Genesis 34:13
in Genesis 34But because Shechem had defiled their sister Dinah, Jacob’s sons answered him and his father Hamor deceitfully.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father with guile, and spake, because he had defiled Dinah their sister,
KJV
And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister:
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This verse in Genesis 34
Commentary
4 notes on this verseAnswered - 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.
This site's exposition
Jacob’s sons answered him and his father Hamor deceitfully
on Genesis 34:13-14
Jacob's sons answered deceitfully, and the verse says so. The Hebrew is mirmah, the same word Isaac used of Jacob at Genesis 27:35, and the root Jacob threw at Laban at Genesis 29:25. Their ground is stated in verse 14, a disgrace in giving their sister to an uncircumcised man.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor deceitfully,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
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.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
‘MOHAR’ (DOWRY) ‘UMATAN’ (AND GIFT). Mohar [refers to the bridal gifts given at the time of] the marriage-contract which is given to maidens, as it is written, according to the dowry of virgins, 129 Exodus:16.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיַּעֲנ֨וּ | vaiyaanu | and they answered | H6030 → | 331 times |
| בְנֵֽי־ | venei- | [the] sons of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יַעֲקֹ֜ב | yaako | Jacob | H3290 → | 350 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שְׁכֶ֨ם | shekhem | Shechem | H7927 → | 63 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| חֲמ֥וֹר | chamor | Hamor | H2544 → | 13 times |
| אָבִ֛יו | ʾaviv | father his | H1 → | 1212 times |
| בְּמִרְמָ֖ה | bemirmah | with deceit | H4820 → | |
| וַיְדַבֵּ֑רוּ | vaydaberu | and they spoke | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| טִמֵּ֔א | time' | he had defiled | H2930 → | 162 times |
| אֵ֖ת | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| דִּינָ֥ה | dinah | Dinah | H1783 → | 8 times |
| אֲחֹתָֽם׃ | ʾachotam | sister their | H269 → | 114 times |
וַיַּעֲנ֨וּand they answered
vaiyaanuH6030 →331 times
בְנֵֽי־[the] sons of
venei-H1121 →4930 times
יַעֲקֹ֜בJacob
yaakoH3290 →350 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
שְׁכֶ֨םShechem
shekhemH7927 →63 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
חֲמ֥וֹרHamor
chamorH2544 →13 times
אָבִ֛יוfather his
ʾavivH1 →1212 times
בְּמִרְמָ֖הwith deceit
bemirmahH4820 →
וַיְדַבֵּ֑רוּand they spoke
vaydaberuH1696 →1141 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רthat
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
טִמֵּ֔אhe had defiled
time'H2930 →162 times
אֵ֖ת<obj.>
ʾetH853 →10935 times
דִּינָ֥הDinah
dinahH1783 →8 times
אֲחֹתָֽם׃sister their
ʾachotamH269 →114 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
6 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 12:2They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.
it leads to
- Romans 16:18
For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
- Jeremiah 9:8
Their tongues are deadly arrows; they speak deception. With his mouth a man speaks peace to his neighbor, but in his heart he sets a trap for him.
- Psalms 41:6
My visitor speaks falsehood; he gathers slander in his heart; he goes out and spreads it abroad.
- Psalms 5:9
For not a word they speak can be trusted; destruction lies within them. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.
- Psalms 10:7
His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and violence; trouble and malice are under his tongue.
- Romans 16:18
Through
Judges 15:3Samson said to them, “This time I will be blameless in doing harm to the Philistines.”
it leads to
- Judges 14:15
So on the fourth day they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband to explain the riddle to us, or we will burn you and your father’s household to death. Did you invite us…
- Judges 14:15
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on Genesis and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).