is supposed to be at
this time about fourteen or fifteen years of age: for that she was but about
nine or ten years old is not to be credited
as some compute itF26R.
Ganz. Tzemach David
par. l. fol. 6. 2. : she is observed to be the daughter of
Leah
partly that the following miscarriage might bring to mind her forwardness
to intrude herself into Jacob's bed
and be a rebuke unto her; and partly to
account for Simeon and Levi being so active in revenging her abuse
they being
Leah's sons: of Dinah it is said
that she
went out to see
the daughters of the land;
of the land of Canaan
to
visit them
and contract an acquaintance with them; and she having no sisters
to converse with at home
it might be a temptation to her to go abroad.
According to the Targum of Jonathan
she went to see the manners
customs
and
fashions of the women of that country
to learn them
as the Septuagint version
renders the word; or to see their habit and dress
and how they ornamented
themselves
as JosephusF1Antiqu. l. 1. c. 21. sect. 1. observes; and
who also says it was a festival day at Shechem
and therefore very probably
many of the young women of the country round about might come thither on that
occasion; and who being dressed in their best clothes would give Dinah a good
opportunity of seeing and observing their fashions; and which
with the
diversions of the season
and shows to be seen
allured Dinah to go out of her
mother's tent into the city
to gratify her curiosity. Aben Ezra's note is
that she went of herself
that is
without the leave of either of her parents:
according to other Jewish writersF2Pirke Eliezer
c. 38. fol. 42. 2.
there was a snare laid for her by Shechem
who observing that Jacob's daughter
dwelt in tents
and did not go abroad
he brought damsels out of the city
dancing and playing on timbrels; and Dinah went forth to see them playing
and
he took her
and lay with her
as follows.
Genesis 34:2. 2 And when Shechem the son
of Hamor the Hivite
prince of the country
saw her
he took her and lay with
her
and violated her.
YLT 2and Shechem
son of Hamor
the Hivite
a prince of the land
seeth her
and taketh her
and lieth with
her
and humbleth her;
And when Shechem
the son of Hamor
....
From whom the city had its
name
near which Jacob and his family now were:
the Hivite
prince of the country;
Hamor was an Hivite
which
was one of the nations of the land of Canaan
and this man was the prince or a
principal man of that nation
as well as of Shechem. JosephusF3Ut
supra. (Antiqu. l. 1. c. 21. sect. 1.) calls him a king: when the son of this
man
saw her;
that is
Dinah
what a
beautiful person she was
and was enamoured with her:
he took her: by force
as
the Targum of Jonathan:
and lay with
her
and defiled her;
or "humbled" or
"afflicted her"F4ויענה
και εταπεινωσεν αυτην
Sept.
& afflixit eam
Pagninus
Montanus. ; and it is a rule with the Jews
that
every such act
which is done by force
is called an humiliation and afflictionF5Gerundensis
apud Munster
& Drusium in loc. : the child begotten in this act of
fornication is saidF6Pirke Eliezer
ut supra. (c. 33. fol. 42. 2.)
by them to be Asenath
who was had into Egypt
and brought up by Potipherah's
wife as her daughter
and afterwards married to Joseph
Genesis 41:45.
Genesis 34:3. 3 His soul was strongly
attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob
and he loved the young woman and
spoke kindly to the young woman.
YLT 3and his soul cleaveth to
Dinah
daughter of Jacob
and he loveth the young person
and speaketh unto the
heart of the young person.
And his soul
clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob
....
His inclination was to
her
she was always in his thoughts; it was not a mere lustful desire that was
suddenly raised
and soon over
but a constant and continued affection he bore
to her
as follows:
and he loved
the damsel;
sincerely and heartily:
and spake
kindly unto the damsel;
or "to the
heart"F7על לב
"ad cor"
Pagninus
Vatablus
Drusius
Schmidt; super cor
Montanus
Munster; "cordi"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator. of her
such
things as tended to comfort her
she being sad and sorrowful; or to soften her
mind towards him
and take off the resentment of it to him
because of the
injury he had done her
and to gain her good will and affection
and her consent
to marry him; professing great love to her
promising her great things
what
worldly grandeur and honour she would be advanced to
and how kindly he would
behave towards her; which might take with her
and incline her to yield to his
motion
which having obtained
he took the following method.
