Genesis 34:25

Genesis 34:25 in other versions

• King James Version (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.
• New International Version (NIV)Three days later, while all of them were still in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took their swords and attacked the unsuspecting city, killing every male.
• English Standard Version (ESV)On the third day, when they were sore, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, took their swords and came against the city while it felt secure and killed all the males.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword and came boldly upon the city and killed all the males.

Context of Genesis 34:25

23Will not their cattle and their possessions and all their animals be ours [if we do this]? Let us consent [to do as they ask], and they will live here with us.” 24And every [Canaanite] man who went out of the city gate listened and considered what Hamor and Shechem said; and every male who was a resident of that city was circumcised. Now on the third day [after the circumcision], when all the men were [terribly] sore and in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s [full] brothers, took their swords, boldly entered the city [without anyone suspecting them of evil intent], and they killed every male. 26They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house [where she was staying], and left. 27Then Jacob’s [other] sons came upon those who were killed and looted the town, because their sister had been defiled and disgraced.

Genesis 34:25 word by word

וַיְהִי֩ בַיּ֨וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֜י בִּֽהְיוֹתָ֣ם כֹּֽאֲבִ֗ים וַיִּקְח֣וּ שְׁנֵֽי־בְנֵי־יַ֠עֲקֹב שִׁמְע֨וֹן וְלֵוִ֜י אֲחֵ֤י דִינָה֙ אִ֣ישׁ חַרְבּ֔וֹ וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ עַל־הָעִ֖יר בֶּ֑טַח וַיַּֽהַרְג֖וּ כָּל־זָכָֽר׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And it came to pass on the thirdשְׁלִישִׁיshelîyshîy · thirdH7992
• dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• when they were soreכָּאַבkâ'ab · to painH3510
• that twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• of the sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
• Simeonשִׁמְעוֹןshim‛ôn · SimeonH8095
• and Leviלֵוִיlêvîy · LeviH3878
• Dinah’sדִּינָהdîynâh · DinahH1783
• brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
• tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• each manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• his swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• and cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• upon the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• boldlyבֶּ֫טַחbeţach · securityH983
• and slewהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
• all the malesזָכָרzâkâr · maleH2145

Cross-references for Genesis 34:25

• Joshua 5:6For the Israelites walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, that is, the men of war who came out of Egypt, died because they did not listen to the voice of the Lord; to them the Lord had sworn [an oath] that He would not let them see the land which He had promised to their fathers to give us, a land [of abundance] flowing with milk and honey.
• Genesis 29:33Then she conceived again and gave birth to a son and said, “Because the Lord heard that I am unloved, He has given me this son also.” So she named him Simeon (God hears).
• Genesis 49:5“Simeon and Levi are brothers [equally headstrong, deceitful, vindictive, and cruel]; Their swords are weapons of violence and revenge.
• Numbers 31:7They made war against Midian, just as the Lord had commanded Moses, and they killed every male.
• Proverbs 4:16For the wicked cannot sleep unless they do evil; And they are deprived of sleep unless they make someone stumble and fall.
• Proverbs 6:34For jealousy enrages the [wronged] husband; He will not spare [the guilty one] on the day of vengeance.
• Genesis 49:6O my soul, do not come into their secret council; Let not my glory (honor) be united with their assembly [for I knew nothing of their plot]; Because in their anger they killed men [an honored man, Shechem, and the Shechemites], And in their self-will they lamed oxen.
• 2 Chronicles 32:25But Hezekiah did nothing [for the Lord] in return for the benefit bestowed on him, because his heart had become proud; therefore God’s wrath came on him and on Judah and Jerusalem.

Commentaries on Genesis 34:25

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 25On 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…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-31Verses 1-31 - 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…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-31Verses 20-31 The Shechemites submitted to the sacred rite, only to serve a turn, to please their prince, and to enrich themselves, and it was just with God to bring punishment upon them. As nothing secures us better than true religion, so nothing exposes us more than religion only pretended to. But Simeon and Levi were most unrighteous. Those who act wickedly, under the pretext of religion, are the worst enemies of the truth, and harden the hearts of many…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 25-29When Simeon and Levi used circumcision (the sign of God’s covenant) to deceive and kill the Canaanite men, they showed disrespect for that sacred sign. Their killing of all the males and their looting of the city was not justice. It was harsh and excessive revenge. They were angry and wanted to correct a wrong. But they should have asked for payment for the harm done (see Exodus 22:16–17; Deuteronomy 22:28–29). Instead, their violent anger led to the loss…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-311-4. Though freed from foreign troubles, Jacob met with a great domestic calamity in the fall of his only daughter. According to Josephus, she had been attending a festival; but it is highly probable that she had been often and freely mixing in the society of the place and that she, being a simple, inexperienced, and vain young woman, had been flattered by the attentions of the ruler's son. There must have been time and opportunities of acquaintance to…Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 34:25

• Deception
• Dishonesty
• Homicide
• Revenge
• Vengeance

In the dictionaries

• Jacob
• Levi
• Simeon
• Jacob, Israel
• Levi, Levite
• Matthew, Levi
• Third Day
• Ask
• Consent
• Daughter

Commentaries on Genesis 34

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings