Berean Standard Bible
Genesis 34:14
14“We cannot do such a thing,” they said. “To give our sister to an uncircumcised man would be a disgrace to us.
Genesis 34:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us:
- New International Version (NIV)They said to them, “We can’t do such a thing; we can’t give our sister to a man who is not circumcised. That would be a disgrace to us.
- English Standard Version (ESV)They said to them, "We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a disgrace to us.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And they said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a reproach to us.
Context of Genesis 34:14
12Demand a high dowry and an expensive gift, and I will give you whatever you ask. Only give me the girl as my wife!” 13But because Shechem had defiled their sister Dinah, Jacob’s sons answered him and his father Hamor deceitfully. “We cannot do such a thing,” they said. “To give our sister to an uncircumcised man would be a disgrace to us. 15We will consent to this on one condition, that you become circumcised like us—every one of your males. 16Then we will give you our daughters and take your daughters for ourselves. We will dwell among you and become one people.
Read all of Genesis 34Genesis 34:14 word by word
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם לֹ֤א נוּכַל֙ לַעֲשׂוֹת֙ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה לָתֵת֙ אֶת־אֲחֹתֵ֔נוּ לְאִ֖ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־ל֣וֹ עָרְלָ֑ה כִּֽי־חֶרְפָּ֥ה הִ֖וא לָֽנוּ׃Read the interlinear
- We cannotלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
- We cannotיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201
- doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- suchזֶהzeh · thisH2088
- a thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- they saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- ·אֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
- To giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
- our sisterאָחוֹת'âchôth · sisterH269
- our sisterאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- ·אֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
- an uncircumcised manעׇרְלָה‛orlâh · foreskinH6190
- an uncircumcised manכִּיkîy · forH3588
- would be a disgraceחֶרְפָּהcherpâh · reproachH2781
- would be a disgraceהוּאhû' hîy' · he/she/itH1931
Cross-references for Genesis 34:14
- Genesis 17:11You are to circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and this will be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.
- Joshua 5:2At that time the LORD said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel once again.”
- 1 Samuel 14:6Jonathan said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the outpost of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the LORD will work on our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.”
- 1 Samuel 17:26David asked the men who were standing with him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Just who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
- 2 Samuel 1:20Tell it not in Gath; proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, and the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.
- 2 Samuel 15:7After four years had passed, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a vow I have made to the LORD.
- 1 Kings 21:9In the letters she wrote: “Proclaim a fast and give Naboth a seat of honor among the people.
- Matthew 2:8And sending them to Bethlehem, he said: “Go and search carefully for the Child, and when you find Him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship Him.”
- Matthew 23:1Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples:
- Romans 4:11And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but are not circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them.
Commentaries on Genesis 34:14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14That were a reproach unto us - Because the uncircumcised were not in the covenant of God; and to have given an heiress of the promise to one who had no kind of right to its spiritual blessings, from whom might spring children who would naturally walk in the way of their father would have been absurd, reproachful and wicked. Thus far they were perfectly right; but to make this holy principle a cloak for their deceitful and murderous purposes, was the full…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
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-17Dinah’s brothers responded to the proposal without waiting for Jacob to respond, and they acted deceitfully. They may not have thought that Shechem and his people would ever agree to the rite of circumcision, but they knew what they would do if the Canaanites accepted (34:25).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 34:14
In the dictionaries
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
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