Genesis 34:4. 4 So Shechem spoke to his
father Hamor
saying
“Get me this young woman as a wife.”
YLT 4And Shechem speaketh unto
Hamor his father
saying
`Take for me this damsel for a wife.'
And Shechem
spake unto his father Hamor
....
And told him the whole
affair
at least what a strong affection he had for Dinah:
saying
get me
this damsel to wife;
by which he meant not only
that he would give his consent that he might marry her
but that he would get
her parents' consent unto it
and settle the matter with them; by which it
appears how early
and that even among Heathen nations
consent of parents on
both sides was judged necessary to marriage. It seems by this as if Dinah was
now detained in the house of Hamor or Shechem
and was upon the spot
or near
at hand
when Shechem addressed his father about her
see Genesis 34:26.
Genesis 34:5. 5 And Jacob heard that he
had defiled Dinah his daughter. Now his sons were with his livestock in the
field; so Jacob held his peace until they came.
YLT 5And Jacob hath heard that
he hath defiled Dinah his daughter
and his sons were with his cattle in the
field
and Jacob kept silent till their coming.
And Jacob heard
that he had defiled Dinah his daughter
....
That is
that Shechem had
defiled her; the report of this was brought him very probably by one of the
maids which attended her to the city; for it was hardly to be thought that she
should go thither alone
and which must be very distressing to Jacob to hear
of: this was his first affliction in his own family
but it was not the only
one
nor the last
others quickly followed:
now his sons
were with his cattle in the field;
he had bought
or in some
other hired by him for his cattle
feeding and keeping them
being arrived to
an age fit for such service; here they were when the above report was brought
to Jacob:
and Jacob held
his peace until they were come;
neither murmuring at the
providence
but patiently bearing the chastisement; nor reflecting upon Leah
for letting Dinah go out
or not keeping a proper watch over her; nor saying
anything of it to any in the family; nor expressing his displeasure at Shechem
nor vowing revenge on him for it
nor taking any step towards it until his sons
were come home from the field; with whom he chose to advise
and whose
assistance he would want
if it was judged necessary to use force to get Dinah
out of the hands of Shechem
or to avenge the injury done her.
Genesis 34:6. 6 Then Hamor the father of
Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him.
YLT 6And Hamor
father of
Shechem
goeth out unto Jacob to speak with him;
And Hamor
the
father of Shechem
went out unto Jacob
....
Unto the tent of Jacob
without the city:
to commune with
him;
to talk with him about the
affair of Dinah
to pacify him
and endeavour to gain his consent
that his son
might marry her
and to settle the
terms and conditions of the marriage.
Genesis 34:7. 7 And the sons of Jacob came
in from the field when they heard it; and the men were grieved and very
angry
because he had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s
daughter
a thing which ought not to be done.
YLT 7and the sons of Jacob came
in from the field when they heard
and the men grieve themselves
and it [is]
very displeasing to them
for folly he hath done against Israel
to lie with
the daughter of Jacob -- and so it is not done.
And the sons of
Jacob came out of the field
when they heard it
.....
Either by a messenger
Jacob sent to them
to acquaint them with it
or by some other hand: however
be it as it will
as soon as they heard of the abuse of their sister
they
immediately left their flocks to the care of their servants
and came to their
father's tent:
and the men
were grieved and were very wroth;
they were grieved for the
sin committed against God
very probably
as well as for the injury done to
their sister
and they were wroth against Shechem the author of it:
because he had
wrought folly in Israel
in lying with Jacob's daughter;
all sin is folly
being a
transgression of the law of God founded in the highest wisdom
and particularly
uncleanness
and that branch of it
deflowering a virgin; and this action being
committed on Jacob's daughter
whose name was Israel
is said to be
"in"
or rather "against" IsraelF8בישראל "contra Israelem"
Junius &
Tremellius
Piscator
Calovius; so Ainsworth.
