Genesis 34

Dina being gone forth to see the daughters of the country comes to the abased and defiled by Sichem son of the Lord of that country verse1 &c. who loves her and desireth to marry her whereupon his father conferring with Jacob and his sons the sons of Jacob give him a deceitful answer making the condition that all the males of the Sichemites should be circumcised 6 that being yielded unto and performed by Hemor Sichem and their subjects while they lay in the pain of circumcision they are surprised and murdered by Simeon and Levi the city plundered by Jacobs sons and women an children carried away captive 18 for which Jacob is exceedingly troubled and afraid.

1. And Dinah the daughter of Leah whom she had born to Jacob went forth [viz.from the place where their parents dwelt which was near Sichem above chapter 33.18 where she might have done better to have stayed Titus 2:5 the rather that she was about fourteen years of age yet] for to see or visit the daughters of that country[some do hold that about this time there was kept some great feast or fair or some such like solemnly at Sichem with a great concourse of people.]

2. Sichem now, Hemor's the Hevite [see above chapter 10 on verse 17] the prince of the country, his son saw her, and he took her and lay with her, and forced her [the Hebrew word doth properly signify, to oppress, or humble, debase and so the holy scripture calls the abusing and defiling of women Judges 19:4 2 Samuel 13:14.]

3. And his soul did cleave to Dinah Jacobs daughter [that is his heart, mind desire and delight depended all on her having no other object in a manner] and he loved the young maid and space according to the heart of the heart of the young maid [that is whatever he taught might be pleasing and acceptable unto her to practice comfort her she being doubtless much more troubled and perplexed at it that she was so unaware overtaken thus see the like kind of expression below chapter 50.21 Judges 19:3 Isaiah 40:2 Hosea 2:13.]

4. Sichem spoke likewise to his father Hemor saying: Take me this daughter to be wife [an example among very heathen people that children ought to marry with the consent and the direction of their parents.]

5. When Jacob heard that he had defiled his daughter Dinah his sons were with the cattle in the fields then and Jacob held his peace till they came.

6. And Hemor Sichems father went forth unto Jacob to speak with him.

7. And the sons of Jacob came from the field when they heard this and it pained those men and they were much incensed [Heb. And it (wrath namely) incensed them much. See above chapter 4 verse 5,6] for that he had practiced folly [or a base part or baseness, falling off, madness. This word betokens such a sin as proceeding out of a base and shameless lust, is committed not against Gods commandments, but even against civil honesty, and sometimes against nature itself, being the cause of great scandal and offence, and ending in shame and confusion. Compare Deuteronomy 22:21 Joshua 7:15 Judges 19.40 and 20.6 2 Samuel 13:12] in Israel [that is, in or against the house of Israel, or the people of God, which issued from Jacob, lately named "Israel".] lying with the daughter of Jacob, which ought not to be done thus [or, thus it is not done, that is, this was not the manner nor ought to be the practice among them. See the like phrase chapter 20.9.]

8. Then Hemor spake with them saying my son Sichem soul is enormared with your daughter give her him to wife I pray.

9. And ally yourselves with us [or marry yours &c. so Deuteronomy 7:3] give us your daughters [viz. in marriage to our sons so below chapter 38.14 Deuteronomy 7:3 &c.]and take for you our daughters [viz. in marriage to your sons see above chapter 19 on verse 14.]

10. And dwell with us and the land shall be before your faces [see above chapter 13 on verse 9] dwell and traffic therein and put yourselves possessor therein [or take firm possession therein or maintain yourselves therein.]

11. And Sichem said to her father [viz. Dinahs] and to her brethren let me findgracein your eyes [see above chapter 18 on verse 3] and what ye shall say unto me I will give.

12. Enlarge the dowry much upon me an dthe present and I will it to thee even as ye shall tell me [that is ask never so much of me in these regards yes hall have your demand the dowry which the man gave to the woman remained her own even after his death the present or gift was that much the bridegroom gave to the bride at the time of the betrothing in pledge of his plighting troth the like we now call with us in the Netherlands a troth-penny see further of the bride dowry Exodus 2:16,17 and of the present above chapter 24 verse 53] give me but the young maid to be wife.

13. Then answered Jacobs sons to Sichem and Hemor his father deceitfully [Heb. In or with deceit for they had no mind at all to yield to the match as appeared afterwards too plain] and spake seeing he had defiled their sister Dinah.

14. And they said to them we shall not be able to do this business that we should give our sister to a man that hath a foreskin for that were a reproach to us [they speak truth indeed but therein they sin that they abuse the sacraments of circumcision for a cover of deceitful plot when as the circumcision was not the thing they aimed at but as a means of compassing their revenge the better by murder.]

15. Yet herein we shall agree with you if you will become like unto us that all what is male [or man] among you be circumcised.

