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Texts -- Genesis 34:4-31 (NET)

Context
34:4 Shechem said to his father Hamor , “Acquire this young girl as my wife .” 34:5 When Jacob heard that Shechem had violated his daughter Dinah , his sons were with the livestock in the field . So Jacob remained silent until they came in. 34:6 Then Shechem’s father Hamor went to speak with Jacob about Dinah. 34:7 Now Jacob’s sons had come in from the field when they heard the news. They were offended and very angry because Shechem had disgraced Israel by sexually assaulting Jacob’s daughter , a crime that should not be committed . 34:8 But Hamor made this appeal to them: “My son Shechem is in love with your daughter . Please give her to him as his wife . 34:9 Intermarry with us. Let us marry your daughters , and take our daughters as wives for yourselves. 34:10 You may live among us, and the land will be open to you. Live in it, travel freely in it, and acquire property in it.” 34:11 Then Shechem said to Dinah’s father and brothers , “Let me find favor in your sight , and whatever you require of me I’ll give . 34:12 You can make the bride price and the gift I must bring very expensive , and I’ll give whatever you ask of me. Just give me the young woman as my wife !” 34:13 Jacob’s sons answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully when they spoke because Shechem had violated their sister Dinah . 34:14 They said to them, “We cannot give our sister to a man who is not circumcised , for it would be a disgrace to us. 34:15 We will give you our consent on this one condition : You must become like us by circumcising all your males . 34:16 Then we will give you our daughters to marry, and we will take your daughters as wives for ourselves, and we will live among you and become one people . 34:17 But if you do not agree to our terms by being circumcised , then we will take our sister and depart .” 34:18 Their offer pleased Hamor and his son Shechem . 34:19 The young man did not delay in doing what they asked because he wanted Jacob’s daughter Dinah badly. (Now he was more important than anyone in his father’s household .) 34:20 So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city , 34:21 “These men are at peace with us. So let them live in the land and travel freely in it, for the land is wide enough for them. We will take their daughters for wives , and we will give them our daughters to marry. 34:22 Only on this one condition will these men consent to live with us and become one people : They demand that every male among us be circumcised just as they are circumcised . 34:23 If we do so, won’t their livestock , their property , and all their animals become ours? So let’s consent to their demand, so they will live among us.” 34:24 All the men who assembled at the city gate agreed with Hamor and his son Shechem . Every male who assembled at the city gate was circumcised . 34:25 In three days , when they were still in pain , two of Jacob’s sons , Simeon and Levi , Dinah’s brothers , each took his sword and went to the unsuspecting city and slaughtered every male . 34:26 They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the sword , took Dinah from Shechem’s house , and left . 34:27 Jacob’s sons killed them and looted the city because their sister had been violated . 34:28 They took their flocks , herds , and donkeys , as well as everything in the city and in the surrounding fields . 34:29 They captured as plunder all their wealth , all their little ones , and their wives , including everything in the houses . 34:30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi , “You have brought ruin on me by making me a foul odor among the inhabitants of the land – among the Canaanites and the Perizzites . I am few in number ; they will join forces against me and attack me, and both I and my family will be destroyed !” 34:31 But Simeon and Levi replied , “Should he treat our sister like a common prostitute ?”

Pericope

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Bible Dictionary

  • Dinah

    [ebd] judged; vindicated, daughter of Jacob by Leah, and sister of Simeon and Levi (Gen. 30:21). She was seduced by Shechem, the son of Hamor, the Hivite chief, when Jacob's camp was in the neighbourhood of Shechem. This led to th...
    [isbe] DINAH - di'-na (dinah, "justice"): The daughter of Jacob and Leah, whose violation by Shechem, son of Hamor, caused her brothers, especially Simeon and Levi, to slay the inhabitants of Shechem, although they had induced the ...
    [smith] (judged, acquitted), the daughter of Jacob by Leah. (Genesis 30:21) (B.C. about 1751.) She accompanied her father from Mesopotamia to Canaan, and, having ventured among the inhabitants, was violated by Shechem the son of Hamo...
    [nave] DINAH Daughter of Jacob and Leah, Gen. 30:21. Ravishment of, Gen. 34.