to his grief
and to the
reproach of him and his family: though these words may be rather the words of
Moses
than of the sons of Jacob; or however are expressed not in the language
used by them
but in what was in use in the times of Moses
when Israel was the
name of a nation and church
whereas it was now but a personal name
and at
most but the name of a family; and though this was done to one of the family
yet not in it
but in the house of Hamor or Shechem:
which thing
ought not to be done;
being against the law and
light of nature to do such an action by force and violence
and against the law
of nations to suffer it to go with impunity.
Genesis 34:8. 8 But Hamor spoke with them
saying
“The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to
him as a wife.
YLT 8And Hamor speaketh with
them
saying
`Shechem
my son
his soul hath cleaved to your daughter; give
her
I pray you
to him for a wife
And Hamor
communed with them
....
With Jacob and his sons
who came in just at that time:
saying
the
soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter:
the daughter of the
family
and the only daughter in it; for her Shechem had a vehement affection
a strong desire to marry her
and could not be satisfied without her:
I pray you
give her him to wife;
he not only requests the
consent of the parents of the damsel
but of her brothers also
which in those
times and countries seems to have been usual to ask and have
see Genesis 24:50.
Genesis 34:9. 9 And make marriages with
us; give your daughters to us
and take our daughters to yourselves.
YLT 9and join ye in marriage
with us; your daughters ye give to us
and our daughters ye take to yourselves
And make ye
marriages with us
....
There was no objection on
their side
it lay on the other; Abraham's servant was charged by him not to
take a wife of the Canaanites to his son Isaac; and the same charge was given
Jacob by Isaac
Genesis 24:3; and
therefore Jacob would never agree that his children should marry any of that
nation; and marriages with them were afterwards forbidden by the law of Moses
Deuteronomy 7:3
and give your daughters unto us
and take our daughters unto you;
for though at present
there were no other daughters in Jacob's family
yet there might be hereafter;
and the request is
that for the future there might be intermarriages between
them
as would be practicable in a course of time.
Genesis 34:10. 10 So you shall dwell with
us
and the land shall be before you. Dwell and trade in it
and acquire
possessions for yourselves in it.”
YLT 10and with us ye dwell
and
the land is before you; dwell ye and trade [in] it
and have possessions in
it.'
And ye shall
dwell with us
.....
Peaceably and quietly
not
as sojourners only
but as inhabitants:
and the land
shall be before you;
to choose what part of it
they pleased to dwell in
and which they should have in their own power and possession:
dwell and trade
you therein;
in any sort of traffic and
commerce the land would admit of
and they should best choose:
and get you
possessions therein;
buy houses and land
and
enjoy them
they and their posterity; these are the arguments used by Hamor to
gain the consent of Jacob and his family that his son might marry Dinah; and
the proposals are honourable and generous.
Genesis 34:11. 11 Then Shechem said to her
father and her brothers
“Let me find favor in your eyes
and whatever you say
to me I will give.
YLT 11And Shechem saith unto her
father
and unto her brethren
`Let me find grace in your eyes
and that which
ye say unto me
I give;
And Shechem
said unto her father and unto her brethren
....
To the father and brethren
of Dinah; he addressed them after his father Hamor had done speaking:
let me find
grace in your eyes;
forgive the offence
committed
the injury done to Dinah
and grant the request of her marriage
and
it will be considered as a great favour:
and what ye
shall say unto me
I will give;
to her
to her parents
to
her brethren and relations; let what will be fixed
shall be given; which
showed great affection for her
and that he was willing to do any thing to make
amends for the injury done; he cared not what it was that might be demanded of
him
so be it that she became his wife.
Genesis 34:12. 12 Ask me ever so much dowry
and gift
and I will give according to what you say to me; but give me the
young woman as a wife.”