16. Then shall we give you our daughter and we shall take us your daughters and we shall dwell with you and we shall be one people.

17. But if ye shall not hearken unto us for to be circumcised then shall we take our daughters [that is the daughters of our father or of our house as above verse 8] and be gone.

18. And their words were good in the eyes of Hemor and in the eyes of Sichem Hemors son [that is they were pleased with them that is said to be good in ones eyes which doth contend and please him above chapter 16.61Samuel 9.6 &c.]

19. And the youths or young men delayed not to do this thing for the delighted in Jacobs daughter and was honored above all his fathers house [that is his family children retinue courtier officers so below chapter 41.40 1 Kings 2:4 and 4.6 and it seems he was indeed very much beloved regarded an esteemed not only because the city was called by his name but likewise that his father was made very known by him being called the father of sichem see above chapter 33.18, 19.]

20. So Hemor and Sichem his son came to the gate of the city [where the civil affair were usually transacted by the governors or the magistrates even as with us in the Ghild-halls or town houses see above chapter 22 on verse 17] and they spake to the men of their city saying.

21. These men are peaceable with us therefore let them dwell in this land and trade therein and let the land behold it is large of compass [Heb. Large of hands so Judges 18:10] be before their face [that is let it be open for them to chose their abode where they please see above chapter 13 on verse 9] we will take us their daughters to wives and we shall give them our daughters.

22. Yet herein these men will agree with us to dwell with us for to be one people when all that is male among us shall be circumcised.

23. Their cattle and their possession and all their beasts shall they not be ours? only let us agree with them and they will dwell with us [they propound the matter so to the people as if Jacob and his sons had sought this at there hands concealing that it was but the condition of what they sought themselves and besides that they cover their particular aim and interest with the pretence of the common good and thus deceiving their own citizens they were likewise deceived by Simeon and Levi soon after.]

24. And they hearkened to Hemor and to simeon his son [they suffer themselves to be persuaded to change their religion not means of their religion not by means of instruction nor out of love to the truth but merely through fair promises and by received hopes of outward profit]all that went forth at his city gate [that is all the citizen of the city who are decsribed to be going forth out of the city as here or to go into the city as above chapter 23.10 and Jeremiah 17:20] and they were circumcised all that was male all that went to the city gate.

25. And it came to pass on the third day when they were in the pain [that is when they were in the greatest pains sounds commonly smarting more the third day then before] that the two sons of Jacob Simeon and Levi brethren of Dinah [these two were the ring leaders of this plot and were full brothers of Dinah by the same father and mother it is true Reuben Judah and Issachar and Zebulon stood in the self same relation with her but yet had no communion with them with this bloody act as well because that these two last were too young yet as that these two were more inclined to meekness then to cruelty see below chapter 37.21,22,26] took each one his sword and came stoutly or confidently daringly into the city and killed all that was male.

26. They likewise put to death [of this word see above chapter 18 on verse 21] Humor his son sachem with the edge of the sword [Heb. At or in the mouth of the sword] and they took Dinah out of Sachems house and departed.

27. The sons of Jacob came upon the slain and plundered the city [many do understand of this of the rest of Jacobs sons as that having heard of the murder committed by their brethren they ran all to prey upon the dead and plundered the whole city] because they had defiled their sister [that which sichem alone had done had done is imputed to the citizens in general in as much as they taking rather pleasure therein or else they that is one of them viz. Sichm so Exodus 4:19 Matthew 2:20.]

28. Their sheep and their oxen and the asses that which was in the city and that which were in the field they took away.

29. And all their substance and all their little children and their wives they carried away captive and plundered them and all that was within the house.

30. Then said Jacob to Simeon and Levi [hence it appears that Jacob knew nothing of the plot of his two sons much less had given his consent to it compare below chapter 49.5,6,7] ye have troubled me [or ye have disquieted disturbed me not only distempering my mind by this act of yours but likewise exposing me and all my affairs therefore unto eminent danger hazards and confusion having lived before in peace and quiet in this country see Joshua 7:25 and1Kings 18 on verse 17] making me to stink [that is odious and hateful that the people will not be able to endure my fight or abode among them a comparison from things or ill and noisome sent which make men turn away their face from among them see Exodus 5:21 and 1Samuel 13.4 and 27.12 and1Chronicles 19.6] among the inhabitants of the land [Heb. Inhabitants] among the Canaanites an damming the Pherizites [Heb. Canaan and Pherizites] and I am few people in number [Heb. Folks of number that is but of small number soon told as Numbers 9:20 Deuteronomy 4:27 and 33.6] if they assemble against me I shall be destroyed I and my house.

31. And they said should be [viz. Sichem or Should one] then do with our sister as with a whore? [viz. without vengeance or punishment.]