13 And the sons H1121 of Jacob H3290 answered H6030 Shechem H7927 and Hamor H2544 his father H1 deceitfully, H4820 and said, H1696 because he had defiled H2930 Dinah H1783 their sister: H269
And the boys H5288 grew: H1431 and Esau H6215 was a cunning H3045 hunter, H6718 a man H376 of the field; H7704 and Jacob H3290 was a plain H8535 man, H376 dwelling H3427 in tents. H168 And Isaac H3327 loved H157 Esau, H6215 because he did eat H6310 of his venison: H6718 but Rebekah H7259 loved H157 Jacob. H3290 And Jacob H3290 sod H2102 pottage: H5138 and Esau H6215 came H935 from the field, H7704 and he was faint: H5889 And Esau H6215 said H559 to Jacob, H3290 Feed H3938 me, I pray thee, with H4480 that same H122 red H122 pottage; for I am faint: H5889 therefore was his name H8034 called H7121 Edom. H123 And Jacob H3290 said, H559 Sell H4376 me this day H3117 thy birthright. H1062 And Esau H6215 said, H559 Behold, I am at the point H1980 to die: H4191 and what profit shall this birthright H1062 do to me? And Jacob H3290 said, H559 Swear H7650 to me this day; H3117 and he sware H7650 unto him: and he sold H4376 his birthright H1062 unto Jacob. H3290 Then Jacob H3290 gave H5414 Esau H6215 bread H3899 and pottage H5138 of lentiles; H5742 and he did eat H398 and drink, H8354 and rose up, H6965 and went his way: H3212 thus Esau H6215 despised H959 his birthright. H1062
And Samson H8123 said H559 concerning them, Now H6471 shall I be more blameless H5352 than the Philistines, H6430 though I do H6213 them a displeasure. H7451
And it came to pass after two full H3117 years, H8141 that Absalom H53 had sheepshearers H1494 in Baalhazor, H1178 which is beside Ephraim: H669 and Absalom H53 invited H7121 all the king's H4428 sons. H1121 And Absalom H53 came H935 to the king, H4428 and said, H559 Behold now, thy servant H5650 hath sheepshearers; H1494 let H3212 the king, H4428 I beseech thee, and his servants H5650 go H3212 with thy servant. H5650 And the king H4428 said H559 to Absalom, H53 Nay, my son, H1121 let us not all now go, H3212 lest we be chargeable H3513 unto thee. And he pressed H6555 him: howbeit he would H14 not go, H3212 but blessed H1288 him. Then said H559 Absalom, H53 If not, I pray thee, let my brother H251 Amnon H550 go H3212 with us. And the king H4428 said H559 unto him, Why should he go H3212 with thee? But Absalom H53 pressed H6555 him, that he let Amnon H550 and all the king's H4428 sons H1121 go H7971 with him. Now Absalom H53 had commanded H6680 his servants, H5288 saying, H559 Mark H7200 ye now when Amnon's H550 heart H3820 is merry H2896 with wine, H3196 and when I say H559 unto you, Smite H5221 Amnon; H550 then kill H4191 him, fear H3372 not: have not I commanded H6680 you? be courageous, H2388 and be valiant. H1121 H2428 And the servants H5288 of Absalom H53 did H6213 unto Amnon H550 as Absalom H53 had commanded. H6680 Then all the king's H4428 sons H1121 arose, H6965 and every man H376 gat him up H7392 upon his mule, H6505 and fled. H5127
But H199 ye are forgers H2950 of lies, H8267 ye are all physicians H7495 of no value. H457
The wicked H7451 is snared H4170 by the transgression H6588 of his lips: H8193 but the just H6662 shall come out H3318 of trouble. H6869
There is H3426 that speaketh H981 like the piercings H4094 of a sword: H2719 but the tongue H3956 of the wise H2450 is health. H4832 The lip H8193 of truth H571 shall be established H3559 for ever: H5703 but a lying H8267 tongue H3956 is but for a moment. H7280 Deceit H4820 is in the heart H3820 of them that imagine H2790 evil: H7451 but to the counsellors H3289 of peace H7965 is joy. H8057
He that hateth H8130 dissembleth H5234 with his lips, H8193 and layeth up H7896 deceit H4820 within H7130 him; When he speaketh H6963 fair, H2603 believe H539 him not: for there are seven H7651 abominations H8441 in his heart. H3820 Whose hatred H8135 is covered H3680 by deceit, H4860 his wickedness H7451 shall be shewed H1540 before the whole congregation. H6951
Saying, G3004 Say ye, G2036 G3754 His G846 disciples G3101 came G2064 by night, G3571 and stole G2813 him G846 away while we G2257 slept. G2837
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 34
Commentary on Genesis 34 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 34
Ge 34:1-31. The Dishonor of Dinah.
