Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 34:18
And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor’s son.
And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor’s son. The condition proposed was acceptable to them both, and they agreed to comply with it; Hamor, because of the great love he had for his son; Shechem, because of the great love he had for Dinah.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The condition seemed reasonable to the two suitors, and by way of setting a good example, “ the young man did not delay to do this word, ” i.e., to submit to circumcision, “ as he was honoured before all his father’s house.” This is stated by anticipation in Gen 34:19; but before submitting to the operation, he went with his father to the gate, the place of public assembly, to lay the matter before the citizens of the town. They knew so well how to make the condition palatable, by a graphic description of the wealth of Jacob and his family, and by expatiating upon the advantages of being united with them, that the Shechemites consented to the proposal. : integri , people whose bearing is unexceptionable. “ And the land, behold broad on both sides it is before them, ” i.e., it offers space enough in every direction for them to wander about with their flocks. And then the gain: “ Their cattle, and their possessions, and their beasts of burden…shall they not be ours? ” is used here for flocks and herds, for beasts of burden, viz., camels and asses (cf. Num 32:26). But notwithstanding the advantages here pointed out, the readiness of all the citizens of Shechem (vid., Gen 23:10) to consent to be circumcised, could only be satisfactorily explained from the fact that this religious rite was already customary in different nations (according to Herod. 2, 104, among the Egyptians and Colchians), as an act of religious or priestly consecration.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
18 And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor’s son. 19 And the young man deferred not to do the thing, because he had delight in Jacob’s daughter: and he was more honourable than all the house of his father. 20 And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city, and communed with the men of their city, saying, 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. 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. 23 Shall not their cattle and their substance and every beast of theirs be ours? only let us consent unto them, and they will dwell with us. 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.
Here, 1. Hamor and Shechem gave consent themselves to be circumcised, Gen 34:18; Gen 34:19. To this perhaps they were moved, not only by the strong desire they had to bring about this match, but by what they might have heard of the sacred and honourable intentions of this sign, in the family of Abraham, which, it is probable, they had some confused notions of, and of the promises confirmed by it, which made them the more desirous to incorporate with the family of Jacob, Zech. viii. 23. Note, Many who know little of religion, yet know so much of it as makes them willing to join themselves with those that are religious. Again, If a man would take upon him a form of religion to gain a good wife, much more should we embrace the power of it to gain the favour of a good God, even circumcise our hearts to love him, and, as Shechem here, not defer to do the thing. 2. They gained the consent of the men of their city, Jacob’s sons requiring that they also should be circumcised. (1.) They themselves had great influences upon them by their command and example. Note, Religion would greatly prevail if those in authority, who, like Shechem, are more honourable than their neighbours, would appear forward and zealous for it. (2.) They urged an argument which was very cogent (v. 23), Shall not their cattle and their substance be ours? They observed that Jacob’s sons were industrious thriving people, and promised themselves and their neighbours advantage by an alliance with them; it would improve ground and trade, and bring money into their country. Now, [1.] It was bad enough to marry upon this principle: yet we see covetousness the greatest matchmaker in the world, and nothing designed so much, with many, as the laying of house to house, and field to field, without regard had to any other consideration. [2.] It was worse to be circumcised upon this principle. The Shechemites will embrace the religion of Jacob’s family only in hopes of interesting themselves thereby in the riches of that family. Thus there are many with whom gain is godliness, and who are more governed and influenced by their secular interest than by any principle of their religion.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
18. And their words pleased Hamor. Moses prosecutes the history until he comes to the slaughter of the Shechemites. Hamor had, no doubt, been induced by the entreaties of his son, to show himself thus tractable. Whence appears the excessive indulgence of the kind old man. He ought, in the beginning, severely to have corrected the fault of his son; but he not only covers it as much as possible, but yields to all his wishes. This moderation and equity would have been commendable, if what his son had required was just; but that the old man, for the sake of his son, should adopt a new religion, and suffer a wound to be inflicted on his own flesh, cannot be deemed free from folly. The youth is said not to have delayed, because he vehemently loved the maid, and excelled in dignity among his own citizens; and on account of the honor of his rank he easily obtained what he wished: for the fervor of his love would have availed nothing, unless he had possessed the power of accomplishing his object.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(18) Their words pleased Hamor.We gather from this that circumcision was a rite not only well known, but regarded as something honourable; for otherwise they would not so readily have submitted to a thing so painful.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem, Hamor’s son. And the young man did not seek to put off doing the thing because he had delight in Jacob’s daughter, and he was honoured above all the house of his father.’