  • Shechem

    [ebd] shoulder. (1.) The son of Hamor the Hivite (Gen. 33:19; 34). (2.) A descendant of Manasseh (Num. 26:31; Josh. 17:2). (3.) A city in Samaria (Gen. 33:18), called also Sichem (12:6), Sychem (Acts 7:16). It stood in the narrow ...
    [smith] (back or shoulder). An important city in central Palestine, in the valley between mounts Ebal and Gerizim, 34 miles north of Jerusalem and 7 miles southeast of Samaria. Its present name, Nablus , is a corruption of Neapolis,...
    [nave] SHECHEM 1. Called also Sichem and Sychem, a district in the central part of the land of Canaan. Abraham dwells in, Gen. 12:6. Jacob buys a piece of ground in, and erects an altar, Gen. 33:18-20. The flocks and herds of Jac...

  • Levi

    [ebd] adhesion. (1.) The third son of Jacob by Leah. The origin of the name is found in Leah's words (Gen. 29:34), "This time will my husband be joined [Heb. yillaveh] unto me." He is mentioned as taking a prominent part in avengi...
    [nave] LEVI Son of Jacob, Gen. 29:34; 35:23; 1 Chr. 2:1. Avenges the seduction of Dinah, Gen. 34; 49:5-7. Jacob's prophecy regarding, Gen. 49:5-7. His age at death, Ex. 6:16. Descendants of, made ministers of religion. See: Lev...

  • Simeon

    [ebd] hearing. (1.) The second son of Jacob by Leah (Gen. 29:33). He was associated with Levi in the terrible act of vengeance against Hamor and the Shechemites (34:25, 26). He was detained by Joseph in Egypt as a hostage (42:24)....
    [smith] (heard). The second of Jacob?s son by Leah. His birth is recorded in (Genesis 29:33) The first group of Jacob?s children consists, besides Simeon, of the three other sons of Leah --Reuben, Levi, Judah. Besides the massacre o...
    [nave] SIMEON 1. Son of Jacob, Gen. 29:33; 35:23; Ex. 1:1, 2; 1 Chr. 2:1. With Levi avenges upon the Shechemites the seduction of Dinah, Gen. 34; 49:5-7. Jacob's denunciation of, Gen. 34:30; 49:5-7. Goes down into Egypt to buy g...

  • JACOB (1)

    [isbe] JACOB (1) - ja'-kub: I. NAME 1. Form and Distribution 2. Etymology and Associations II. HIS PLACE IN THE PATRIARCHAL SUCCESSION 1. As the Son of Isaac and Rebekah 2. As the Brother of Esau 3. As the Father of the Twelve III....

  • LEVI (2)

    [isbe] LEVI (2) - (Lewi; Leuei): The third of Leah's sons born to Jacob in Paddan-aram (Gen 29:34). In this passage the name is connected with the verb lawah, "to adhere," or "be joined to," Leah expressing assurance that with the ...

  • Lies and Deceits

    [nave] LIES AND DECEITS Ex. 23:1; Lev. 6:2-7; Lev. 19:11, 12, 16 Ex. 20:16. Job 13:4; Job 21:34; Job 27:4; Job 31:5, 6, 33; Job 36:4; Psa. 5:6, 9; Psa. 10:7; Psa. 12:2, 3; Psa. 28:3; Psa. 31:18; Psa. 34:13 1 Pet. 3:10. Psa. 36:3; P...

  • Jacob

    [nave] JACOB Son of Isaac, and twin brother of Esau, Gen. 25:24-26; Josh. 24:4; 1 Chr. 1:34; Acts 7:8. Ancestor of Jesus, Matt. 1:2. Given in answer to prayer, Gen. 25:21. Obtains Esau's birthright for a some stew, Gen. 25:29-34...

  • SIMEON (1)

    [isbe] SIMEON (1) - sim'-e-on (shim`on; Sumeon; the Hebrew root is from shama`, "to hear" (Gen 29:33); some modern scholars (Hitzig, W. R. Smith, Stade, etc.) derive it from Arabic sima`, "the offspring of the hyena and female wolf...

  • JUDGES, PERIOD OF

    [isbe] JUDGES, PERIOD OF - || I. SOURCES II. CHRONOLOGY III. GENERAL POLITICAL SITUATION 1. The Canaanites 2. Foes Without IV. MAIN EVENTS 1. Struggles of Individual Tribes 2. Civil Strife 3. The Six Invasions 4. Need of Central Go...

  • Deception

    [nave] DECEPTION. Instances of By Satan, Gen. 3:4. Abraham, in stating that Sarah was his sister, Gen. 12:13; 20:2. Isaac, in stating that his wife was his sister, Gen. 26:7. Jacob and Rebekah, in imposing Jacob on his father,...

