English Standard Version
Genesis 34:25
25On 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)But three days later, when their wounds were still sore, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, who were Dinah’s full brothers, took their swords and entered the town without opposition. Then they slaughtered every male there,
Context of Genesis 34:25
23Will not their livestock, their property and all their beasts be ours? Only let us agree with them, and they will dwell with us." 24And all who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city. 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. 26They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the sword and took Dinah out of Shechem's house and went away. 27The sons of Jacob came upon the slain and plundered the city, because they had defiled their sister.
Read all of Genesis 34Genesis 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 people of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord; the Lord swore to them that he would not let them see the land that the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give to us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
- Genesis 29:33She conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also." And she called his name Simeon.
- Genesis 49:5"Simeon and Levi are brothers; weapons of violence are their swords.
- Numbers 31:7They warred against Midian, as the Lord commanded Moses, and killed every male.
- Proverbs 4:16For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.
- Proverbs 6:34For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge.
- Genesis 49:6Let my soul come not into their council; O my glory, be not joined to their company. For in their anger they killed men, and in their willfulness they hamstrung oxen.
- 2 Chronicles 32:25But Hezekiah did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud. Therefore wrath came upon him and 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
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries