English Standard Version
Genesis 34:14
14They 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)They said to them, “We couldn’t possibly allow this, because you’re not circumcised. It would be a disgrace for our sister to marry a man like you!
Context of Genesis 34:14
12Ask me for as great a bride-price and gift as you will, and I will give whatever you say to me. Only give me the young woman to be my wife." 13The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully, because he had defiled their sister Dinah. 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. 15Only on this condition will we agree with you—that you will become as we are by every male among you being circumcised. 16Then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to ourselves, and we will dwell with 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- And they saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto them, We cannotיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201
- unto them, We cannotלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
- doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- this thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- to giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- our sisterאָחוֹת'âchôth · sisterH269
- to oneאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- that is uncircumcisedעׇרְלָה‛orlâh · foreskinH6190
- a reproachחֶרְפָּהcherpâh · reproachH2781
Cross-references for Genesis 34:14
- Genesis 17:11You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall 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 a second time."
- 1 Samuel 14:6Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, "Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the Lord will work for us, for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few."
- 1 Samuel 17:26And David said to the men who stood by him, "What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?"
- 2 Samuel 1:20Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.
- 2 Samuel 15:7And at the end of four years Absalom said to the king, "Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the Lord, in Hebron.
- 1 Kings 21:9And she wrote in the letters, "Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth at the head of the people.
- Matthew 2:8And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him."
- Matthew 23:1Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,
- Romans 4:11He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well,
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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