  • Dishonesty

    [nave] DISHONESTY. Lev. 6:2-7; Lev. 19:13, 35, 36; Deut. 25:13, 15, 16; Job 24:2-11; Psa. 37:21; Psa. 50:18; Psa. 62:10; Prov. 3:27, 28; Prov. 11:1; Prov. 20:10, 14, 17, 23; Isa. 32:7; Jer. 7:8-10; Jer. 9:4-6, 8; Jer. 22:13; Ezek....

  • Vengeance

    [nave] VENGEANCE, belongs to God, Psa. 94:1; Rom. 12:19. Instance of Sons of Jacob on Hamor and Shechem, Gen. 34:20-31. See: Judgments; Revenge; Retaliation.

  • Hamor

    [ebd] he-ass, a Hivite from whom Jacob purchased the plot of ground in which Joseph was afterwards buried (Gen. 33:19). He is called "Emmor" in Acts 7:16. His son Shechem founded the city of that name which Simeon and Levi destroy...
    [smith] (an ass), a Hivite who at the time of the entrance of Jacob on Palestine was prince of the land and city of Shechem. (Genesis 33:19; 34:2,4,6,8,13,18,20,24,26) (B.C. 1737.) [DINAH]
    [nave] HAMOR, father of Shechem. Jacob buys ground from, Gen. 33:19; Josh. 24:32; Judg. 9:28. Murdered by the sons of Jacob, Gen. 34:26; 49:6. Called Emmor, Acts 7:16.

  • Homicide

    [nave] HOMICIDE. Accidental Ex. 21:13, 28-32; Num. 35:11-15, 22-28, 32 Deut. 4:41-43; 19:1-10. Josh. 20:1-9 Felonious or Murder: Gen. 4:9-11 v. 12.; Gen. 9:5, 6; Gen. 49:7; Ex. 20:13 Deut. 5:17; Rom. 13:9. Ex. 21:29-32; Num. 35...

  • Wife

    [nave] WIFE Called Desire of the Eyes, Ezek. 24:16. Help, Gen. 2:18, 20. Fruitful Vine, Psa. 128:3. The judgment denounced against Eve, Gen. 3:16. Relation of, to husband, Gen. 2:18, 23, 24; 1 Cor. 11:3-12. Domestic duties of,...

  • RELATIONSHIPS, FAMILY

    [isbe] RELATIONSHIPS, FAMILY - re-la'-shun-ships: I. CONSANGUINITY 1. In General 2. Parents and Children 3. Brothers and Sisters 4. Uncles, Aunts, Cousins, Kinsmen II. AFFINITY 1. Husband and Wife 2. Father-in-Law, etc. 3. Brother-...

  • Marriage

    [ebd] was instituted in Paradise when man was in innocence (Gen. 2:18-24). Here we have its original charter, which was confirmed by our Lord, as the basis on which all regulations are to be framed (Matt. 19:4, 5). It is evident t...
    [smith] Its origin and history . --The institution of marriage dates from the time of man?s original creation. (Genesis 2:18-25) From (Genesis 2:24) we may evolve the following principles: (1) The unity of man and wife, as implied i...
    [nave] MARRIAGE In family blood lines, Abraham and Sarah, Gen. 11:29; 12:13; 20:3, 9-16. Isaac and Rebekah, Gen. 24:3, 4, 67; 28:2. Jacob and his wives, Gen. 29:15-30; see below, in the elaborated text. Levirate (the brother requ...

  • BETHUEL (1)

    [isbe] BETHUEL (1) - be-thu'-el (bethu'el; "dweller in God"): A son of Nahor and Milcah, Abraham's nephew, father of Laban and Rebekah (Gen 22:23; 24:15,24,47,50; 25:20; 28:2,5). In the last-named passage, he is surnamed "the Syria...

