Genesis — Chapter 34
King James Version (KJV)
Reading Mode: 📖 Read the complete KJV chapter below. After verse 31, continue to 📚 Study This Chapter for explanations and memory checks.
Genesis 34:1 And RDinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.
Genesis 34:2 And when RShechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and Tdefiled her.
Genesis 34:3 And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spake Tkindly unto the damsel.
Genesis 34:4 And Shechem spake unto his father Hamor, saying, RGet me this damsel to wife.
Genesis 34:5 And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter: now his sons were with his cattle in the field: and Jacob held his peace until they were come.
Genesis 34:6 And Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto Jacob to commune with him.
Genesis 34:7 And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men Rwere grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob’s daughter; which thing ought not to be done.
Genesis 34:8 And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife.
Genesis 34:9 And make ye marriages with us, and give your daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto you.
Genesis 34:10 And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein.
Genesis 34:11 And Shechem said unto her father and unto her brethren, Let me find grace in your eyes, and what ye shall say unto me I will give.
Genesis 34:12 Ask me never so much Rdowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife.
Genesis 34:13 And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father Rdeceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister:
Genesis 34:14 And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is Runcircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us:
Genesis 34:15 But in this will we consent unto you: If ye will be as we be, that every male of you be circumcised;
Genesis 34:16 Then will we give our daughters unto you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people.
Genesis 34:17 But if ye will not hearken unto us, to be circumcised; then will we take our daughter, and we will be gone.
Genesis 34:18 And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor’s son.
Genesis 34:19 And the young man deferred not to do the thing, Rbecause he had delight in Jacob’s daughter: and he was more honourable than all the house of his father.
Genesis 34:20 And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto Rthe gate of their city, and communed with the men of their city, saying,
Genesis 34:21 These men are peaceable with us; therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade therein; for the land, behold, it is large enough for them; let us take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our daughters.
Genesis 34:22 Only herein will the men consent unto us for to dwell with us, to be one people, if every male among us be circumcised, as they are circumcised.
Genesis 34:23 Shall not their cattle and their substance and every beast of their’s be our’s? only let us consent unto them, and they will dwell with us.
Genesis 34:24 And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city.
Genesis 34:25 And it came to pass on the third day, when they were Rsore, 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.
Genesis 34:26 And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the Tedge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house, and went out.
Genesis 34:27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and Rspoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister.
Genesis 34:28 They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field,
Genesis 34:29 And all their wealth, and all their little ones and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house.
Genesis 34:30 And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, RYe have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.
Genesis 34:31 RAnd they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?
📚 Study This Chapter
📖 What We’re Reading
Genesis 34:1–12 — Dinah and Shechem
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
Dinah goes out among the daughters of the land, and Shechem defiles her. Jacob’s sons are grieved and angry, while Hamor and Shechem seek a marriage agreement.
Key Truth: The passage identifies the wrong done to Dinah and the grief it brings to her family.
Check What You Remember
1. Who was Leah’s daughter? (Genesis 34:1)
Find it in Genesis 34:1 (KJV).
2. Who was Shechem’s father? (Genesis 34:4)
Find it in Genesis 34:4 (KJV).
3. How did Jacob’s sons feel when they heard about Dinah? (Genesis 34:7)
Find it in Genesis 34:7 (KJV).
📖 What We’re Reading
Genesis 34:13–24 — A Deceitful Agreement
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
Jacob’s sons answer deceitfully and make circumcision a condition of joining the peoples. Hamor and Shechem persuade their city’s men to agree.
Key Truth: The text explicitly describes the brothers’ answer as deceitful.
Check What You Remember
1. How did Jacob’s sons answer Shechem and Hamor? (Genesis 34:13)
Find it in Genesis 34:13 (KJV).
2. What condition did they demand of every male? (Genesis 34:15)
Find it in Genesis 34:15 (KJV).
3. Where did Hamor and Shechem speak to the city men? (Genesis 34:20)
Find it in Genesis 34:20 (KJV).
📖 What We’re Reading
Genesis 34:25–31 — Violence and Its Consequences
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
Simeon and Levi attack the city, kill its males, and take Dinah out of Shechem’s house. The other sons plunder the city, and Jacob fears the danger their actions bring upon his household.
Key Truth: The chapter records wrongdoing and retaliation together with the resulting danger to Jacob’s family.
Check What You Remember
1. Which two sons attacked the city? (Genesis 34:25)
Find it in Genesis 34:25 (KJV).
2. On which day did the attack occur? (Genesis 34:25)
Find it in Genesis 34:25 (KJV).
3. Who said their actions had troubled him? (Genesis 34:30)
Find it in Genesis 34:30 (KJV).
Advanced Questions and Answers
Study this chapter’s wording, patterns, contrasts, and meaning in greater depth.
1. What does the chapter identify as the reason for the sons’ deceitful answer?
2. What additional argument does verse 23 give for consenting to Jacob’s family dwelling there?
3. How does the timing of Simeon and Levi’s attack relate to the agreed condition?
4. What does verse 26 record after Hamor and Shechem were slain?
5. What consequence does Jacob fear when he rebukes Simeon and Levi?
Notes
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