CHAPTER XXXIV. Dinah, _the daughter of Jacob and Leah, going out to_ _see the daughters of the land, is ravished by Shechem_, _the son of Hamor_, 1, 2. _He entreats his father to get her for him to wife_, 3. _Jacob and his sons hear of the indignity offered to Dinah_, 5-7. _Hamor proposes the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 34:2. _PRINCE OF THE COUNTRY_] i.e., Hamor was prince; Shechem was the son of the prince or chief. Our version appears to represent Shechem as _prince_, but his father was the chief of the country. See Genesis 34:6; Genesis 34:8, c.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 34:3. _SPAKE KINDLY UNTO THE DAMSEL._] Literally, _he spake to_ _the heart of the damsel _- endeavoured to gain her affections, and to reconcile her to her disgrace. It appears sufficiently evident from this and the preceding verse that there had been no _consent_ on the part of Dinah,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 34:7. _HE HAD WROUGHT FOLLY IN ISRAEL_] The land, afterwards generally called _Israel_, was not as yet so named; and the sons of Jacob were neither called _Israel, Israelites_ nor _Jews_, till long after this. How then can it be said that Shechem had _wrought_ _folly in Israel_? The wo... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 34:12. _ASK ME NEVER SO MUCH DOWRY_] Genesis 29:20, Genesis 29:20, c. See the law relative to this, Exodus 22:16-2.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 34:13. _ANSWERED - DECEITFULLY_] Which nothing could excuse; yet, to show that they had had much provocation, it is immediately subjoined וידברו _vaidabberu, they spoke_ thus _because he had_ _defiled Dinah their sister_; for so this parenthesis should be read.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 34:14. _THAT WERE A REPROACH UNTO US_] Because the uncircumcised were not in the covenant of God; and to have given an heiress of the promise to one who had no kind of right to its spiritual blessings, from whom might spring children who would naturally walk in the way of their father... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 34:17. _THEN WILL WE TAKE OUR DAUGHTER, AND WE WILL HE GONE._] It is natural to suppose that the tribe of Hamor was very inconsiderable, else they would not have sought an alliance with the family of Jacob, and have come so readily into a painful, disgraceful measure, without having ei... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 34:23. SHALL _NOT THEIR CATTLE AND THEIR SUBSTANCE _- BE _OURS_? This was a bait held out for the poor unsuspecting people of Hamor by their prince and his son, who were not much less deceived than the people themselves.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 34:24. _EVERY MALE WAS CIRCUMCISED_] These simple people must have had very great affection for their chief and his son, or have been under the influence of the most _passive obedience_, to have come so readily into this measure, and to have submitted to this rite. But the _petty_ prin... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 34:25. _ON THE THIRD DAY, WHEN THEY WERE SORE_] When the inflammation was at the height, and a fever ensued which rendered the person utterly helpless, and his state critical, _Simeon and_ _Levi_, the half brothers of Dinah, _took each man his sword_, probably assisted by that portion... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 34:27. _THE SONS OF JACOB_] The rest of Jacob's sons, the remaining brothers of Simeon and Levi, _spoiled the city_. Though the others could slay the defenceless males, it was not likely that they could have carried away all the booty, with the women, children, and cattle; it is theref... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 34:30. _YE HAVE TROUBLED ME_] Brought my mind into great distress, and endangered my personal safety; _to make me to_ _stink_-to render me odious to the surrounding tribes, so that there is every reason to suspect that when this deed is come abroad they will join in a confederacy agai... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 34:31. _SHOULD HE DEAL WITH OUR SISTER AS WITH A HARLOT?_] On this outrage alone they vindicated their flagitious conduct. The word _harlot_ first occurs here: the original is not פילגש _pilegesh,_ which we render _concubine_, (see its explanation Genesis 22:24), but זונה _zonah_, whi... [ Continue Reading ]