  • DOWRY

    [ebd] (mohar; i.e., price paid for a wife, Gen. 34:12; Ex. 22:17; 1 Sam. 18:25), a nuptial present; some gift, as a sum of money, which the bridegroom offers to the father of his bride as a satisfaction before he can receive her. ...
    [isbe] DOWRY - dou'-ri: In all Hebrew marriages, the dowry held an important place. The dowry sealed the betrothal. It took several forms. The bridegroom presented gifts to the bride. There was the mohar, "dowry" as distinguished f...
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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The events recorded in Genesis stretch historically from Creation to Joseph's death, a period of at least 2500 years. The first part of the book (ch. 1-11) is not as easy to date precisely as the second part (ch. 12-50). The ...
  • Genesis provides the historical basis for the rest of the Bible and the Pentateuch, particularly the Abrahamic Covenant. Chapters 1-11 give historical background essential to understanding that covenant, and chapters 12-50 re...
  • The structure of Genesis is very clear. The phrase "the generations of"(toledotin Hebrew, from yaladmeaning "to bear, to generate") occurs ten times (really eleven times since 36:9 repeats 36:1), and in each case it introduce...
  • The Lord destroyed the corrupt, violent human race and deluged its world, but He used righteous Noah to preserve life and establish a new world after the Flood."Noah's experience presents decisively the author's assertion tha...
  • "The Babel account (11:1-9) is not the end of early Genesis. If it were, the story would conclude on the sad note of human failure. But as with earlier events in Genesis 1-11, God's grace once again supersedes human sin, insu...
  • One of the significant changes in the emphasis that occurs at this point in Genesis is from cursing in the primeval record to blessing in the patriarchal narratives. The Abrahamic Covenant is most important in this respect. H...
  • A major theme of the Pentateuch is the partial fulfillment of the promises to the patriarchs. The promises in Genesis 12:1-3 and 7 are the fountainhead from which the rest of the Pentateuch flows.397Walter Kaiser labeled the ...
  • "These verses are of fundamental importance for the theology of Genesis, for they serve to bind together the primeval history and the later patriarchal history and look beyond it to the subsequent history of the nation."414"W...
  • The second crisis Abram faced arose because of a famine in Canaan. Abram chose to sojourn in the Nile Valley until it was past. In this incident Abram tried to pass Sarai off as his sister because he feared for his life. By d...
  • This chapter records how Abram, though threatened with major conflict with Lot because of their herdsmen's strife, magnanimously gave his nephew his choice of what land he wanted. Lot took an area that was very fertile, thoug...
  • Abram asked God to strengthen his faith. In response Yahweh promised to give the patriarch innumerable descendants. This led Abram to request some further assurance that God would indeed do what He promised. God graciously ob...
  • The Lord confirmed His covenant with Abram by commanding him to circumcise all the males in his household. Circumcision thereby became the physical demonstration (sign) of the obedient faith of Abram and his descendants.510Go...
  • Abraham's purchase of a burial site in the Promised Land demonstrated his intention to remain in Canaan rather than going back to his native homeland. Since he was a sojourner in Canaan his friends probably expected him to bu...
  • A new toledotbegins with 25:19. Its theme is "the acquisition of the blessing and its development and protection by the Lord."625Moses set up the whole Jacob narrative in a chiastic structure that emphasizes the fulfillment o...
  • The long account of Jacob's relationship with Laban (chs. 29-31) is the centerpiece of the Jacob story (chs. 25-35). It is a story within a story, and it too has a chiastic structure. At its center is the account of the birth...
  • God formed Jacob's family, the ancestors of the tribes of Israel, as He had promised Jacob at Bethel. Unfortunately Jacob and his wives lived in envy and friction over how God chose to bless them."Jacob had planned to take Ra...
  • Jacob was ready to sacrifice part of his family expecting Esau to attack him, and he approached his brother as though Esau was his lord. In contrast, Esau welcomed Jacob magnanimously, reluctantly received his gift, and offer...
  • After Shechem the Canaanite raped Dinah, Simeon and Levi gained revenge by deceiving the Shechemites into being circumcised as the condition for Dinah's marriage. Then they murdered the incapacitated men of the city."The stor...
  • About 10 years had passed since Jacob had returned from Paddan-aram, and he had not yet returned to Bethel to fulfill his vow there (28:20-22). His negligence evidently was due in part to the continuing presence of the idols ...
  • This chapter seems at first out of place since it interrupts the story of Joseph, but remember that this is the toledotof Jacob. This is the story of what happened to his whole family, not just Joseph. The central problem wit...
  • Chapters 43-45 are a unit describing what happened when Joseph's brothers returned to Egypt. Like chapter 42, which it echoes, it consists of seven scenes arranged palistrophically with the central scene being the arrest of J...
  • Jacob blessed all 12 of his sons and foretold what would become of each of them and their descendants. He disqualified Reuben, Simeon, and Levi from leadership and gave that blessing to Judah. He granted the double portion to...
  • Aalders, Gerhard Charles. Genesis. The Bible Student's Commentary series. 2 vols. Translated by William Heynen. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981.Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas...
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • 105:7-11 God remembered His people (v. 7, cf. v. 42) so His people should remember Him (v. 5). God had been faithful to the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 12:1-3, 7; 15:18-21; 22:15-18; 28:13-15). He made this covenant with Abraham...
  • 1:4 The prophet now began speaking to his readers and telling them what the Lord had said to him. Throughout this book, an indication that the Lord had told Jeremiah something is often the sign of a new pericope, as here (cf....
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