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The NET Bible®

Genesis 34:28

They took their flocks, herds, and donkeys, as well as everything in the city and in the surrounding fields.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ass (Donkey);   Deception;   Dishonesty;   Homicide;   Vengeance;   Thompson Chain Reference - Spoils of War;   War;   War-Peace;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Dinah;   Levi;   Shechem;   Simeon;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Perizzites;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Anger;   Sexuality, Human;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Levi;   Ox;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Agriculture;   Beriah;   Levi;   Shechem (1);   Holman Bible Dictionary - Genesis;   Levi;   Simeon;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Dinah;   Family;   Hamor;   Israel;   Levi;   Marriage;   Simeon;   Tribes of Israel;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Levi ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Canaan (2);   Dinah;   Levi;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Jacob (1);   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Dinah;   Levi;   Levi ;   War;  

Parallel Translations

Geneva Bible (1587)
They tooke their sheepe & their beeues, and their asses, and whatsoeuer was in the citie, and in the fieldes.
George Lamsa Translation
They took their sheep and their oxen and their asses and whatever was in the town and in the field.
Hebrew Names Version
They took their flocks, their herds, their donkeys, that which was in the city, that which was in the field;
Easy-to-Read Version
So the brothers took all their animals, all their donkeys, and everything else in the city and in the fields.
English Standard Version
They took their flocks and their herds, their donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field.
American Standard Version
They took their flocks and their herds and their asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field;
Bible in Basic English
They took their flocks and their herds and their asses and everything in their town and in their fields,
Contemporary English Version
They took sheep, goats, donkeys, and everything else that was in the town or the fields.
Complete Jewish Bible
They took their flocks, cattle and donkeys, and everything else, whether in the city or in the field,
Darby Translation
Their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and what [was] in the city, and what [was] in the field they took;
JPS Old Testament (1917)
They took their flocks and their herds and their asses, and that which was in the city and that which was in the field;
King James Version (1611)
They tooke their sheepe, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the citie, and that which was in the field.
Amplified Bible
They took the Canaanites' flocks and their herds and their donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field;
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses they took, and all things whatsoever were in the city, and whatsoever were in the plain.
English Revised Version
They took their flocks and their herds and their asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field;
Berean Standard Bible
They took their flocks and herds and donkeys, and everything else in the city or in the field.
Lexham English Bible
They took their flocks and their cattle and their donkeys, and whatever was in the field.
Literal Translation
They took their flocks and their herds and their asses, and whatever was in the city, and whatever was in the field.
New Century Version
So the brothers took the flocks, herds, and donkeys, and everything in the city and in the fields.
New King James Version
They took their sheep, their oxen, and their donkeys, what was in the city and what was in the field,
New Living Translation
They seized all the flocks and herds and donkeys—everything they could lay their hands on, both inside the town and outside in the fields.
New Life Bible
They took their flocks and cattle and donkeys and whatever was in the city and in the field.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
their flocks, and their herds and their asses, - and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field, they took;
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they took their sheep, and their herds, and their asses, wasting all they had in their houses and in their fields.
Revised Standard Version
they took their flocks and their herds, their asses, and whatever was in the city and in the field;
Good News Translation
They took the flocks, the cattle, the donkeys, and everything else in the city and in the fields.
King James Version
They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And thei wastiden the scheep of tho men, and droues of oxun, and assis, and alle thingis that weren in howsis and feeldis,
Young's Literal Translation
their flock and their herd, and their asses, and that which [is] in the city, and that which [is] in the field, have they taken;
World English Bible
They took their flocks, their herds, their donkeys, that which was in the city, that which was in the field;
Update Bible Version
They took their flocks and their herds and their donkeys, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field;
Webster's Bible Translation
They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which [was] in the city, and that which [was] in the field.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And toke their sheepe, oxen, and their asses, and whatsoeuer was in the citie, and also in the fieldes.
Christian Standard Bible®
They took their flocks, herds, donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and toke their shepe, oxen, Asses, and what so euer was in the cite and in the londe,
New American Standard Bible
They took their flocks, their herds, and their donkeys, and that which was in the city and that which was in the field;
New Revised Standard
They took their flocks and their herds, their donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
They took their flocks and their herds and their donkeys, and that which was in the city and that which was in the field;
Legacy Standard Bible
They took their flocks and their herds and their donkeys and that which was in the city and that which was in the field;