YLT 12multiply on me exceedingly
dowry and gift
and I give as ye say unto me
and give to me the young person
for a wife.'
Ask me never so
much dowry and gift
....
Or "multiply them
exceedingly"F9הרבז־מאד
"multiplicate super me admodum"
Drusius
Schmidt.
fix them at as
high a rate as may be thought fit; the "dowry" was what a man gave to
a woman at her marriage; for in those times and countries
instead of a man
having a portion with his wife
as with us in our times
he gave one to his
wife
or to her parents for her; and especially in after times this was used
and became a law in Israel
in the case of a vitiated virgin
see Exodus 22:16; and
"the gift" was either of jewels and clothes to the women
or of such
like precious things to her brethren and friends
see Genesis 24:53
and I will give
according as ye shall say unto me;
determine among yourselves
whatever shall be the dowry and gift
and it shall be punctually observed:
but give me the
damsel to wife;
only agree to that
and I
care not what is required of me.
Genesis 34:13. 13 But the sons of Jacob
answered Shechem and Hamor his father
and spoke deceitfully
because he had
defiled Dinah their sister.
YLT 13And the sons of Jacob
answer Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully
and they speak (because he
defiled Dinah their sister)
And the sons of
Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor deceitfully
....
Proposing the marriage of
their sister on terms after mentioned
when they never intended it should ever
be: Onkelos
Jonathan
and Jarchi interpret it
"with wisdom"
as if
they answered wisely and prudently
but the word is never used in a good sense;
and if it was wisdom
it was carnal wisdom and wicked cunning
and was
disapproved of by plain hearted Jacob:
and said:
or spoke in this deceitful
manner:
because he had
defiled Dinah their sister;
and therefore were filled
with indignation at him
and fired with resentment against him
and vowed
within themselves revenge upon him.
Genesis 34:14. 14 And they said to them
“We
cannot do this thing
to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised
for that would
be a reproach to us.
YLT 14and say unto them
`We are
not able to do this thing
to give our sister to one who hath a foreskin: for
it [is] a reproach to us.
And they said
unto them
....
Levi and Simeon
to Hamor
and Shechem:
we cannot do
this thing
to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised;
not that there was any law
against it at that time; and there were
on the other hand
precedents for it
both in Isaac and Jacob
who had married the daughters of uncircumcised
persons; nor indeed do they plead any law
only that it was not becoming their
character
nor agreeably to their religion
nor honourable in their esteem:
for that were
a reproach unto us;
and they should be
reflected upon for slighting the institution of circumcision
which was of God:
so they pretend it might be interpreted
should they enter into affinity with
uncircumcised persons.
Genesis 34:15. 15 But on this condition
we will consent to you: If you will become as we are
if every male of
you is circumcised
YLT 15`Only for this we consent
to you; if ye be as we
to have every male of you circumcised
But in this
will we consent unto you
....
Upon the following
condition
that Dinah should be given in marriage:
if ye will be
as we be
that every male of you be circumcised;
as the sons of Jacob were
according to the command given to Abraham their great grandfather
Genesis 17:10.
Genesis 34:16. 16 then we will give our
daughters to you
and we will take your daughters to us; and we will dwell with
you
and we will become one people.
YLT 16then we have given our
daughters to you
and your daughters we take to ourselves
and we have dwelt
with you
and have become one people;
Then will we
give our daughters unto you
....
Meaning Dinah
whom they
call their daughter
Genesis 34:17;
because she was the daughter of their family
and because they were entreating
in the name of their father
and in conformity to the language used by those
they were treating with
Genesis 34:9
and we will
take your daughters to us;
in marriage for wives:
and we will
dwell with you;
not as sojourners but as
fellow citizens:
and we will
become one people;
being so nearly related by
marriage
and professing one religion
alike submitting to circumcision
which
was the distinguished badge of Abraham's seed.
Genesis 34:17. 17 But if you will not heed
us and be circumcised
then we will take our daughter and be gone.”
