Genesis 34:1-31

Dinah and the Shechemites

34:1 Now Dinah, Leah’s daughter whom she bore to Jacob, went to meet ¹  the young women ²  of the land. 34:2 When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, who ruled that area, saw her, he grabbed her, forced himself on her, ³  and sexually assaulted her. ⁴  34:3 Then he became very attached ⁵  to Dinah, Jacob’s daughter. He fell in love with the young woman and spoke romantically to her. ⁶  34:4 Shechem said to his father Hamor, “Acquire this young girl as my wife.” ⁷  34:5 When ⁸  Jacob heard that Shechem ⁹  had violated his daughter Dinah, his sons were with the livestock in the field. So Jacob remained silent ¹⁰  until they came in.

34:6 Then Shechem’s father Hamor went to speak with Jacob about Dinah. ¹¹  34:7 Now Jacob’s sons had come in from the field when they heard the news. ¹²  They ¹³  were offended ¹⁴  and very angry because Shechem ¹⁵  had disgraced Israel ¹⁶  by sexually assaulting ¹⁷  Jacob’s daughter, a crime that should not be committed. ¹⁸ 

34:8 But Hamor made this appeal to them: “My son Shechem is in love with your daughter. ¹⁹  Please give her to him as his wife. 34:9 Intermarry with us. ²⁰  Let us marry your daughters, and take our daughters as wives for yourselves. ²¹  34:10 You may live ²²  among us, and the land will be open to you. ²³  Live in it, travel freely in it, ²⁴  and acquire property in it.”

34:11 Then Shechem said to Dinah’s ²⁵  father and brothers, “Let me find favor in your sight, and whatever you require of me ²⁶  I’ll give. ²⁷  34:12 You can make the bride price and the gift I must bring very expensive, ²⁸  and I’ll give ²⁹  whatever you ask ³⁰  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 ³¹  had violated their sister Dinah. 34:14 They said to them, “We cannot give ³²  our sister to a man who is not circumcised, for it would be a disgrace ³³  to us. 34:15 We will give you our consent on this one condition: You must become ³⁴  like us by circumcising ³⁵  all your males. 34:16 Then we will give ³⁶  you our daughters to marry, ³⁷  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 ³⁸  by being circumcised, then we will take ³⁹  our sister ⁴⁰  and depart.”

34:18 Their offer pleased Hamor and his son Shechem. ⁴¹  34:19 The young man did not delay in doing what they asked ⁴²  because he wanted Jacob’s daughter Dinah ⁴³  badly. (Now he was more important ⁴⁴  than anyone in his father’s household.) ⁴⁵  34:20 So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate ⁴⁶  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 ⁴⁷  for them. We will take their daughters for wives, and we will give them our daughters to marry. ⁴⁸  34:22 Only on this one condition will these men consent to live with us and become one people: They demand ⁴⁹  that every male among us be circumcised just as they are circumcised. 34:23 If we do so, ⁵⁰  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 ⁵¹  agreed with ⁵²  Hamor and his son Shechem. Every male who assembled at the city gate ⁵³  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 ⁵⁴  and went to the unsuspecting city ⁵⁵  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 ⁵⁶  and looted the city because their sister had been violated. ⁵⁷  34:28 They took their flocks, herds, and donkeys, as well as everything in the city and in the surrounding fields. ⁵⁸  34:29 They captured as plunder ⁵⁹  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 ⁶⁰  on me by making me a foul odor ⁶¹  among the inhabitants of the land – among the Canaanites and the Perizzites. I ⁶²  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, ⁶³  “Should he treat our sister like a common prostitute?”

Genesis 34:13

34:13 Jacob’s sons answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully when they spoke because Shechem ⁶⁴  had violated their sister Dinah.

Numbers 14:6

14:6 And Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, two of those who had investigated the land, tore their garments.

