7 And the sons H1121 of Jacob H3290 came H935 out of the field H7704 when they heard H8085 it: and the men H582 were grieved, H6087 and they were very H3966 wroth, H2734 because he had wrought H6213 folly H5039 in Israel H3478 in lying H7901 with Jacob's H3290 daughter; H1323 which thing ought not to be done. H6213
And I took H270 my concubine, H6370 and cut her in pieces, H5408 and sent H7971 her throughout all the country H7704 of the inheritance H5159 of Israel: H3478 for they have committed H6213 lewdness H2154 and folly H5039 in Israel. H3478
And it shall be, that he that is taken H3920 with the accursed thing H2764 shall be burnt H8313 with fire, H784 he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed H5674 the covenant H1285 of the LORD, H3068 and because he hath wrought H6213 folly H5039 in Israel. H3478
Then they shall bring out H3318 the damsel H5291 to the door H6607 of her father's H1 house, H1004 and the men H582 of her city H5892 shall stone H5619 her with stones H68 that she die: H4191 because she hath wrought H6213 folly H5039 in Israel, H3478 to play the whore H2181 in her father's H1 house: H1004 so shalt thou put H1197 evil H7451 away H1197 from among H7130 you.
Marriage G1062 is honourable G5093 in G1722 all, G3956 and G2532 the bed G2845 undefiled: G283 but G1161 whoremongers G4205 and G2532 adulterers G3432 God G2316 will judge. G2919
Then Abimelech H40 called H7121 Abraham, H85 and said H559 unto him, What hast thou done H6213 unto us? and what have I offended H2398 thee, that thou hast brought H935 on me and on my kingdom H4467 a great H1419 sin? H2401 thou hast done H6213 deeds H4639 unto me that ought not to be done. H6213
But G1161 ye G5210 are a chosen G1588 generation, G1085 a royal G934 priesthood, G2406 an holy G40 nation, G1484 a peculiar G1519 G4047 people; G2992 that G3704 ye should shew forth G1804 the praises G703 of him who hath called G2564 you G5209 out of G1537 darkness G4655 into G1519 his G846 marvellous G2298 light: G5457
Out of G1537 the same G846 mouth G4750 proceedeth G1831 blessing G2129 and G2532 cursing. G2671 My G3450 brethren, G80 these things G5023 ought G5534 not G3756 so G3779 to be. G1096
Mortify G3499 therefore G3767 your G5216 members G3196 which G3588 are upon G1909 the earth; G1093 fornication, G4202 uncleanness, G167 inordinate affection, G3806 evil G2556 concupiscence, G1939 and G2532 covetousness, G4124 which G3748 is G2076 idolatry: G1495
His sons, H1121 and his sons' H1121 sons H1121 with him, his daughters, H1323 and his sons' H1121 daughters, H1323 and all his seed H2233 brought he H935 with him into Egypt. H4714
But when king H4428 David H1732 heard H8085 of all these things, H1697 he was very H3966 wroth. H2734
And she answered H559 him, Nay, my brother, H251 do not force H6031 me; for no such thing ought H3651 to be done H6213 in Israel: H3478 do H6213 not thou this folly. H5039 And I, whither shall I cause my shame H2781 to go? H3212 and as for thee, thou shalt be as one H259 of the fools H5036 in Israel. H3478 Now therefore, I pray thee, speak H1696 unto the king; H4428 for he will not withhold H4513 me from thee.
Now as they were making their hearts H3820 merry, H3190 behold, the men H582 of the city, H5892 certain H582 sons H1121 of Belial, H1100 beset H5437 the house H1004 round about, H5437 and beat H1849 at the door, H1817 and spake H559 to the master H1167 of the house, H1004 the old H2205 man, H376 saying, H559 Bring forth H3318 the man H376 that came H935 into thine house, H1004 that we may know H3045 him. And the man, H376 the master H1167 of the house, H1004 went out H3318 unto them, and said H559 unto them, Nay, H408 my brethren, H251 nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly; H7489 seeing H310 that this man H376 is come H935 into mine house, H1004 do H6213 not this folly. H5039 Behold, here is my daughter H1323 a maiden, H1330 and his concubine; H6370 them I will bring out H3318 now, and humble H6031 ye them, and do H6213 with them what seemeth H5869 good H2896 unto you: but unto this man H376 do H6213 not so H2063 vile H5039 a thing. H1697 But the men H582 would H14 not hearken H8085 to him: so the man H376 took H2388 his concubine, H6370 and brought H3318 her forth H2351 unto them; and they knew H3045 her, and abused H5953 her all the night H3915 until the morning: H1242 and when the day H7837 began to spring, H5927 they let her go. H7971
There shall be no whore H6948 of the daughters H1323 of Israel, H3478 nor a sodomite H6945 of the sons H1121 of Israel. H3478
And if any H259 one H5315 of the common H776 people H5971 sin H2398 through ignorance, H7684 while he doeth H6213 somewhat against any H259 of the commandments H4687 of the LORD H3068 concerning things which ought not to be done, H6213 and be guilty; H816
And if the whole congregation H5712 of Israel H3478 sin through ignorance, H7686 and the thing H1697 be hid H5956 from the eyes H5869 of the assembly, H6951 and they have done H6213 somewhat against any H259 of the commandments H4687 of the LORD H3068 concerning things which should not be done, H6213 and are guilty; H816
Speak H1696 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 saying, H559 If a soul H5315 shall sin H2398 through ignorance H7684 against any of the commandments H4687 of the LORD H3068 concerning things which ought not to be done, H6213 and shall do H6213 against any H259 of them: H2007
Now therefore, if ye will obey H8085 my voice H6963 indeed, H8085 and keep H8104 my covenant, H1285 then ye shall be a peculiar treasure H5459 unto me above all people: H5971 for all the earth H776 is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom H4467 of priests, H3548 and an holy H6918 nation. H1471 These are the words H1697 which thou shalt speak H1696 unto the children H1121 of Israel. H3478
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.