Both Hamor and Shechem were taken in by the deception and were willing to accept the terms, Hamor as the doting father, and Shechem as the love-sick suitor. Indeed the thought of being circumcised did not daunt Shechem one bit because he was so in love. And his position would ensure acceptance by others in his household, for if he would do it why should they not? They would all do as they were told. This description has the air of being written by an eyewitness to Shechem’s enthusiasm. But it would not be so easy to persuade the men of Shechem as a whole to agree to the act. That required diplomacy.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Gen 34:18. Their swords pleased Hamor The father, for the love he had to his son, and from his desire to gain him the object of his affection; and Shechem his son, for the great love he had to Dinah. It is a proof that Hamor was well beloved by his people, in that they consented so readily for his sake, and for what appeared to them the public good, to an operation so painful. They were not, however, it is probable, a very numerous or a very wealthy people; if they had, they could not have been so easily destroyed, nor would they have been so readily induced to incorporate with Jacob’s family.
But the argument which Hamor uses to persuade his subjects is almost as wrong, as the design of Jacob’s sons in their proposal. To profess religion on worldly motives is abominable, and never like to prosper: however, they consent, and without informing themselves of the reasons and design of circumcision, submit to it. Note; How many baptised persons among us, it is to be feared, know as little of the religion they profess as the circumcised Shechemites.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Gen 34:18 And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor’s son.
Ver. 18. And their words. ] See the force of love, and hope of profit!
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Gen 34:18-24
18Now their words seemed reasonable to Hamor and Shechem, Hamor’s son. 19The young man did not delay to do the thing, because he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter. Now he was more respected than all the household of his father. 20So Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, saying, 21″These men are friendly with us; therefore let them live in the land and trade in it, for behold, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters in marriage, and give our daughters to them. 22Only on this condition will the men consent to us to live with us, to become one people: that every male among us be circumcised as they are circumcised. 23Will not their livestock and their property and all their animals be ours? Only let us 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.
Gen 34:19 This verse lists the three things that Shechem did to win the approval of Jacob’s family: (1) he did not delay; (2) he was delighted in Jacob’s daughter; and (3) he put his reputation on the line.
Gen 34:20 “came to the gate of their city” The gate was the site of the domestic, social, and legislative life of a community. He will appeal to these men (i.e., those old enough to fight) on the basis of the profit motive (cf. Gen 34:23).
Gen 34:21 All four VERBS in this verse are Qal IMPERFECTS used in a JUSSIVE sense (i.e., “let us. . .”).
Gen 34:23 The Shechemites saw this gesture (i.e., circumcision) as a way to increase their tribe’s power and wealth. The covenant people were not growing, but a Canaanite tribe is!