Jude 1:1-2

Salutation

1:1 From Jude, ⁶⁵  a slave ⁶⁶  of Jesus Christ and brother of James, ⁶⁷  to those who are called, wrapped in the love of ⁶⁸  God the Father and kept for ⁶⁹  Jesus Christ. 1:2 May mercy, peace, and love be lavished on you! ⁷⁰ 

Jude 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From Jude, ⁷¹  a slave ⁷²  of Jesus Christ and brother of James, ⁷³  to those who are called, wrapped in the love of ⁷⁴  God the Father and kept for ⁷⁵  Jesus Christ.

Job 1:20

1:20 Then Job got up ⁷⁶  and tore his robe. ⁷⁷  He shaved his head, ⁷⁸  and then he threw himself down with his face to the ground. ⁷⁹ 

Joel 2:13

2:13 Return to the Lord your God,

for he is merciful and compassionate,

slow to anger and boundless in loyal love ⁸⁰  – often relenting from calamitous punishment. ⁸¹ 

Acts 14:14

14:14 But when the apostles ⁸²  Barnabas and Paul heard about ⁸³  it, they tore ⁸⁴  their clothes and rushed out ⁸⁵  into the crowd, shouting, ⁸⁶ 

[34:1]  ¹ tn Heb “went out to see.” The verb “to see,” followed by the preposition בְּ (bÿ), here has the idea of “look over.” The young girl wanted to meet these women and see what they were like.

[34:1]  ² tn Heb “daughters.”

[34:2]  ³ tn Heb “and he took her and lay with her.” The suffixed form following the verb appears to be the sign of the accusative instead of the preposition, but see BDB 1012 s.v. שָׁכַב.

[34:2]  ⁴ tn The verb עָנָה (’anah) in the Piel stem can have various shades of meaning, depending on the context: “to defile; to mistreat; to violate; to rape; to shame; to afflict.” Here it means that Shechem violated or humiliated Dinah by raping her.

[34:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “his soul stuck to [or “joined with”],” meaning Shechem became very attached to Dinah emotionally.

[34:3]  ⁶ tn Heb “and he spoke to the heart of the young woman,” which apparently refers in this context to tender, romantic speech (Hos 2:14). Another option is to translate the expression “he reassured the young woman” (see Judg 19:3, 2 Sam 19:7; cf. NEB “comforted her”).

[34:4]  ⁷ tn Heb “Take for me this young woman for a wife.”

[34:5]  ⁸ tn The two disjunctive clauses in this verse (“Now Jacob heard…and his sons were”) are juxtaposed to indicate synchronic action.

[34:5]  ⁹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Shechem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[34:5]  ¹⁰ sn The expected response would be anger or rage; but Jacob remained silent. He appears too indifferent or confused to act decisively. When the leader does not act decisively, the younger zealots will, and often with disastrous results.

[34:6]  ¹¹ tn Heb “went out to Jacob to speak with him.” The words “about Dinah” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[34:7]  ¹² tn Heb “when they heard.” The words “the news” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[34:7]  ¹³ tn Heb “the men.” This sounds as if a new group has been introduced into the narrative, so it has been translated as “they” to indicate that it refers to Jacob’s sons, mentioned in the first part of the verse.

[34:7]  ¹⁴ tn The Hebrew verb עָצַב (’atsav) can carry one of three semantic nuances depending on the context: (1) “to be injured” (Ps 56:5; Eccl 10:9; 1 Chr 4:10); (2) “to experience emotional pain; to be depressed emotionally; to be worried” (2 Sam 19:2; Isa 54:6; Neh 8:10-11); (3) “to be embarrassed; to be insulted; to be offended” (to the point of anger at another or oneself; Gen 6:6; 45:5; 1 Sam 20:3, 34; 1 Kgs 1:6; Isa 63:10; Ps 78:40). This third category develops from the second by metonymy. In certain contexts emotional pain leads to embarrassment and/or anger. In this last use the subject sometimes directs his anger against the source of grief (see especially Gen 6:6). The third category fits best in Gen 34:7 because Jacob’s sons were not merely wounded emotionally. On the contrary, Shechem’s action prompted them to strike out in judgment against the source of their distress.

[34:7]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Shechem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[34:7]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “a disgraceful thing he did against Israel.”

