Genesis 34:13 - Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown

Genesis 34:13

11 Then Shechem said to her father and her brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give.

12 Ask me ever so much ^adowry and gift, and I will give according to what you say to me; but give me the young woman as a wife.”

13 But the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father, and spoke ^adeceitfully, because he had defiled Dinah their sister.

14 And they said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is ^auncircumcised, for ^bthat would be a reproach to us.

15 But on this condition we will consent to you: If you will become as we are, if every male of you is circumcised,

16 then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to us; and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people.

17 But if you will not heed us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and be gone.”

18 And their words pleased Hamor and Shechem, Hamor’s son.

19 So the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacob’s daughter. He was ^amore honorable than all the household of his father.

Commentaries:

Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown

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Genesis 34:14 >>

Genesis 34:13

The sons of Jacob answered—The honor of their family consisted in having the sign of the covenant. Circumcision was the external rite by which persons were admitted members of the ancient Church. But that outward rite could not make the Shechemites true Israelites; and yet it does not appear that Jacob's sons required anything more. 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. Hypocrisy and deceit, in all cases vicious, are infinitely more so when accompanied with a show of religion; and here the sons of Jacob, under the pretense of conscientious scruples, conceal a scheme of treachery as cruel and diabolical as was, perhaps, ever perpetrated.

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Genesis 34:14 >>

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