Genesis 34:10
in Genesis 34You may settle among us, and the land will be open to you. Live here, move about freely, and acquire your own property.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein.
KJV
And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein.
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This verse in Genesis 34
Commentary
5 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
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.
This site's exposition
My son Shechem longs for your daughter
on Genesis 34:8-10
Hamor asks for the girl and then widens it to marriage between the two peoples, land, free movement and property. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown mark what the offer leaves out, that no regret is spoken and Dinah is not sent home. The talks open with a proposal and no apology.
This site's exposition
move about freely, and acquire your own property
Move about freely renders sachar, to travel as a trader, the root behind the Midianite traders who carry Joseph off at Genesis 37:28. Hamor offers as a favor the land God had already promised Jacob at Genesis 28:13. Israel acquires property with the same verb in Goshen at Genesis 47:27.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The pretence was specious. "It is the honour of Jacob's family that they carry about with them the token of God's covenant with them; and it will be a reproach to those that are thus dignified and distinguished to enter into such a strict alliance with those that are uncircumcised (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes
And ye shall dwell with us,.....
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
You will [then] live with us and the land will be open to you.
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
9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאִתָּ֖נוּ | veitanu | and with us | H854 → | 929 times |
| תֵּשֵׁ֑בוּ | teshevu | you will dwell | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| וְהָאָ֙רֶץ֙ | vehaaretz | and the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| תִּהְיֶ֣ה | tihyeh | it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לִפְנֵיכֶ֔ם | lifneikhem | <to> before you | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| שְׁבוּ֙ | shevu | dwell | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| וּסְחָר֔וּהָ | usecharuha | and go about in it | H5503 → | 21 times |
| וְהֵֽאָחֲז֖וּ | veheachazu | and have possessions | H270 → | 67 times |
| בָּֽהּ׃ | bah | in <the> it |
וְאִתָּ֖נוּand with us
veitanuH854 →929 times
תֵּשֵׁ֑בוּyou will dwell
teshevuH3427 →1079 times
וְהָאָ֙רֶץ֙and the land
vehaaretzH776 →2504 times
תִּהְיֶ֣הit will be
tihyehH1961 →3559 times
לִפְנֵיכֶ֔ם<to> before you
lifneikhemH6440 →2123 times
שְׁבוּ֙dwell
shevuH3427 →1079 times
וּסְחָר֔וּהָand go about in it
usecharuhaH5503 →21 times
וְהֵֽאָחֲז֖וּand have possessions
veheachazuH270 →67 times
בָּֽהּ׃in <the> it
bah
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 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
Genesis 47:27Now the Israelites settled in the land of Egypt, in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and became fruitful and increased greatly in number.
it leads to
- Genesis 46:3
“I am God,” He said, “the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.
- Exodus 1:7
but the Israelites were fruitful and increased rapidly; they multiplied and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them.
- Acts 7:17
As the time drew near for God to fulfill His promise to Abraham, our people in Egypt increased greatly in number.
- Psalms 107:38
He blesses them, and they multiply greatly; He does not let their herds diminish.
- Genesis 46:3
Through
Genesis 20:15And Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you. Settle wherever you please.”
it leads to
- Genesis 13:9
Is not the whole land before you? Now separate yourself from me. If you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to…
- Genesis 13:9
Through
Genesis 13:9Is not the whole land before you? Now separate yourself from me. If you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to…
it leads to
- Genesis 20:15
And Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you. Settle wherever you please.”
- Hebrews 12:14
Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.
- 1 Peter 3:8–12
Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble.
- Genesis 20:15
Where this verse is studied
About Genesis
This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.