[34:7]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “by lying with the daughter of Jacob.” The infinitive here explains the preceding verb, indicating exactly how he had disgraced Jacob. The expression “to lie with” is a euphemism for sexual relations, or in this case, sexual assault.

[34:7]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “and so it should not be done.” The negated imperfect has an obligatory nuance here, but there is also a generalizing tone. The narrator emphasizes that this particular type of crime (sexual assault) is especially reprehensible.

[34:8]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “Shechem my son, his soul is attached to your daughter.” The verb means “to love” in the sense of being emotionally attached to or drawn to someone. This is a slightly different way of saying what was reported earlier (v. 3). However, there is no mention here of the offense. Even though Hamor is speaking to Dinah’s brothers, he refers to her as their daughter (see v. 17).

[34:9]  ²⁰ tn Heb “form marriage alliances with us.”

[34:9]  ²¹ tn Heb “Give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves.” In the translation the words “let…marry” and “as wives” are supplied for clarity.

[34:10]  ²² tn The imperfect verbal form has a permissive nuance here.

[34:10]  ²³ tn Heb “before you.”

[34:10]  ²⁴ tn The verb seems to carry the basic meaning “travel about freely,” although the substantival participial form refers to a trader (see E. A. Speiser, “The Verb sh£r in Genesis and Early Hebrew Movements,” BASOR 164 [1961]: 23-28); cf. NIV, NRSV “trade in it.”

[34:11]  ²⁵ tn Heb “her”; the referent (Dinah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[34:11]  ²⁶ tn Heb “whatever you say.”

[34:11]  ²⁷ tn Or “pay.”

[34:12]  ²⁸ tn Heb “Make very great upon me the bride price and gift.” The imperatives are used in a rhetorical manner. Shechem’s point is that he will pay the price, no matter how expensive it might be.

[34:12]  ²⁹ tn The cohortative expresses Shechem’s resolve to have Dinah as his wife.

[34:12]  ³⁰ tn Heb “say.”

[34:13]  ³¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Shechem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[34:14]  ³² tn Heb “we are not able to do this thing, to give.” The second infinitive is in apposition to the first, explaining what they are not able to do.

[34:14]  ³³ tn The Hebrew word translated “disgrace” usually means “ridicule; taunt; reproach.” It can also refer to the reason the condition of shame or disgrace causes ridicule or a reproach.

[34:15]  ³⁴ tn Heb “if you are like us.”

[34:15]  ³⁵ tn The infinitive here explains how they would become like them.

[34:16]  ³⁶ tn The perfect verbal form with the vav (ו) consecutive introduces the apodosis of the conditional sentence.

[34:16]  ³⁷ tn The words “to marry” (and the words “as wives” in the following clause) are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[34:17]  ³⁸ tn Heb “listen to us.”

[34:17]  ³⁹ tn The perfect verbal form with the vav (ו) consecutive introduces the apodosis of the conditional sentence.

[34:17]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “daughter.” Jacob’s sons call Dinah their daughter, even though she was their sister (see v. 8). This has been translated as “sister” for clarity.

[34:18]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “and their words were good in the eyes of Hamor and in the eyes of Shechem son of Hamor.”

[34:19]  ⁴² tn Heb “doing the thing.”

[34:19]  ⁴³ tn Heb “Jacob’s daughter.” The proper name “Dinah” is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[34:19]  ⁴⁴ tn The Hebrew verb כָּבֵד (kaved), translated “was…important,” has the primary meaning “to be heavy,” but here carries a secondary sense of “to be important” (that is, “heavy” in honor or respect).

[34:19]  ⁴⁵ tn The parenthetical disjunctive clause explains why the community would respond to him (see vv. 20-24).

[34:20]  ⁴⁶ sn The gate. In an ancient Near Eastern city the gate complex was the location for conducting important public business.

[34:21]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “wide on both hands,” that is, in both directions.

[34:21]  ⁴⁸ tn The words “to marry” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[34:22]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “when every one of our males is circumcised.”

[34:23]  ⁵⁰ tn The words “If we do so” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

[34:24]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “all those going out the gate of his city.”