Contextual Overview

25 In three days, when they were still in pain, two of Jacob's sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, each took his sword and went to the unsuspecting city and slaughtered every male. 26 They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the sword, took Dinah from Shechem's house, and left. 27 Jacob's sons killed them and looted the city because their sister had been violated. 28 They took their flocks, herds, and donkeys, as well as everything in the city and in the surrounding fields. 29 They captured as plunder all their wealth, all their little ones, and their wives, including everything in the houses. 30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You have brought ruin on me by making me a foul odor among the inhabitants of the land—among the Canaanites and the Perizzites. I am few in number; they will join forces against me and attack me, and both I and my family will be destroyed!" 31 But Simeon and Levi replied, "Should he treat our sister like a common prostitute?"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Numbers 31:17, Deuteronomy 8:17, Deuteronomy 8:18, Job 1:15, Job 1:16, Job 20:5

Reciprocal: Genesis 48:22 - Amorite

Cross-References

Genesis 34:15
We will give you our consent on this one condition: You must become like us by circumcising all your males.
Genesis 34:16
Then we will give you our daughters to marry, and we will take your daughters as wives for ourselves, and we will live among you and become one people.
Genesis 34:17
But if you do not agree to our terms by being circumcised, then we will take our sister and depart."
Genesis 34:18
Their offer pleased Hamor and his son Shechem.
Numbers 31:17
Now therefore kill every boy, and kill every woman who has had sexual intercourse with a man.
Job 20:5
that the elation of the wicked is brief, the joy of the godless lasts but a moment.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

They took their sheep, their oxen, and their asses,.... The Shechemites hoped to have the cattle and substance of Jacob's family, and in a hypocritical manner submitted to circumcision, for the sake of worldly advantage; for that, and pleasing their prince, seem to be the only views they had in it; wherefore, in this there is a just retaliation of them in Providence:

and that which [was] in the city, and that which [was] in the field; the cattle that were kept at home, and those that were brought up in the field, all became a prey.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

- Dinah’s Dishonor

This chapter records the rape of Dinah and the revenge of her brothers.

Genesis 34:1-5

Dinah went out to see the daughters of the land. The Jewish doctors of a later period fix the marriageable age of a female at twelve years and a day. It is probable that Dinah was in her thirteenth year when she went out to visit the daughters of the land. Six or seven years, therefore, must have been spent by Jacob between Sukkoth, where he abode some time, and the neighborhood of Shekerm, where he had purchased a piece of ground. If we suppose Dinah to have been born in the same year with Joseph, who was in his seventeenth year at the time of his being sold as a bondslave Genesis 37:2, the events of this chapter must have occurred in the interval between the completion of her twelfth and that of her sixteenth year. “Shekem.” This name is hereditary in the family, and had taken hold in the locality before the time of Abraham. The Hivite was a descendant of Kenaan. We find this tribe now occupying the district where the Kenaanite was in possession at a former period Genesis 12:6. “Spake to the heart of the damsel.” After having robbed her of her honor, he promises to recognize her as his wife, provided he can gain the consent of her relatives. “Shekem spake unto his father Hamor.” He is in earnest about this matter. “Jacob held his peace.” He was a stranger in the land, and surrounded by a flourishing tribe, who were evidently unscrupulous in their conduct.