YLT 17and if ye hearken not unto
us to be circumcised
then we have taken our daughter
and have gone.'
But if ye will
not hearken to us to be circumcised
....
Will not agree to this
condition
circumcision:
then will we
take our daughter;
by force
as the Targum of
Jonathan adds:
and we will be
gone:
depart from this part of
the country
and go elsewhere.
Genesis 34:18. 18 And their words pleased
Hamor and Shechem
Hamor’s son.
YLT 18And their words are good in
the eyes of Hamor
and in the eyes of Shechem
Hamor's son;
And their words
pleased Hamor
and Shechem Hamor's son.
The condition proposed was
acceptable to them both
and they agreed to comply with it; Hamor
because of
the great love he had for his son; Shechem
because of the great love he had
for Dinah.
Genesis 34:19. 19 So the young man did not
delay to do the thing
because he delighted in Jacob’s daughter. He was
more honorable than all the household of his father.
YLT 19and the young man delayed
not to do the thing
for he had delight in Jacob's daughter
and he is
honourable above all the house of his father.
And the young
man deferred not to do the thing
....
To be circumcised himself
and to get all the males of the city circumcised; he delayed not a moment
but
made all the haste he could to get it accomplished:
because he had
delight in Jacob's daughter;
he really loved her
and
delighted in her person and company: it was not the effect of a brutish lust
but a true affection he bore to her
that he desired her in marriage:
and he was
more honourable than all the house of his father;
for though he had done a
base thing in defiling Jacob's daughter
yet in this he was honourable
that he
sought to marry her
and to do any thing that was in his power to recompence
the injury; and he was honourable in keeping covenant and compact with men; and
was honest
upright
and sincere
to fulfil the condition imposed on him
and
he had agreed to
as well as he was in greater esteem among the citizens than
any of his father's house
which made it the more easy to him to get their
consent to be circumcised; they having a very high and honourable opinion of him
and ready to oblige him in anything they could.
Genesis 34:20. 20 And Hamor and Shechem his
son came to the gate of their city
and spoke with the men of their city
saying:
YLT 20And Hamor cometh -- Shechem
his son also -- unto the gate of their city
and they speak unto the men of
their city
saying
And Hamor and
Shechem his son went unto the gate of their city
....
Where courts of judicature
were held
and all public affairs respecting the common interest of the city
were transacted: here
no doubt
Hamor their prince summoned them to come
by
the usual method in which the citizens were convened on certain occasions:
and communed
with the men of their city;
upon the subject of
entering into an alliance with Jacob's family
of admitting them to be fellow
citizens with them
and of their being incorporated among them
and becoming
one people with them
taking no notice of the true reason of this motion:
saying
as follows.
Genesis 34:21. 21 “These men are at
peace with us. Therefore let them dwell in the land and trade in it. For indeed
the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters to us as
wives
and let us give them our daughters.
YLT 21`These men are peaceable
with us; then let them dwell in the land
and trade [in] it; and the land
lo
[is] wide before them; their daughters let us take to ourselves for wives
and
our daughters give to them.
These men are
peaceable with us
....
Meaning Jacob and his
sons
pointing to their tents which were near their city; and no doubt more was
said than is here expressed
and that these words were introduced with a
preface
in which notice was taken of Jacob and his family
and their names
mentioned
as here their character is given; that they were men of peaceable
dispositions
harmless and inoffensive
as appeared they had been ever since
they came into these parts; and there was a great deal of reason to believe
they still would be
and which was an argument in their favour
to admit them
to a residence among them:
therefore let
them dwell in the land
and trade therein;
give them leave to dwell
where they please
and carry on what trade and traffic in the land they think
fit; since they are not likely to be quarrelsome and troublesome
but will deal
honestly and honourably
and pay duly for what they agree for or merchandise
in:
for the land
behold
it is large enough for them;
there is room enough for
them to dwell in
and pasturage enough for their cattle
and land enough to
manure and till
without in the least incommoding the inhabitants: yea
it is
likely to be to their advantage
since they would pay for what they should
purchase or hire
and would improve the land which lay uncultivated:
let us take
their daughters to us for wives
and let us give them our daughters;
this was the thing
principally aimed at; and the rest
both what goes before
and what follows
after
were in order to this.