[34:24]  ⁵² tn Heb “listened to.”

[34:24]  ⁵³ tn Heb “all those going out the gate of his city.”

[34:25]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “a man his sword.”

[34:25]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “and they came upon the city, [which was] secure.” In this case “secure” means the city was caught unprepared and at peace, not expecting an attack.

[34:27]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “came upon the slain.” Because of this statement the preceding phrase “Jacob’s sons” is frequently taken to mean the other sons of Jacob besides Simeon and Levi, but the text does not clearly affirm this.

[34:27]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “because they violated their sister.” The plural verb is active in form, but with no expressed subject, it may be translated passive.

[34:28]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “and what was in the city and what was in the field they took.”

[34:29]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “they took captive and they plundered,” that is, “they captured as plunder.”

[34:30]  ⁶⁰ tn The traditional translation is “troubled me” (KJV, ASV), but the verb refers to personal or national disaster and suggests complete ruin (see Josh 7:25, Judg 11:35, Prov 11:17). The remainder of the verse describes the “trouble” Simeon and Levi had caused.

[34:30]  ⁶¹ tn In the causative stem the Hebrew verb בָּאַשׁ (ba’ash) means “to cause to stink, to have a foul smell.” In the contexts in which it is used it describes foul smells, stenches, or things that are odious. Jacob senses that the people in the land will find this act terribly repulsive. See P. R. Ackroyd, “The Hebrew Root באשׁ,” JTS 2 (1951): 31-36.

[34:30]  ⁶² tn Jacob speaks in the first person as the head and representative of the entire family.

[34:31]  ⁶³ tn Heb “but they said.” The referent of “they” (Simeon and Levi) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[34:13]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Shechem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:1]  ⁶⁵ tn Grk “Judas,” traditionally “Jude” in English versions to distinguish him from the one who betrayed Jesus. The word “From” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

[1:1]  ⁶⁶ tn Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). At the same time, perhaps “servant” is apt in that the δοῦλος of Jesus Christ took on that role voluntarily, unlike a slave. The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

[1:1]  ⁶⁷ sn Although Jude was half-brother of Jesus, he humbly associates himself with James, his full brother. By first calling himself a slave of Jesus Christ, it is evident that he wants no one to place stock in his physical connections. At the same time, he must identify himself further: Since Jude was a common name in the 1st century (two of Jesus’ disciples were so named, including his betrayer), more information was needed, that is to say, brother of James.

[1:1]  ⁶⁸ tn Grk “loved in.” The perfect passive participle suggests that the audience’s relationship to God is not recent; the preposition ἐν (en) before πατρί (patri) could be taken as sphere or instrument (agency is unlikely, however). Another possible translation would be “dear to God.”

[1:1]  ⁶⁹ tn Or “by.” Datives of agency are quite rare in the NT (and other ancient Greek), almost always found with a perfect verb. Although this text qualifies, in light of the well-worn idiom of τηρέω (threw) in eschatological contexts, in which God or Christ keeps the believer safe until the parousia (cf. 1 Thess 5:23; 1 Pet 1:4; Rev 3:10; other terms meaning “to guard,” “to keep” are also found in similar eschatological contexts [cf. 2 Thess 3:3; 2 Tim 1:12; 1 Pet 1:5; Jude 24]), it is probably better to understand this verse as having such an eschatological tinge. It is at the same time possible that Jude’s language was intentionally ambiguous, implying both ideas (“kept by Jesus Christ [so that they might be] kept for Jesus Christ”). Elsewhere he displays a certain fondness for wordplays; this may be a hint of things to come.

[1:2]  ⁷⁰ tn Grk “may mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you.”

[1:1]  ⁷¹ tn Grk “Judas,” traditionally “Jude” in English versions to distinguish him from the one who betrayed Jesus. The word “From” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

[1:1]  ⁷² tn Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). At the same time, perhaps “servant” is apt in that the δοῦλος of Jesus Christ took on that role voluntarily, unlike a slave. The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

[1:1]  ⁷³ sn Although Jude was half-brother of Jesus, he humbly associates himself with James, his full brother. By first calling himself a slave of Jesus Christ, it is evident that he wants no one to place stock in his physical connections. At the same time, he must identify himself further: Since Jude was a common name in the 1st century (two of Jesus’ disciples were so named, including his betrayer), more information was needed, that is to say, brother of James.

