Genesis 34:22 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Only on this condition will the men agree to dwell with us to become one people—when every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised.

NIV: But the men will agree to live with us as one people only on the condition that our males be circumcised, as they themselves are.

NASB: Only on this condition will the men consent to us to live with us, to become one people: that every male among us be circumcised just as they are circumcised.

CSB: But the men will agree to live with us and be one people only on this condition: if all our men are circumcised as they are.

NLT: But they will consider staying here and becoming one people with us only if all of our men are circumcised, just as they are.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: Only on this condition will the men consent to dwell with us, to be one people: if every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised.

Hamor and Shechem have gathered all the men at the gate of the city. Their purpose is to convince everyone to be circumcised. This was the condition given by the sons of Jacob (Genesis 34:14–16), when Shechem appealed for their sister, Dinah, to become his wife (Genesis 34:8–12). But this condition is a lie (Genesis 34:13). Shechem had brutally raped Dinah, and her brothers are intent on revenge (Genesis 34:1–7).

Part of the appeal is for prosperity. Jacob has come to this land with his massive fortune (Genesis 30:43). The idea of opening up trade and marriage with such a family would have been a strong temptation. It's been noted that Jacob's family are currently "at peace" (Genesis 34:21). Most likely, word of Shechem's crime had spread. The chance to avoid reprisals was probably something used to strengthen the case.

Now Hamor and Shechem describe the hard part: the only way for this to happen is if every man in the city is circumcised as they are. This ritual involves removing the foreskin from the penis. When done soon after birth, it's significantly less traumatic. Needless to say, it's painful and temporarily debilitating for adult males. This is an era before modern pain management and antibiotics. Jacob's sons are counting on that.

Genesis 34:13–31 describes the response of Jacob's sons to the rape of his daughter, Dinah. The rapist, Shechem, has asked for her hand in marriage. Dinah's brothers suggest that if the men of the town will be circumcised, they will agree to marriages between the two groups. Shechem and his father, Hamor, gladly agree to these terms. But this is a trap. While the men are still sore from circumcision, Simeon and Levi spring an attack, killing all the men and looting the town. Jacob is afraid this will bring retaliation from the Canaanite and Perizzite people. His sons, however, are adamant that their actions were justified.

Jacob's family has settled within sight of the city of Shechem. Dinah, Jacob's daughter by Leah, is raped by the son of the city's ruler Hamor, also named Shechem. Shechem decides he loves Dinah and wants to marry her. Dinah's brothers are outraged. Hamor and Shechem, however, ask for Dinah to be given to Shechem as a wife and for their people to intermarry. Jacob's sons pretend to agree, provided the men of the city are circumcised. Instead, while the town's men are recuperating, Dinah's brothers by Leah, Levi and Simeon, lead a slaughter of all the men of the city.

With the blessing of the Lord, Jacob has survived his reunion with his brother Esau and settled his family in the land of Canaan, in a city called Shechem. Some time passes and then Jacob's daughter Dinah is raped by the son of the ruler of the city. To exact revenge and defend their sister's honor, Jacob's sons trick the men of the city into being circumcised and then slaughter all of them when they are recovering, plundering all the wealth of the people. This creates fear in the local Canaanite communities, who avoid future confrontation with Jacob's family.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.