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Genesis Chapter Thirty-four

 

Genesis 34 Outlines

The Dinah Incident

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