[1:1]  ⁷⁴ tn Grk “loved in.” The perfect passive participle suggests that the audience’s relationship to God is not recent; the preposition ἐν (en) before πατρί (patri) could be taken as sphere or instrument (agency is unlikely, however). Another possible translation would be “dear to God.”

[1:1]  ⁷⁵ tn Or “by.” Datives of agency are quite rare in the NT (and other ancient Greek), almost always found with a perfect verb. Although this text qualifies, in light of the well-worn idiom of τηρέω (threw) in eschatological contexts, in which God or Christ keeps the believer safe until the parousia (cf. 1 Thess 5:23; 1 Pet 1:4; Rev 3:10; other terms meaning “to guard,” “to keep” are also found in similar eschatological contexts [cf. 2 Thess 3:3; 2 Tim 1:12; 1 Pet 1:5; Jude 24]), it is probably better to understand this verse as having such an eschatological tinge. It is at the same time possible that Jude’s language was intentionally ambiguous, implying both ideas (“kept by Jesus Christ [so that they might be] kept for Jesus Christ”). Elsewhere he displays a certain fondness for wordplays; this may be a hint of things to come.

[1:20]  ⁷⁶ tn The verb וַיָּקָם (vayyaqom, “and he arose”) indicates the intentionality and the rapidity of the actions to follow. It signals the beginning of his response to the terrible news. Therefore, the sentence could be translated, “Then Job immediately began to tear his robe.”

[1:20]  ⁷⁷ sn It was the custom to tear the robe in a time of mourning, to indicate that the heart was torn (Joel 2:13). The “garment, mantel” here is the outer garment frequently worn over the basic tunic. See further D. R. Ap-Thomas, “Notes on Some Terms Relating to Prayer,” VT 6 (1956): 220-24.

[1:20]  ⁷⁸ sn In mourning one normally put off every adornment that enhanced or embellished the person, including that which nature provided (Jer 7:29; Mic 1:16).

[1:20]  ⁷⁹ tn This last verb is the Hishtaphel of the word חָוָה (khavah; BDB 1005 s.v. שָׁחָה); it means “to prostrate oneself, to cause oneself to be low to the ground.” In the OT it is frequently translated “to worship” because that is usually why the individual would kneel down and then put his or her forehead to the ground at the knees. But the word essentially means “to bow down to the ground.” Here “worship” (although employed by several English translations, cf. KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, CEV) conveys more than what is taking place – although Job’s response is certainly worshipful. See G. I. Davies, “A Note on the Etymology of histah^awah,” VT 29 (1979): 493-95; and J. A. Emerton, “The Etymology of histah^awah,” OTS (1977): 41-55.

[2:13]  ⁸⁰ tn Heb “and great of loyal love.”

[2:13]  ⁸¹ tn Heb “and he relents from calamity.”

[14:14]  ⁸² sn The apostles Barnabas and Paul. This is one of only two places where Luke calls Paul an apostle, and the description here is shared with Barnabas. This is a nontechnical use here, referring to a commissioned messenger.

[14:14]  ⁸³ tn The participle ἀκούσαντες (akousante") is taken temporally.

[14:14]  ⁸⁴ tn Grk “tearing their clothes they rushed out.” The participle διαρρήξαντες (diarrhxante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. This action is a Jewish response to blasphemy (m. Sanhedrin 7.5; Jdt 14:16-17).

[14:14]  ⁸⁵ tn So BDAG 307 s.v. ἐκπηδάω 1, “rush (lit. ‘leap’) out…εἰς τὸν ὄχλον into the crowd Ac 14:14.”

[14:14]  ⁸⁶ tn Grk “shouting and saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes, in v. 15) has not been translated because it is redundant.