Gen 34:24 Wow! This was a major concession. Circumcision for an adult is a painful and dangerous (i.e, infection) procedure. All of this just to allow the prince to marry a foreigner who he desired (i.e., royal line no longer pure). It is hard for modern westerners to comprehend eastern tribal loyalty and respect for tribal leaders.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Jacobs Sons Spoil the Shechemites
Gen 34:18-31
It is not easy to steer our family life amid the rocks and quicksands of present-day worldliness; but we shall not prosper by using the worlds weapons of duplicity and craft. The true way is to make our homes so attractive that our children will not be tempted to court the alliances that are offered by those whose only portion is in this life. Our Ruths would not leave our fields if we dropped more handfuls on purpose for them. The treachery of these two brethren was absolutely inexcusable. On his dying-bed Jacob reverted to it, and pronounced their scattering in Israel. Though Levi undid that curse by his obedience and devotion, Simeon seems to have made no effort in that direction, and soon became as water absorbed by the desert-sands. But see Rev 7:7. What an awful thing it is when our conduct is such as to make religion offensive to those who observe our behavior, Gen 34:30.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
Reciprocal: Gen 45:16 – it pleased Pharaoh well
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 34:18-19. Hamor and Shechem gave consent themselves to be circumcised. To this perhaps they were moved, not only by the strong desire they had to bring about this match, but by what they might have heard of the sacred and honourable intentions of this sign, in the family of Abraham, which it is probable they had some confused notions of, and of the promises confirmed by it; which made them the more desirous to incorporate with the family of Jacob. He (Shechem) was more honourable than all the house of his father More highly esteemed by the people, which was the reason he prevailed so much with them in so strange a request.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
We can explain the agreement of the men of the city, including Hamor (meaning "donkey," a valued and respected animal) and Shechem (Gen 34:18), to undergo circumcision. Other nations besides Jacob’s family practiced this rite at this time as an act of consecration. [Note: Keil and Delitzsch, 1:313-14.] Jacob was not suggesting that these men convert from one religion to another. [Note: J. Milgrom, "Religious Conversion and the Revolt Model for the Formation of Israel," Journal of Biblical Literature 101 (1982):173.] Normally circumcision was practiced on adults rather than on infants before God told Abraham to circumcise the infants born in his family (Gen 17:12-14).
It was "sometimes an initiation into marriageable status." [Note: Kidner, p. 174.]
Dinah, Simeon, and Levi were the children of Jacob and Leah, the unloved wife (Gen 34:25). Simeon and Levi doubtless felt closer to Dinah than some of her other half-brothers did for this reason. But Reuben, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun were also Leah’s children and Dinah’s full brothers. The fact that only Simeon and Levi reacted as they did against the men of Shechem suggests that they responded with excessive recklessness. [Note: Mathews, Genesis 11:27-50:26, p. 590.] Perhaps Jacob’s indifference to Dinah’s plight, evidenced by his lack of action, encouraged the violent overreaction of her brothers. [Note: Wenham, Genesis 16-50, pp. 308-10.] While Simeon and Levi took the lead in this atrocity, all of Jacob’s sons evidently participated with them in the looting of the city (Gen 34:27; cf. Gen 34:28-29). This was only the first of several notorious incidents that took place at Shechem (cf. Jdg 9:30-49; Jer 41:4-8; Hos 6:9).
Jacob’s distress arose because of two facts (Gen 34:30). His sons had committed murder and robbery, and his family had now broken a covenant, a very serious act in their society.
"His [Jacob’s] censure is more a peevish complaint." [Note: von Rad, p. 334.]
"It is ironic to hear Jacob venting his disgust over Simeon’s and Levi’s failure to honor their word, especially in terms of its potential consequence for Jacob, for he had done exactly that on more than one occasion." [Note: Hamilton, The Book . . . Chapters 18-50, p. 371.]
Deception proceeded to murder and pillage. As a result of this sin Jacob passed over Simeon and Levi when he gave his primary blessing (Gen 49:5-7). It went to Judah instead.
"The crafty character of Jacob degenerated into malicious cunning in Simeon and Levi; and jealousy for the exalted vocation of their family, into actual sin." [Note: Keil and Delitzsch, 1:315.]
"Of course, fear is natural in such a situation, but the reasons Jacob gives for damning his sons betray him. He does not condemn them for the massacre, for abusing the rite of circumcision, or even for breach of contract. Rather, he protests that the consequences of their action have made him unpopular. Nor does he seem worried by his daughter’s rape or the prospect of intermarriage with the Canaanites. He is only concerned for his own skin." [Note: Wenham, Genesis 16-50, p. 316. Cf. 19:8.]
