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 their livestock and their property and all their animals not be ours? Let’s just consent to them, and they will live with us.” 24All who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and to his son Shechem, and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city. Now it came about on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of Jacob’s sons--Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers--each took his sword and came upon the city undetected, and killed every male. 26They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem’s house, and left. 27Jacob’s sons came upon those killed and looted the city, because they had defiled their sister.

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

• Now it cameהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• on the thirdשְׁלִישִׁיshelîyshîy · thirdH7992
• dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• when they wereכָּאַבkâ'ab · to painH3510
• that twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• of Jacob’sיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
• sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• Simeonשִׁמְעוֹןshim‛ôn · SimeonH8095
• and Leviלֵוִיlêvîy · LeviH3878
• Dinah’sדִּינָהdîynâh · DinahH1783
• brothersאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
• eachאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• his swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• and cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• upon the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• undetectedבֶּ֫טַחbeţach · securityH983
• and killedהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
• everyכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• maleזָכָרzâkâr · maleH2145

Cross-references for Genesis 34:25

• Joshua 5:6For the sons of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, that is, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished because they did not listen to the voice of the Lord, to whom the Lord had sworn that He would not let them see the land which the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
• Genesis 29:33Then she conceived again and gave birth to a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” So she named him Simeon.
• Genesis 49:5“Simeon and Levi are brothers; Their swords are implements of violence.
• Numbers 31:7So they made war against Midian, just as the Lord had commanded Moses, and they killed every male.
• Proverbs 4:16For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; And they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble.
• Proverbs 6:34For jealousy enrages a man, And he will not have compassion on the day of vengeance.
• Genesis 49:6May my soul not enter into their council; May my glory not be united with their assembly; For in their anger they killed men, And in their self-will they lamed oxen.
• 2 Chronicles 32:25But Hezekiah did nothing in return for the benefit he received, because his heart was proud; therefore wrath came upon him and upon 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