25 And it came to pass on the third H7992 day, H3117 when they were sore, H3510 that two H8147 of the sons H1121 of Jacob, H3290 Simeon H8095 and Levi, H3878 Dinah's H1783 brethren, H251 took H3947 each man H376 his sword, H2719 and came H935 upon the city H5892 boldly, H983 and slew H2026 all the males. H2145
Simeon H8095 and Levi H3878 are brethren; H251 instruments H3627 of cruelty H2555 are in their habitations. H4380 O my soul, H5315 come H935 not thou into their secret; H5475 unto their assembly, H6951 mine honour, H3519 be not thou united: H3161 for in their anger H639 they slew H2026 a man, H376 and in their selfwill H7522 they digged down H6131 a wall. H7794 Cursed H779 be their anger, H639 for it was fierce; H5794 and their wrath, H5678 for it was cruel: H7185 I will divide H2505 them in Jacob, H3290 and scatter H6327 them in Israel. H3478
And she conceived H2029 again, and bare H3205 a son; H1121 and said, H559 Because the LORD H3068 hath heard H8085 that I was hated, H8130 he hath therefore given H5414 me this son also: and she called H7121 his name H8034 Simeon. H8095 And she conceived again, H2029 and bare H3205 a son; H1121 and said, H559 Now this time H6471 will my husband H376 be joined H3867 unto me, because I have born H3205 him three H7969 sons: H1121 therefore was his name H8034 called H7121 Levi. H3878
Now therefore kill H2026 every male H2145 among the little ones, H2945 and kill H2026 every woman H802 that hath known H3045 man H376 by lying H4904 with him. H2145
For the children H1121 of Israel H3478 walked H1980 forty H705 years H8141 in the wilderness, H4057 till all the people H1471 that were men H582 of war, H4421 which came out H3318 of Egypt, H4714 were consumed, H8552 because they obeyed H8085 not the voice H6963 of the LORD: H3068 unto whom the LORD H3068 sware H7650 that he would not shew H7200 them the land, H776 which the LORD H3068 sware H7650 unto their fathers H1 that he would give H5414 us, a land H776 that floweth H2100 with milk H2461 and honey. H1706
But Hezekiah H3169 rendered not again H7725 according to the benefit H1576 done unto him; for his heart H3820 was lifted up: H1361 therefore there was wrath H7110 upon him, and upon Judah H3063 and Jerusalem. H3389
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Genesis 34
Commentary on Genesis 34 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 34
At this chapter begins the story of Jacob's afflictions in his children, which were very great, and are recorded to show,
Gen 34:1-5
Dinah was, for aught that appears, Jacob's only daughter, and we may suppose her therefore the mother's fondling and the darling of the family, and yet she proves neither a joy nor a credit to them; for those children seldom prove either the best or the happiest that are most indulged. She is reckoned now but fifteen or sixteen years of age when she here occasioned so much mischief. Observe,
Gen 34:6-17
Jacob's sons, when they heard of the injury done to Dinah, showed a very great resentment of it, influenced perhaps rather by jealousy for the honour of their family than by a sense of virtue. Many are concerned at the shamefulness of sin that never lay to heart the sinfulness of it. It is here called folly in Israel (v. 7), according to the language of after-times; for Israel was not yet a people, but a family only. Note,
Hamor came to treat with Jacob himself, but he turns him over to his sons; and here we have a particular account of the treaty, in which, it is a shame to say, the Canaanites were more honest than the Israelites.
Gen 34:18-24
Here,
Gen 34:25-31
Here, we have Simeon and Levi, two of Jacob's sons, young men not much above twenty years old, cutting the throats of the Shechemites, and thereby breaking the heart of their good father.