Genesis 33:19

the parcel of ground or "the portion of the field." Lat. partem agri. For "parcel," Fr. "parcelle," from Lat. particula, see Joshua 24:32; Ruth 4:3. Cf. "Many a thousand, Which now mistrust no parcel of my fear" (Shakespeare, 3 Hen. VI, Genesis 33:6).

his tent Jacob has resumed dwelling in tents, see Genesis 33:17.

the children of Hamor, Shechem's father This apparently means the people of the tribe of Hamor; and Hamor was the founder, or chieftain, of the city of Shechem. The confusion between the "sons of Hamor, Shechem's father," and "Shechem the son of Hamor," in Genesis 34:2, caused LXX in this verse to omit "sons of."

LXX, by rendering Συχέμ for the name of the man, and Σίκιμα (cf. Genesis 12:6) for the name of the city, draws a distinction which it is not always possible to observe in English.

pieces of money Heb. kesitah. Apparently a ḳesitahwas a piece of metal used for money; elsewhere it is mentioned only in Joshua 24:32; Job 42:11. Whether it denotes a small coin, or an ingot, cannot be determined. The versions, LXX, Lat. and Targ. Onkelos, render "lambs 1 [53]

[53] LXX (ἑκατὸν ἀμνῶν = "a hundred lambs") "vel agnos ipsosintellegere potuerunt, vel nummos agnorum imagine signatos." Schleusner, Lex. Vet. Test., s.v.ἀμνός."

: Targ. Jon. and Jerus., "pearls."

The purchase of this plot of ground was historically important. It was the burial-place of the bones of Joseph (cf. Joshua 24:32; Acts 7:16). The possession of such small pieces of territory (cf. the purchase of Machpelah ch. 23) constituted no claim for the possession of the country: the patriarchs were "strangers and sojourners," Genesis 23:4.