Genesis 34:6-17

A conference takes place between the parties. Hamer and Jacob, the parents on both sides, are the principals in the negotiation. The sons of Jacob, being brothers of the injured damsel, are present, according to custom. “Wrought fully in Israel;” a standing phrase from this time forward for any deed that was contrary to the sanctity which ought to characterize God’s holy people. Israel is used here to designate the descendants of Israel, the special people. Hamer makes his proposal. “Shekem, my son.” These words are a nominative pendent, for which “his soul” is substituted. He proposes a political alliance or amalgamation of the two tribes, to be sealed and actually effected by intermarriage. He offers to make them joint-possessors of the soil, and of the rights of dwelling, trading, and acquiring property. Shekem now speaks with becoming deference and earnestness.

He offers any amount of dowry, or bridal presents, and of gift to the mother and brothers of the bride. It must be acknowledged that the father and the son were disposed to make whatever amends they could for the grievous offence that had been committed. The sons of Jacob answer with deceit. They are burning with resentment of the wrong that “ought not to have been done,” and that cannot now be fully repaired. Yet they are in presence of a superior force, and therefore, resort to deceit. “And spake.” This goes along with the previous verb “answered,” and is meant to have the same qualification “with deceit.” The last clause of the verse then assigns the cause of this deceitful dealing. Their speech, for the matter of it, is reasonable. They cannot intermarry with the uncircumcised. Only on condition that every male be circumcised will they consent. On these terms they promise to “become one people” with them. Otherwise they take their daughter, and depart. Our daughter. They here speak as a family or race, and therefore, call Dinah their daughter, though her brothers are the speakers.

Genesis 34:18-24

Hamor and Shekem accept the terms, and immediately proceed to carry them into effect. It is testified of Shekem, that he delayed not to do the thing, and that he was more honorable than all his house. They bring the matter before their fellow-citizens, and urge them to adopt the rite of circumcision, on the ground that the men are peaceable, well-conducted, and they and their cattle and goods would be a valuable addition to the common wealth of their tribe. Hence, it appears that the population was still thin, that the neighboring territory was sufficient for a much larger number than its present occupants, and that a tribe found a real benefit in an accession to his numbers. The people were persuaded to comply with the terms proposed. There is nothing said here of the religious import of the rite, or of any diversity of worship that may have existed between the two parties. But it is not improbable that the Shekemites were prepared for mutual toleration, or even for the adoption of the religion of Israel in its external forms, though not perhaps to the exclusion of their own hereditary customs. It is also possible that the formal acknowledgment of the one true God was not yet extinct. Circumcision has been in use among the Egyptians, Colchians (Herodotus ii. 104), and other eastern nations; but when and how introduced we are not informed. The present narrative points out one way in which it may have spread from nation to nation.

Genesis 34:25-31

Simon and Levi, at the head no doubt of all their father’s men, now fall upon the Shekemites, when feverish with the circumcision, and put them to the sword. Simon and Levi were the sons of Leah, and therefore, full brothers of Dinah. If Dinah was of the same year as Joseph, they would be respectively seven and six years older than she was. If she was in her thirteenth year, they would therefore, be respectively in their twentieth and nineteenth years, and therefore, suited by age and passion for such an enterprise. All the sons of Jacob joined in the sacking of the city. They seized all their cattle and goods, and made captives of their wives and little ones. Jacob is greatly distressed by this outrage, which is equally contrary to his policy and his humanity. He sets before his sons, in this expostulation, the danger attendant upon such a proceeding. The “Kenaanite and the Perizzite,” whom Abraham found in the land on his return from Egypt Genesis 13:7. “I am a few men” - men of number that might easily be counted. I here denotes the family or tribe with all its dependents. When expanded, therefore, it is, “I and my house.” Simon and Levi have their reply. It justifies the retribution which has fallen on the Shekemites for this and all their other crimes. But it does not justify the executioners for taking the law into their own hands, or proceeding by fraud and indiscriminate slaughter. The employment of circumcision, too, which was the sign of the covenant of grace, as a means of deception, was a heinous aggravation of their offence.


 
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