Genesis 34:22. 22 Only on this condition
will the men consent to dwell with us
to be one people: if every male among us
is circumcised as they are circumcised.
YLT 22`Only for this do the men
consent to us
to dwell with us
to become one people
in every male of us
being circumcised
as they are circumcised;
Only herein
will the men consent unto us
....
The only term or condition
insisted upon
to come into an alliance and affinity with us
and
for to dwell
with us
to be one people
to become one body
politic
is the following one:
if every male
among us be circumcised
as they are circumcised;
submitting to this rite
they agree to take up their residence with us
and be incorporated among us
and become one people.
Genesis 34:23. 23 Will
not their livestock
their property
and every animal of theirs be ours?
Only let us consent to them
and they will dwell with us.”
YLT 23their cattle
and their
substance
and all their beasts -- are they not ours? only let us consent to
them
and they dwell with us.'
Shall not their
cattle
and their substance
and every beast of theirs
be ours?....
Which would in course come
into their families in process of time
by intermarrying with them
or
being
more numerous and powerful than they
could seize upon them when they pleased
and take all they had: thus they argue from the profit and advantage that would
accrue to them by admitting them among them
upon their terms; and this
argument
taken from worldly interest
they knew would have great influence
upon them:
only let us
consent unto them;
in the affair of
circumcision:
and they will
dwell with us;
and what by trading with
them
and marrying among them
all their wealth and riches will come into our
hands.
Genesis 34:24. 24 And all who went out of
the gate of his city heeded Hamor and Shechem his son; every male was
circumcised
all who went out of the gate of his city.
YLT 24And unto Hamor
and unto
Shechem his son
hearken do all those going out of the gate of his city
and
every male is circumcised
all those going out of the gate of his city.
And unto Hamor
and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city
....
That is
all the
inhabitants of the city who came to the gate of it
upon the summons given
them
and departed from thence to their habitations
having a great opinion of
their prince and his son; and moved either with awe of them or love to them
and influenced both by their arguments and example
they agreed to what was
proposed to them:
and every male
was circumcised
all that went out of the gate of his city;
all the men citizens; and
not only the adult
and who now went out by the gate of the city
but all their
male children likewise were circumcised.
Genesis 34:25. 25 Now it came to pass on the
third day
when they were in pain
that two of the sons of Jacob
Simeon and
Levi
Dinah’s brothers
each took his sword and came boldly upon the city and
killed all the males.
YLT 25And it cometh to pass
on
the third day
in their being pained
that two of the sons of Jacob
Simeon and
Levi
Dinah's brethren
take each his sword
and come in against the city
confidently
and slay every male;
And it came to
pass on the third day
when they were sore
....
Or in "pain"F11כאבים "dolore affecti"
Pagninus
Schmidt
"essent in dolore"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Drusius.
when their pains were strong upon them
as the Targum of Onkelos; or when they
were weak through the pain of circumcision
as the Targum of Jonathan; for it
seems that the pain of circumcision was more intense on the third dayF12Pirke
Eliezer
c. 29.