It is interesting that Simeon and Levi referred to Dinah as "our sister" (Gen 34:31) rather than as Jacob’s daughter, which would have been appropriate in addressing Jacob. This implies that since Jacob had not showed enough concern for Dinah her blood brothers felt compelled to act in her defense. This is an early indication that Jacob’s family was already crumbling dysfunctionally, which becomes obvious when Joseph’s brothers turn on him, sell him as a slave, and lie to their father (Gen 37:12-36).
The significance of this chapter is fourfold at least.
1. It explains why Jacob passed over Simeon and Levi for special blessing.
2. It shows the importance of keeping the chosen seed separate from the Canaanites. [Note: See Calum M. Carmichael, "Forbidden Mixtures," Vetus Testamentum 32:4 (1982):394-415.]
"The law [of Moses] said that Israel was not to intermarry with the Canaanites or make treaties with them but was to destroy them because they posed such a threat. This passage provides part of the rationale for such laws, for it describes how immoral Canaanites defiled Israel by sexual contact and attempted to marry for the purpose of swallowing up Israel." [Note: Ross, Creation and . . ., p. 569.]
Noah’s curse on Canaan and his seed had warned the rest of humanity that bad things would happen to people who mixed with the Canaanites (cf. Gen 9:25-27).
"People who live on the borderland between church and world are like those who lived in the old days on the borders between England and Scotland-they are never safe." [Note: Thomas, p. 325.]
3. It gives a reason for the sanctification of Jacob’s household that follows (Gen 35:2-4).
4. It demonstrates the sovereign control of God.
"While the story in this chapter operates at a level of family honor and the brothers’ concern for their ravaged sister, the story nevertheless also carries along the theme that runs so clearly through the Jacob narratives, namely, that God works through and often in spite of the limited self-serving plans of human beings. The writer’s purpose is not to approve these human plans and schemes but to show how God, in his sovereign grace, could still achieve his purpose through them." [Note: Sailhamer, The Pentateuch . . ., p. 200; and idem, "Genesis," p. 214.]
"What message does such a sordid episode have in the Jacob-Joseph narratives? At this point forward, Genesis turns its attention to Jacob’s sons, the progenitors of Israel’s twelve tribes. After the tension of the Jacob-Esau struggle was alleviated in chap. 33’s account of the twin’s pacification, the author sets out to demonstrate the seedy character of Jacob’s descendants, raising the specter that the promises are again in peril." [Note: Mathews, Genesis 11:27-50:26, pp. 576-77.]
Abraham had dealt honorably with the Hittites (ch. 23), and Isaac had behaved peacefully with the Philistines (2612-33). But now Jacob’s sons became the agressors in conflict with the Hivites. Simeon and Levi’s unrepentant treachery stands in stark contrast to Esau and Jacob’s recent moral transformations. In contrast to the Isaac incident in chapter 27, this chapter contains no prayer, no divine revelation, no promised blessing, and no explicit mention of God. [Note: Ibid., p. 578.]
Younger zealots such as Simeon and Levi may bring reproach on God’s covenant through their misguided zeal. This may happen when spiritual leaders such as Jacob are indifferent to pagan defilement and fail to act decisively against it. [Note: For an interesting summary of post-biblical rabbinic traditions concerning the characters and events of this chapter, see Jeffrey K. Salkin, "Dinah, The Torah’s Forgotten Woman," Judaism 35:3 (Summer 1986):284-89.]
". . . this story shows Jacob’s old nature reasserting itself, a man whose moral principles are weak, who is fearful of standing up for right when it may cost him dearly, who doubts God’s power to protect, and who allows hatred to divide him from his children just as it had divided him from his brother." [Note: Wenham, Genesis 16-50, p. 318.]
Many believers bring the wrath of unbelievers on themselves and on other believers by their ungodly behavior, as Jacob, Simeon, and Levi did.