Genesis 34:25
in Genesis 34Three days later, while they were still in pain, two of Jacob’s sons (Dinah’s brothers Simeon and Levi) took their swords, went into the unsuspecting city, and slaughtered every male.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city unawares, and slew all the males.
KJV
And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.
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This verse in Genesis 34
Commentary
7 notes on this verse(Verse 25) And they entered the city diligently, and they killed every male. Because it is read in Greek as ἀσφαλὼς, which means diligently: it is written in Hebrew as Bete (), which means boldly and confidently.
This site's exposition
every male of the city was circumcised
on Genesis 34:24-25
A whole city takes the covenant sign on the word of its chief, which Clarke reads as either strong attachment to the ruling house or the obedience an eastern prince could expect. Three days later, while the men were still in pain, Simeon and Levi took their swords and killed every male. At Genesis 49:5 to 7 Jacob curses their anger and says he will scatter them in Israel.
This site's exposition
went into the unsuspecting city
Unsuspecting renders the Hebrew betach, in security, and the city lay open to them in its trust. Judges 18:27 uses the same root of Laish, struck by the Danites while it lived secure. Two brothers strike a whole city.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
It was true Shechem had wrought folly in Israel, in defiling Dinah: but it ought to have been considered how far Dinah herself had been accessary to it. Had Shechem abused her in her mother's tent, it had been another matter; but she went upon his ground, and struck the spark which began the fire. When we are severe upon the sinner, we ought to consider who was the tempter.
And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore,....
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.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
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 of the servants which helped them to take care of the flock, came on the city boldly, בטח betach, securely - without being suspected, and being in no danger of meeting with resistance, and slew all the males.
The words behind it
22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְהִי֩ | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| בַיּ֨וֹם | vaiyom | on the day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֜י | hashelishi | <the> third | H7992 → | 107 times |
| בִּֽהְיוֹתָ֣ם | bihyotam | when were they | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| כֹּֽאֲבִ֗ים | koavim | in pain | H3510 → | |
| וַיִּקְח֣וּ | vaiyikchu | and they took | H3947 → | 966 times |
| שְׁנֵֽי־ | shenei- | two of | H8147 → | 768 times |
| בְנֵי־ | venei- | [the] sons of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יַ֠עֲקֹב | yaako | Jacob | H3290 → | 350 times |
| שִׁמְע֨וֹן | shimon | Simeon | H8095 → | 44 times |
| וְלֵוִ֜י | velevi | and Levi | H3878 → | 59 times |
| אֲחֵ֤י | ʾachei | [the] brothers of | H251 → | 630 times |
| דִינָה֙ | dinah | Dinah | H1783 → | 8 times |
| אִ֣ישׁ | ʾish | each | H376 → | 1663 times |
| חַרְבּ֔וֹ | charbo | sword his | H2719 → | 413 times |
| וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ | vaiyavou | and they went | H935 → | 2568 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הָעִ֖יר | hair | the city | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| בֶּ֑טַח | betach | security | H983 → | |
| וַיַּֽהַרְג֖וּ | vaiyahargu | and they killed | H2026 → | 167 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| זָכָֽר׃ | zakhar | male | H2145 → | 82 times |
וַיְהִי֩and it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
בַיּ֨וֹםon the day
vaiyomH3117 →2304 times
הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֜י<the> third
hashelishiH7992 →107 times
בִּֽהְיוֹתָ֣םwhen were they
bihyotamH1961 →3559 times
כֹּֽאֲבִ֗יםin pain
koavimH3510 →
וַיִּקְח֣וּand they took
vaiyikchuH3947 →966 times
שְׁנֵֽי־two of
shenei-H8147 →768 times
בְנֵי־[the] sons of
venei-H1121 →4930 times
יַ֠עֲקֹבJacob
yaakoH3290 →350 times
שִׁמְע֨וֹןSimeon
shimonH8095 →44 times
וְלֵוִ֜יand Levi
veleviH3878 →59 times
אֲחֵ֤י[the] brothers of
ʾacheiH251 →630 times
דִינָה֙Dinah
dinahH1783 →8 times
אִ֣ישׁeach
ʾishH376 →1663 times
חַרְבּ֔וֹsword his
charboH2719 →413 times
וַיָּבֹ֥אוּand they went
vaiyavouH935 →2568 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הָעִ֖ירthe city
hairH5892 →1090 times
בֶּ֑טַחsecurity
betachH983 →
וַיַּֽהַרְג֖וּand they killed
vaiyaharguH2026 →167 times
כָּל־every
kol-H3605 →5413 times
זָכָֽר׃male
zakharH2145 →82 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 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
Proverbs 4:16For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.
it leads to
- Psalms 36:4
Even on his bed he plots wickedness; he sets himself on a path that is not good; he fails to reject evil.
- Micah 2:1
Woe to those who devise iniquity and plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they accomplish it because the power is in their hands.
- Isaiah 57:20
But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, for it cannot be still, and its waves churn up mire and muck.
- 2 Peter 2:14
Their eyes are full of adultery; their desire for sin is never satisfied; they seduce the unstable. They are accursed children with hearts trained in greed.
- Proverbs 1:16
For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.
- Psalms 36:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
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; Jerome, Hebrew Questions on Genesis; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.