Genesis 34:14

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

12Ask me ever so much bridal payment and gift, and I will give according as you say to me; but give me the girl in marriage.” 13But Jacob’s sons answered Shechem and his father Hamor with deceit, because he had defiled Dinah their sister. 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 consent to you: if you will become like us, in that every male of you be circumcised, 16then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters for ourselves, and we will live with you and become one people.

Genesis 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

• They saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to them, “We cannotיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201
• to them, “We cannotלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
• to giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• our sisterאָחוֹת'âchôth · sisterH269
• oneאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• whoאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• is uncircumcisedעׇרְלָה‛orlâh · foreskinH6190
• for that would be a disgraceחֶרְפָּהcherpâh · reproachH2781

Cross-references for Genesis 34:14

• Genesis 17:11And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you.
• Joshua 5:2At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make for yourself flint knives and circumcise again the sons of Israel the second time.”
• 1 Samuel 14:6Then Jonathan said to the young man who was carrying his armor, “Come and let us cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; perhaps the Lord will work for us, for the Lord is not restrained to save by many or by few.”
• 1 Samuel 17:26Then David spoke to the men who were standing by him, saying, “What will 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 taunt the armies of the living God?”
• 2 Samuel 1:20Tell it not in Gath, Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, Or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice, The daughters of the uncircumcised will exult.
• 2 Samuel 15:7Now it came about at the end of forty years that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow which I have vowed to the Lord, in Hebron.
• 1 Kings 21:9Now she wrote in the letters, saying, “Proclaim a fast and seat Naboth at the head of the people;
• Matthew 2:8And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.”
• Matthew 23:1Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples,
• Romans 4:11and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, 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

• Deception

In the dictionaries

• Ask
• Consent
• Daughter
• Defile
• Dinah
• Folly
• Please
• Archaeology; Archaeology and Criticism
• Foreskin
• Genesis

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