and the part the more inflamed
and the person more feverish
and which is observed by physicians of other wounds; and therefore HippocratesF13De
fracturis
sect. 33. apud Scheuchzer. Physica Sacra
vol. 1. p. 93. advised not
to meddle with wounds on the third or fourth days
or do anything that might
irritate them
for on those days they were apt to rankle or be inflamed
and
bring on fevers; and in this case
not only the wound was sore in itself and
distressing
but being in such a part of the body
motion must give great
uneasiness: nor could persons in such circumstances easily arise and walk
and
go forth to defend themselves; and of this Jacob's sons availed themselves: so
that two of the
sons of Jacob
Simeon and Levi
Dinah's brethren;
by the mother's side as
well as the father's
being Leah's children
and so most provoked at this
indignity and abuse of their sister:
took each man
his sword
and came upon the city boldly;
not fearing the
inhabitants of it
and their rising up against them to defend themselves
knowing in what circumstances they were: or "upon the city that dwelt
securely"; as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; for the men of the city
had no suspicion of any such attempt that would be made upon them
and
therefore were quite easy and secure
not expecting nor fearing anything of
this kind:
and slew all
the males;
the males that were grown
up
for the little ones are after said to be carried captive
Genesis 34:29;
JosephusF14Antiqu. l. 1. c. 21. sect. 1. takes no notice of this
circumstance of their being circumcised
but represents them as surprised in
the night of their festival
overcharged with feasting
and their watch asleep
who were first killed. Though only two of Jacob's sons were mentioned
they
might be assisted by the rest; at least
no doubt
they were attended with servants
who were aiding: in accomplishing this cruel and bloody attempt.
Genesis 34:26. 26 And they killed Hamor and
Shechem his son with the edge of the sword
and took Dinah from Shechem’s
house
and went out.
YLT 26and Hamor
and Shechem his
son
they have slain by the mouth of the sword
and they take Dinah out of
Shechem's house
and go out.
And they slew
Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword
....
Whom they had been just
treating with in a seeming friendly manner: Shechem was the chief aggressor
and his crime was very heinous; but considering that he did all he could
after
the fact was committed
to make recompence for the injury done
he deserved
other treatment
at least mercy should have been shown him. Hamor
perhaps
was
too indulgent to his son
connived at his sin
and did not punish him for it;
and
it may be
approved of it
and now dies for it:
and took Dinah
out of Shechem's house
and went out;
where she was kept from
the time of her being ravished by Shechem
with an intention to marry her
could the consent of her parents and relations be obtained; for it does not
appear that he kept her to carry on a criminal conversation with her
but a
courtship in order to marriage.
Genesis 34:27. 27 The sons of Jacob came
upon the slain
and plundered the city
because their sister had been defiled.
YLT 27Jacob's sons have come in
upon the wounded
and they spoil the city
because they had defiled their
sister;
The sons of
Jacob came upon the slain
....
That is
the rest of them
as the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it; understanding what their two brothers
had done
they came and joined them
and partook of stripping the slain of
their clothes
or from them what they found of any worth about them:
and spoiled the
city;
plundered it of all its
goods and substance
spoiled all the inhabitants of it of their wealth:
because they
had defiled their sister;
one of them had done it
which is imputed to them all
they not restraining him from it
when it was in
their power; and perhaps approving of it
and made a laugh of and jest at it;
or however did not punish him for it.
Genesis 34:28. 28 They took their sheep
their oxen
and their donkeys
what was in the city and what was
in the field
YLT 28their flock and their herd
and their asses
and that which [is] in the city
and that which [is] in the
field
have they taken;
They took their
sheep
their oxen
and their asses
....
The Shechemites hoped to
have the cattle and substance of Jacob's family
and in a hypocritical manner
submitted to circumcision
for the sake of worldly advantage; for that
and
pleasing their prince
seem to be the only views they had in it; wherefore
in
this there is a just retaliation of them in Providence:
and that which was
in the city
and that which was in the field;
the cattle that were kept
at home
and those that were brought up in the field
all became a prey.
Genesis 34:29. 29 and all their wealth. All
their little ones and their wives they took captive; and they plundered even
all that was in the houses.
YLT 29and all their wealth
and
all their infants
and their wives they have taken captive
and they spoil also
all that [is] in the house.
And all their
wealth
....
Or "power"F15חילם "siquidem" חיל
"proprie potentia
robur"
Drusius; so Ainsworth. or
"strength"; every thing that made them mighty and powerful; their
gold and silver
their jewels
and rich furniture of their houses
their arms
and weapons of war
their goods and substance
in which they trafficked:
and all their
little ones and their wives took they captive:
they spared the women and
children
as was usual war
and in the plunder of towns and cities:
and spoiled
even all that was in the house;
of Shechem or Hamor
or in
any of the houses of the inhabitants; they rifled and plundered everyone
and
took away whatsoever they found in them; but as Jacob disapproved of this
unjust
cruel
bloody
and perfidious action
so no doubt
as he set the
captives at liberty
he restored to them their cattle and substance.
Genesis 34:30. 30 Then Jacob said to Simeon
and Levi
“You have troubled me by making me obnoxious among the inhabitants of
the land
among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and since I am few in
number
they will gather themselves together against me and kill me. I shall be
destroyed
my household and I.”
YLT 30And Jacob saith unto Simeon
and unto Levi
`Ye have troubled me
by causing me to stink among the
inhabitants of the land
among the Canaanite
and among the Perizzite: and I
[am] few in number
and they have been gathered against me
and have smitten
me
and I have been destroyed
I and my house.'
And Jacob said
to Simeon and Levi
....
who were the principals
concerned in this affair:
ye have
troubled me;
because of the sin they
had committed
because of the dishonour brought upon religion
and because of
the danger he and his family were hereby exposed unto; it greatly disquieted
him
made him very uneasy
he was at his wit's end almost
knew not what to do
what course to take to wipe off the scandal
and to defend himself and family;
since it served
he says:
to make me to
stink among the inhabitants of the land;
to make him odious and
abominable
to be hated and abhorred by all the people round about
and to be
looked upon and treated as a deceitful
treacherous
and perfidious man
that
had no regard to his word
to covenants and agreements made by him; as a cruel
and bloodthirsty man that spared none
made no difference between the innocent
and the guilty; and as a robber and plunderer
that stopped at nothing
committing the greatest outrages to get possession of the substance of others:
amongst the
Canaanites and the Perizzites:
who were the principal
inhabitants of the land
the most numerous
and the most rustic and barbarous
and perhaps nearest
and from whom Jacob had most to fear:
and I being
few in number;
or men of numberF16מתי מספר "viri numeri"
Montanus
Schmidt. ; he and his sons and servants
in all
making but a small
number in comparison of the nations about him:
they shall
gather themselves together against me
and slay me; and I shall be destroyed
I
and my house;
not that Jacob was afraid
that this would be really the case
for he knew and believed the promises of
God to him
of the multiplication of his seed
and of their inheriting the land
of Canaan
and of the Messiah springing from him; but this he said to aggravate
the sin and folly of his sons
in exposing him and themselves to so much
danger
which not only on the face of things appeared probable
but even
certain and inevitable
without the interposition of divine power and
Providence.
Genesis 34:31. 31 But they said
“Should he
treat our sister like a harlot?”
YLT 31And they say
`As a harlot
doth he make our sister?'
And they said
....
Simeon and Levi
in a very
pert and unseemly manner:
should he deal
with our sister as with an harlot?
make a whore of her
and
then keep her in his house as such? is this to be borne with? or should we take
no more notice of his behaviour to our sister
or show no more regard to her
than if she was a common prostitute
whom no man will defend or protect? so say
the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem
"nor let Shechem the son of Hamor
mock at us
or boast and say
as an harlot whom no man seeks after
or no man
seeks to avenge her; so it is done by Dinah the daughter of Jacob:'they tacitly
insinuate as if Jacob had not that regard for the honour of his daughter and
family
and showed his resentment at the wicked behaviour of Shechem
as he
ought to have done. It is observed that there is a letter in the word for
"harlot" greater than usual
which may either denote the greatness of
the sin of Shechem in dealing with Dinah as an harlot
or the great impudence
and boldness of Jacob's sons
in their answer to him
and their audaciousness
in justifying such baseness and cruelty they had been guilty of. The whole of
this history
as related in this chapter
is given by Polyhistor out of
Theodotus the poetF17Apud Euseb. Evangel. Praepar. l. 9. c. 22. p.
427
&c. .
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》