1-4. Though freed from foreign troubles, Jacob met with a great domestic calamity in the fall of his only daughter. According to Josephus, she had been attending a festival; but it is highly probable that she had been often and freely mixing in the society of the place and that she, being a simple, inexperienced, and vain young woman, had been flattered by the attentions of the ruler's son. There must have been time and opportunities of acquaintance to produce the strong attachment that Shechem had for her.
5. Jacob held his peace—Jacob, as a father and a good man, must have been deeply distressed. But he could do little. In the case of a family by different wives, it is not the father, but the full brothers, on whom the protection of the daughters devolves—they are the guardians of a sister's welfare and the avengers of her wrongs. It was for this reason that Simeon and Levi, the two brothers of Dinah by Leah [Ge 34:25], appear the chief actors in this episode; and though the two fathers would have probably brought about an amicable arrangement of the affair, the hasty arrival of these enraged brothers introduced a new element into the negotiations.
6. Hamor—that is, "ass"; and it is a striking proof of the very different ideas which, in the East, are associated with that animal, which there appears sprightly, well proportioned, and of great activity. This chief is called Emmor (Ac 7:16).
7. the men were grieved, and … very wroth—Good men in such a case could not but grieve; but it would have been well if their anger had been less, or that they had known the precept "let not the sun go down upon your wrath" [Eph 4:26]. No injury can justify revenge (De 32:35; Ro 12:9); but Jacob's sons planned a scheme of revenge in the most deceitful manner.
8-10. Hamor communed with them—The prince and his son seem at first sight to have acted honestly, and our feelings are enlisted on their side. They betray no jealousy of the powerful shepherds; on the contrary, they show every desire to establish friendly intercourse. But their conduct was unjustifiable in neither expressing regret nor restoring Dinah to her family; and this great error was the true cause of the negotiations ending in so unhappy a manner.
11. Shechem said unto her father … and brethren—The consideration of the proposal for marriage belonged to Jacob, and he certainly showed great weakness in yielding so much to the fiery impetuosity of his sons. The sequel shows the unhappy consequences of that concession.
12. Ask me never so much dowry and gift—The gift refers to the presents made at betrothal, both to the bride elect and her relations (compare Ge 24:53), the dowry to a suitable settlement upon her.
13. The sons of Jacob answered—The honor of their family consisted in having the sign of the covenant. Circumcision was the external rite by which persons were admitted members of the ancient Church. But that outward rite could not make the Shechemites true Israelites; and yet it does not appear that Jacob's sons required anything more. Nothing is said of their teaching the people to worship the true God, but only of their insisting on their being circumcised; and it is evident that they did not seek to convert Shechem, but only made a show of religion—a cloak to cover their diabolical design. Hypocrisy and deceit, in all cases vicious, are infinitely more so when accompanied with a show of religion; and here the sons of Jacob, under the pretense of conscientious scruples, conceal a scheme of treachery as cruel and diabolical as was, perhaps, ever perpetrated.
20. Hamor and Shechem … came unto the gate of their city—That was the place where every public communication was made; and in the ready obsequious submission of the people to this measure we see an evidence either of the extraordinary affection for the governing family, or of the abject despotism of the East, where the will of a chief is an absolute command.
30. Jacob said … Ye have troubled me—This atrocious outrage perpetrated on the defenseless citizens and their families made the cup of Jacob's affliction overflow. We may wonder that, in speaking of it to his sons, he did not represent it as a heinous sin, an atrocious violation of the laws of God and man, but dwelt solely on the present consequences. It was probably because that was the only view likely to rouse the cold-blooded apathy, the hardened consciences of those ruffian sons. Nothing but the restraining power of God saved him and his family from the united vengeance of the people (compare Ge 35:5). All his sons had not been engaged in the massacre. Joseph was a boy, Benjamin not yet born, and the other eight not concerned in it. Simeon and Levi alone, with their retainers, had been the guilty actors in the bloody tragedy. But the Canaanites would not be discriminating in their vengeance; and if all the Shechemites were put to death for the offense of their chief's son, what wonder if the natives should extend their hatred to all the family of Jacob; and who probably equalled, in number, the inhabitants of that village.